AT&T Byron Nelson is planning for full capacity crowds in Year 2 at TPC Craig Ranch
The AT&T Byron Nelson is going back to full capacity in 2022.
The annual PGA Tour stop in North Texas made the announcement this week that it’ll return to a pre-pandemic operating procedure. The Nelson was among the many sporting events canceled in 2020 early on during the pandemic and then hosted a limited capacity crowd for the 2021 tournament in its inaugural year at TPC Craig Ranch in McKinney.
“We’re thrilled about opening it up to all of our fans,” said Clay Duvall, the 2022 tournament chairman. “This is a venue where we can make it a great experience for the fans. The Nelson has always brought out fans, young and old, who want to have a good time.”
This year’s AT&T Byron Nelson has tournament rounds scheduled for May 12-15. It’s the second year the tournament will be held at Craig Ranch, but tournament officials understand this is going to be the first time many fans see the venue.
The tournament expects to average between 35,000 and 45,000 fans per day. General admission tickets went on sale this week for $75 per day with premium options available at a higher price point.
“The course sets up great for championship golf, the PGA Tour and mainly for what we like to do,” Duvall said. “We’ve been able to expand our private hospitality by 40 units and really offer more enhanced fan experiences out there. It’s a place where we can do what we do — throw a big golf tournament and have a ton of fun doing it.”
The tournament is already hearing from a number of top golfers who are planning to play, including Dallas native and three-time major champion Jordan Spieth, former No. 1-ranked golfer and two-time major champion Dustin Johnson and Dallas’ Scottie Scheffler, who won his first PGA Tour event last week at the WM Phoenix Open.
Among the notable events outside of golf is a concert headlined by country artist Lee Brice on Saturday night. That will require a separate admission with tickets going on sale March 1.
On the charity side, the tournament remains the driving force behind the Momentous Institute, a nonprofit dedicated to building and repairing the social and emotional health of children. Given the impact COVID-19 has had on mental health, the tournament is going all-in with May being Mental Health Awareness month.
The tournament’s new fundraising initiative is called “Birdies for Mental Health,” where fans can pledge support tied to how many birdies are made during the tournament. Title sponsor AT&T has already committed $2,500 for each birdie or better made on the 17th hole.
Last year’s tournament featured plenty of birdies with winner K.H. Lee setting the scoring record at 25-under. Lee was among 25 players who finished with a score of 15-under or better.
All of those birdies helped the tournament raise $5.5 million for the Momentous Institute, despite the reduced crowds. The goal is to surpass that number this year with full crowds.
“Last year was a tremendous success considering it was in the middle of the pandemic,” Duvall said. “We were able to get a great first tournament at TPC Craig Ranch and it gave us a lot to build off of.”
