Ryan Palmer begins Byron Nelson week with an eye toward Colonial
Ryan Palmer, a PGA Tour competitor and Colonial Country Club member, spent Tuesday preparing for his two-week trek through the Dallas-Fort Worth tour stops with a practice round at his home course.
That is notable because the Dean & DeLuca Invitational will not be played until next week, after the new champion is crowned at the AT&T Byron Nelson in Irving. Palmer, who is entered in Thursday’s opening round at the Nelson, hopes to be in pursuit of what he called his personal “Texas Two Step” when he returns to Colonial for the May 23-29 event.
But he made it clear Tuesday where his priorities lie during a preview luncheon for Fort Worth’s annual tour event arranged by the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce.
“Next week is very special to me. It is the one event that I would cherish the most and I would look good in that color,” Palmer said as he nodded toward a plaid jacket worn by a Colonial member that matches the garment awarded to the Colonial champion. “When people ask me what are your favorite courses on tour, this is the first one I mention because I love playing it every day. From a ball-striking standpoint, practicing here has made me a better player.”
Next week is very special to me. It is the one event that I would cherish the most.
Ryan Palmer
Colleyville resident and Colonial member, about competing in the Dean & DeLuca InvitationalPalmer, 39, cited the need to shape shots in both directions off Colonial tees during his round a key factor in his improvement. The former Texas A&M golfer, 39, has won three events and $19.9 million in his PGA Tour career. A Colleyville resident, Palmer acknowledged that having a fellow Colonial member on his bag in caddie James Edmondson offers an extra boost of confidence during tournament weeks in Fort Worth.
Edmondson, a four-time Colonial men’s club champion, is a Fort Worth Paschal graduate who played college golf at the University of Houston. Palmer’s best finish at Colonial is a tie for fifth. He’s done it twice, in 2012 and 2014.
Fresh looks
Among the tournament week tweaks by Dean & DeLuca, the first-year title sponsor, will be white mesh coverings for fencing and grandstand areas rather than the green mesh used in past years. Also, the Prince Street display area off the ninth fairway will feature a replica of a Dean & DeLuca retail outlet where fans can sample and purchase goods from the specialty-food provider.
Construction workers spent Tuesday implementing those tweaks, as well as installing fresh signage with the new tournament logo.
Jay Coldren, Dean & DeLuca’s chief development officer, said the idea of the retail presence is to “try to translate the magic that is part of the experience at our stores and bring that here.”
Latest commitments
Charl Schwartzel, the No. 21 player in the world golf rankings and the 2011 Masters champion, is among the latest group of competitors to join the commitment list.
Jimmy Walker, a former Baylor standout who is No. 32 in the world rankings, also will compete at Colonial.
Tournament officials have extended sponsor’s exemptions to Fort Worth golfer Franklin Corpening, a former TCU and Fort Worth Paschal standout, as well as Ken Duke, who tied for third in Sunday’s final round of The Players Championship.
Jimmy Burch: 817-390-7760, @Jimmy_Burch
This story was originally published May 17, 2016 at 6:32 PM with the headline "Ryan Palmer begins Byron Nelson week with an eye toward Colonial."