The AT&T Byron Nelson is loaded. Can TCU great J.J. Killeen rekindle some of his magic?
The AT&T Byron Nelson is sold out for the first time since 2008. The field is loaded with golf’s biggest names, ranging from recent Masters champion Scottie Scheffler to fellow North Texas favorite Jordan Spieth to international stars Hideki Matsuyama and Tommy Fleetwood.
Another player to watch? J.J. Killeen.
The former TCU star was once a rising star in the sport, earning 2011 Korn Ferry Tour player of the year honors, but he lasted just one season on the PGA Tour in 2012.
Killeen, 40, has played his way back into a PGA Tour event by winning the Northern Texas PGA’s Joyce Crane-Veritex Bank Section Championship in September. Among the perks of winning that title is earning a spot in the Nelson field this week.
“This should be a fun week. I know TPC Craig Ranch pretty well,” said Killeen, who has played a number of competitive rounds on the course when it hosted the Korn Ferry Championship in 2008 and the Korn Ferry Tour Qualifying Tournament.
“As far as my game? Who knows. It’s hard to be super tournament sharp and simulate a PGA Tour event. Playing on the PGA Tour is a tough part-time job.”
It isn’t an easy full-time job.
Killeen was a regular during the 2012 season, making the cut in 17 of 33 events. His best finish was eighth at the True South Classic, which is now the Sanderson Farms Classic. But Killeen lost his status following the season. He’s made only two PGA Tour starts since the 2012 season, missing the cut in the Valero Texas Open in 2015 and 2021.
This week’s Nelson will be Killeen’s third start in the last decade. He doesn’t have high expectations but, hey, you never know. A golfer with nothing to lose may become a threat, right?
“I don’t know if I’m a threat. I don’t think Dustin Johnson requested a locker switch when he saw me next to him,” Killeen said, laughing. “The PGA Tour is hard enough as a full-time player and it’s insanely hard as a part-time player. But it helps that this is one event that I knew I would be playing in. I know the course and how to get my game ready for it. Hopefully I can make some magic happen.
“I will say the course is in the best condition and the toughest condition I’ve ever seen it play. The greens are firm and fast. I’m really looking forward to this week. It’s in phenomenal shape.”
At the end of the day, Killeen is soaking it all in. He played a practice round with four-time PGA Tour winner Kevin Kisner on Tuesday. Killeen’s caddie is a friend from Lubbock, Brad Ralston, who is a partner in Killeen’s full-time focus these days as president of Red Feather Golf Club.
Red Feather is a private golf course being built in Lubbock, scheduled to open in the summer of 2023. Killeen, who refers to himself as the “West Texas Driving Range Pro” on social media these days, described it as being a high-end golf course with no cart paths or tee times, while also having a laid-back feel with no dress code.
Killeen has been pleased with the early interest, saying there’s several memberships being sold to Dallas–Fort Worth area residents as well as towns throughout West Texas. Red Feather is expected to become the top golf course in the region.
“The Lubbock area doesn’t have any high-end clubs,” Killeen said. “It’s going to be a really cool golf and social club. I mean, these people are paying for memberships so who are we to tell them what to wear? It’s meant to be fun. That’s what we’re going for.”
Other endeavors for Killeen these days include hosting a popular podcast called “Fore The People” with former professional golfer and Fort Worth Paschal product John Peterson. And, of course, he tries to stay as competitive as possible by playing in U.S. Open qualifiers and sometimes playing his way into events such as the Nelson.
Killeen, who played on four conference championship teams during his college career at TCU from 2001-05, is in the last group off No. 1 on Thursday, teeing off at 2:12 p.m. He’s paired with Joseph Bramlett and Justin Lower.
This story was originally published May 11, 2022 at 5:00 AM.
