1997 GTE Byron Nelson Tournament

1997 GTE Byron Nelson Tournament -
Opening Round

When Nelson week arrives in mid May, Dallas golf fans have come to expect the TPC course to be in great shape, large festive galleries, a tournament with low scores and exciting finishes ... and the intervention of Mother Nature.

Opening Day of the 1997 tournament had all of this and more, including the first appearance of twenty-one year old phenom Tiger Woods in a PGA event since his record setting Masters victory accompanied with a record opening day gallery.

After a few groups began play in the morning, there was a three hour and forty minute rain and lightening delay. When the tournament resumed, players found the scoring conditions close to ideal, with a breezy east wind and softer greens.

Jim Furyk, who played the Cottonwood course "in front of nobody" found himself in the lead at 7-under after firing a 63, including a 30 on the front nine. "We had to go up and see for ourselves if we hit it close, because there was no applause," said Furyk, who found himself near enough to make 8 birdies. "It was strange." "I just jumped right in there and hit my irons well, chipped well and putted well," said Furyk who was also returning from a layoff.

Four-time winner Tom Watson was atop the leader board for most of the day finishing with a 65 at Cottonwood. "Overall, I didn't play very well. From tee-to-green, I played pretty sloppily, but my putter made up for it," said Watson, who only had 26 putts. "I scrambled around through 8 holes. I felt I was getting away with some bad shots."

Dudley Hart also used his putting to fire a 64 at the Cottonwood course. "My putter was clicking. Everything had a chance to go in." Also at 6-under was Tiger Woods and local resident Paul Stankowski, who had a 30 on the front nine at the TPC. "The course was perfect," said Stankowski. "There were some wet spots but not a lot of mud on the ball. It worked out great."

Joining Watson at 5 under were Lee Rinker, Kevin Sutherland, Chris Perry, Brad Bryant and Nike tour player Eric Johnson who found out he was in the tournament at 8 am this morning.

Defending champion Phil Mickelson headed a group at 4-under which included Nick Faldo and a pair of local favorites, Justin Leonard and Ben Crenshaw.

First-round scores from the $1.8 million Byron Nelson Classic, played from May 15th-19th at the TPC at Las Colinas and Cottonwood Valley Golf Course in Irving, Texas:

(Par=70)

Jim Furyk              30-33--63     7-under

Dudley Hart            32-32--64     6-under
Paul Stankowski        30-34--64
Tiger Woods            30-34--64

Tom Watson             32-33--65     5-under
Lee Rinker             33-32--65
Eric Johnson           32-33--65
Kevin Sutherland       31-34--65
Chris Perry            32-33--65
Brad Bryant            31-34--65

Craig Parry            34-32--66     4-under
Doug Martin            32-34--66
Justin Leonard         33-33--66
Andrew Magee           35-31--66
Rocco Mediate          33-33--66
P.H. Horgan III        32-34--66
Mike Standly           31-35--66
Phil Mickelson         32-34--66
Nick Faldo             34-32--66
Ben Crenshaw           34-32--66

Glen Day               34-33--67     3-under
Dan Forsman            33-34--67
John Morse             34-33--67
Steve Pate             30-37--67
Mark Wiebe             33-34--67
D.A Weibring           34-33--67
Brad Faxon             33-34--67
Kirk Triplett          32-35--67
Marco Dawson           35-32--67
Jim Carter             33-34--67
Jimmy Green            32-35--67

Billy Ray Brown        33-35--68     2-under
Bruce Fleisher         35-33--68
Stewart Cink           34-34--68
Scott McCarron         35-33--68
Rick Fehr              33-35--68
Dicky Pride            33-35--68
Kenny Perry            34-34--68
Mark O'Meara           36-32--68
Hal Sutton             33-35--68
Len Mattiace           35-33--68
Tommy Tolles           33-35--68
Tray Tyner             36-32--68
Andy Bean              34-34--68
Don Pooley             36-32--68
David Toms             33-35--68
Phil Blackmar          35-33--68
David Frost            33-35--68
Clarence Rose          33-35--68
John Cook              34-34--68
Davis Love III         36-32--68
Mark Brooks            32-36--68
Brandel Chamblee       34-34--68
Jimmy Johnston         35-33--68
David Sutherland       36-32--68
Hideki Kase            33-35--68
Rafael Alarcon         34-34--68

Mike Reid              34-35--69     1-under
Ronnie Black           32-37--69
Kelly Gibson           34-35--69
Patrick Burke          34-35--69
Joe Ozaki              34-35--69
Bob Tway               37-32--69
Payne Stewart          33-36--69
Billy Mayfair          35-34--69
Robin Freeman          34-35--69
Skip Kendall           35-34--69
Perry Arthur           34-35--69
Brent Geiberger        33-36--69
John Maginnes          34-35--69
Blaine McCallister     36-33--69
Tom Byrum              34-35--69
Omar Uresti            34-35--69
David Ogrin            33-36--69
Nick Price             37-32--69
Tom Kite               36-33--69
Phil Tataurangi        33-36--69
Scott Dunlap           36-33--69
J.P. Hayes             35-34--69


Mark Calcavecchia      33-37--70     even
Bruce Lietzke          36-34--70
Brad Fabel             33-37--70
Larry Silveira         35-35--70
Shane Bertsch          34-36--70
Chip Sullivan          35-35--70
David Edwards          36-34--70
Howard Twitty          37-33--70
Neal Lancaster         35-35--70
Loren Roberts          35-35--70
Chip Beck              35-35--70
Scott Gump             34-36--70
Steve Hart             32-38--70
Doug Barron            35-35--70
Lee Porter             35-35--70

Sandy Lyle             39-32--71     1-over
Robert Damron          34-37--71     
Jay Don Blake          35-36--71
Ed Fiori               36-35--71
John Huston            34-37--71
Peter Jacobsen         35-36--71
Greg Kraft             34-37--71
Russ Cochran           35-36--71
Peter Jordan           35-36--71
Jeff Hart              38-33--71
Anthony Rodriguez      35-36--71
Tom Pernice Jr.        35-36--71
Dave Stockton Jr.      35-36--71
Tim Simpson            35-36--71
Ted Tryba              33-38--71
Larry Nelson           34-37--71
Hisayuki Sasaki        34-37--71
Wayne Levi             34-37--71
Allen Doyle            34-37--71
Joe Durant             35-36--71
Michael Christie       33-38--71

Jim McGovern           36-36--72     2-over
Mike Brisky            35-37--72
Tim Herron             36-36--72
Corey Pavin            34-38--72
Scott Verplank         37-35--72
Joe Hager              37-35--72
Bradley Hughes         35-37--72
Lanny Wadkins          37-35--72
Ed Dougherty           34-38--72
Paul Goydos            37-35--72
John Mahaffey          36-36--72
David Duval            38-34--72
Frank Lickliter        37-35--72

Jay Haas               35-38--73     3-over
Jay Delsing            35-38--73
Donnie Hammond         38-35--73
Hugh Royer             37-36--73
Jason Hill             36-37--73

Guy Boros              37-37--74     4-over
Bob Estes              35-39--74
Steve Lowery           35-39--74
Jeff Sluman            36-38--74
Craig Stadler          35-39--74
Olin Browne            35-39--74
John Wilson            35-39--74

Jesse Patino           39-36--75     5-over
Tommy Armour III       37-38--75
Michael Bradley        41-34--75
John Dowdall           36-39--75

Brian Henninger        39-37--76     6-over
Joel Edwards           40-36--76
Harrison Frazar        37-39--76
Kevin Burton           39-37--76

Fulton Allem           41-36--77     7-over
John Adams             37-40--77
a-Nick Biesecker       38-39--77

Bobby Mims             38-41--79     9-over
Kevin Boscamp          35-44--79


DID NOT COMPLETE FIRST ROUND 
----------------------------

David Berganio
Brett Quigley
Kelly Grunewald

a-amateur

1997 GTE Byron Nelson Tournament - Opening Round

1997 GTE Byron Nelson Tournament -
Opening Round