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Complete list of 2013 Colonial commitments (47 players, thus far) #colonial

Officials at the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial have released their initial, 47-player list of commitments to Fort Worth's annual PGA Tour stop. Below is a look at golfers who have made plans to complete May 20-26, 2013 at Colonial Country Club: 

Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial commitments

A list of golfers who have committed to compete in the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial, May 20-26 in Fort Worth. Commitments are not official until Friday, May 17:

Blake Adams, Charles Beljian, Jonas Blixt, Patrick Cantlay, Stewart Cink, Ben Crane, John Daly, Brendon de Jonge, Ken Duke, Steve Flesch, Steven Fox, Jim Furyk, Tommy Gainey, Robert Garrigus, Brian Gay, Tom Gillis, David Hearn, J.J. Henry, Charley Hoffman, Zach Johnson, Kyung-Tae Kim, Chris Kirk, Marc Leishman, Troy Matteson, William McGirt, George McNeill, Kevin Na, Corey Pavin, John Peterson, Carl Pettersson, D.A. Points, Kyle Reifers, John Rollins, Rory Sabbatini, John Senden, Kevin Stadler, Scott Stallings, Chris Stroud, Michael Thompson, Cameron Tringale, Bo Van Pelt, Camilo Villegas, Johnson Wagner, Jimmy Walker, Charlie Wi, Casey Wittenberg, Y.E. Yang.

_ Jimmy Burch

FW golfer Peterson joins Daly, defending champ Johnson among early Colonial commitments

Officials at the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial released their first wave of commitments today for the 2013 tournament. And the list of confirmed competitors, along with defending champion Zach Johnson, includes John Peterson, a former LSU and Fort Worth Paschal golfer who finished fourth at the 2012 U.S. Open, as well as gallery favorite John Daly.

Both Peterson and Daly will be competing on sponsor’s exemptions at the May 20-26 event at Colonial Country Club. Peterson, who does not have a PGA Tour card, will be making his Colonial debut. But his strong showing at last year’s U.S. Open, which earned Peterson, 23, a berth in the 2013 Masters and 2013 U.S. Open, convinced Colonial officials to extend an invitation.

“I think it’s a unique story,” Colonial tournament director Michael Tothe said. “A local, Fort Worth guy. He certainly has proved himself at the major level. We’re excited to host him.”

Also committed to the tournament is Camilo Villegas, who will be competing at Colonial for the first time since 2006, and five Tarrant County residents who are exempt members of the 2013 PGA Tour: Ben Crane, J.J. Henry, John Rollins, Rory Sabbatini and Y.E. Yang.

Others on the 47-player commitment list, released in conjunction with today's kickoff lunchon at the club, include Jim Furyk, Corey Pavin, Johnson Wagner, Jimmy Walker and Patrick Cantlay, winner of the 2011 Ben Hogan Award.

Public ticket sales have begun for the 2013 Colonial and there are a handful of remaining pro-am spots and hospitality packages. For information, visit www.CrownePlazaInvitational.com or call 817-927-4280.

_ Jimmy Burch

Colonial champ Johnson to chat Monday with fans on Facebook, Twitter

Zach Johnson, defending champion at the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial, will host a live Facebook and Twitter chat with golf fans as part of the tournament’s kickoff luncheon activities Monday in Fort Worth. Johnson, a two-time Colonial champ (2010, 2012) who owns the tournament scoring record (21-under par, set in 2010), will chat with fans Monday from 2 p.m. until 2:45 p.m. Channel titles are Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial on Facebook or @CrownePlazaInv on Twitter.

Dates for the 2013 tournament are May 20-26 at Colonial Country Club.

_ Jimmy Burch

TCU golfer Julien Brun included on 2013 Ben Hogan Award watch list

TCU golfer Julien Brun, a sophomore from France who won an event as an amateur on the 2012 European Challenge Tour, is one of 27 players on the watch list for the 2013 Ben Hogan Award, given to the nation’s top college golfer.

Brun, who won in September at the Allianz Golf Open Toulouse Metropole on Europe’s developmental tour, was joined today on the watch list by three fellow Big 12 golfers: Texas’ Brandon Stone, Oklahoma State’s Talor Gooch and Iowa State’s Scott Fernandez.

California had the most golfers on the watch list, with four:  Brandon Hagy, Max Homa, Michael Kim and Michael Weaver.

A list of 10 semifinalists, which could include individuals not on today’s watch list, will be released April 18. The list will be trimmed May 8 to three finalists, who will be in Fort Worth for the May 20 announcement of the winner as part of tournament week activities at the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial.

A full list of players on the watch list is below:

 2013 Ben Hogan Award Watch List

(in alphabetical order)

Daniel Berger (Florida State, So.), Julien Brun (TCU, So.), Albin Choi (North Carolina State, Jr.), Corey Conners (Kent State, Jr.), Scott Fernandez (Iowa State, So.), Steven Fox (Chattanooga, Sr.), Ben Geyer (St. Mary’s, Sr.), Talor Gooch (Oklahoma State, Jr.), Brandon Hagy (California, Jr.), Max Homa (California, Sr.), Michael Kim (California, So.), Jace Long (Missouri, Sr.), Tyler McCumber (Florida, Sr.), Cheng-Tsung Pan (Washington, So.), Kevin Penner (UNLV, Sr.), Thomas Pieters (Illinois, Jr.), Patrick Rodgers (Stanford, So.), Trevor Simsby (Washington, Jr.), Brandon Stone (Texas, Fr.), Julian Suri (Duke, Sr.), Ben Taylor (Nova Southeastern, Jr.), Justin Thomas (Alabama, So.), T.J. Vogel (Florida, Sr.), Michael Weaver (California, Jr.), Pontus Widegren (UCLA, Sr.), Chris Williams (Washington, Sr.) and Bobby Wyatt (Alabama, Jr.).

 

_ Jimmy Burch 

 

Casper to receive Distinguished Sportsman Award from Colonial officials

Billy Casper, a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame and a three-time major champion, will receive the Distinguished Sportsman Award tonight from officials at Colonial Country Club.

Casper, winner of 51 PGA Tour events, earned Colonial titles in 1964 and 1968 in addition to his two U.S. Open championships (1959, 1966) and his victory at the 1970 Masters.

Casper, 81, earned PGA Tour Player of the Year honors in 1966 and 1970. He also played on eight U.S. Ryder Cup teams, earning 23.5 points for U.S. teams in his career. Past recipients of Colonial’s Distinguished Sportsman Award include Ben Hogan, Byron Nelson, Harvey Penick, Gary Player and Lee Trevino.

_ Jimmy Burch

Colonial, Nelson receive consecutive dates on 2013 PGA Tour calendar

PGA Tour officials announced their 2013 season schedule today, with the Dallas-Fort Worth stops set for consecutive weeks in May.

Tour players will compete May 13-19 at the HP Byron Nelson Championship in Irving, followed by a May 20-26 stop in Fort Worth at the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial.

The D-FW events will be separated by more than a month from the other Texas stops on the 2013 calendar, the Shell Houston Open (March 25-31) and the Valero Texas Open in San Antonio (April 1-7).
The Nelson will be played one week after The Players Championship (May 6-12), with Colonial followed by the Memorial Tournament (May 27-June 2). The 2013 tour calendar includes 36 regular-season tournaments and four events during the FedEx Cup playoffs, which conclude with the Tour Championship, Sept. 16-22.

Dates for next season’s major championships include: Masters Tournament (April 8-14), U.S. Open (June 10-16), British Open (July 15-21) and PGA Championship (Aug. 5-11).

_ Jimmy Burch

 

Below is a look at the full 2013 schedule:

 

TOURNAMENT TV GOLF COURSE(S) LOCATION 
J 31-7 Hyundai Tournament of Champions (Monday Finish) GOLF Kapalua Resort (The Plantation Course) Kapalua, HI 
7-13 Sony Open in Hawaii GOLF Waialae Country Club Honolulu, HI 
14-20
Humana Challenge
in partnership with the Clinton Foundation
GOLF
PGA WEST (**Palmer Private Course, Nicklaus Private Course); La
Quinta Country Club
La Quinta, CA 
21-27 Farmers Insurance Open GOLF/CBS Torrey Pines Golf Course (**South Course, North Course) San Diego, CA 
F 28-3 Waste Management Phoenix Open GOLF/NBC TPC Scottsdale (Stadium Course) Scottsdale, AZ 
4-10 AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am GOLF/CBS
**Pebble Beach Golf Links, Spyglass Hill Golf Course, Monterey
Peninsula Country Club (Shore Course)
Pebble Beach, CA 
11-17 Northern Trust Open GOLF/CBS Riviera Country Club Pacific Palisades, CA 
18-24 World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship GOLF/NBC The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, Dove Mountain Marana, AZ 
M 25-3 The Honda Classic GOLF/NBC PGA National (Champion Course) Palm Beach Gardens, FL 
4-10 World Golf Championships-Cadillac Championship  GOLF/NBC Doral Golf Resort & Spa (TPC Blue Monster Course) Doral, FL 
4-10 Puerto Rico Open presented by seepuertorico.com GOLF Trump International Golf Club Puerto Rico  Rio Grande, Puerto Rico 
11-17 Tampa Bay Championship GOLF/NBC Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club (Copperhead Course) Palm Harbor, FL 
18-24 Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard GOLF/NBC Bay Hill Golf Club and Lodge Orlando, FL 
25-31 Shell Houston Open GOLF/NBC Redstone Golf Club (Tournament Course) Houston, TX 
A 1-7 Valero Texas Open  GOLF/NBC TPC San Antonio (AT&T Oaks Course) San Antonio, TX 
8-14 Masters Tournament # ESPN/CBS Augusta National Golf Club Augusta, GA 
15-21 RBC Heritage GOLF/CBS Harbour Town Golf Links Hilton Head Island, SC 
22-28 Zurich Classic of New Orleans GOLF/CBS TPC Louisiana New Orleans, LA 
M 29-5 Wells Fargo Championship GOLF/CBS Quail Hollow Club Charlotte, NC 
6-12 THE PLAYERS Championship GOLF/NBC TPC Sawgrass (THE PLAYERS Stadium Course) Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 
13-19 HP Byron Nelson Championship    GOLF/CBS
Four Seasons Resort and Club Dallas at Las Colinas (TPC Four Seasons
Las Colinas)
Irving, TX 
20-26 Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial  GOLF/CBS Colonial Country Club  Fort Worth, TX 
J 27-2 the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide Insurance GOLF/CBS Muirfield Village Golf Club Dublin, OH 
3-9 FedEx St. Jude Classic GOLF/CBS TPC Southwind Memphis, TN 
10-16 U.S. Open # ESPN/NBC Merion Golf Club Ardmore, PA 
17-23 Travelers Championship GOLF/CBS TPC River Highlands Cromwell, CT 
24-30 AT&T National GOLF/CBS Congressional Country Club Bethesda, MD 
J 1-7 The Greenbrier Classic GOLF/CBS The Greenbrier (The Old White TPC) White Sulphur Springs, WV 
8-14 John Deere Classic GOLF/CBS TPC Deere Run Silvis, IL 
15-21 The Open Championship # ESPN Muirfield East Lothian, Scotland 
15-21 True South Classic GOLF Annandale Golf Club Madison, MS 
22-28 RBC Canadian Open  GOLF/CBS Glen Abbey Golf Club Oakville, Ontario, CAN 
A 29-4 World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational GOLF/CBS Firestone Country Club (South Course) Akron, OH 
29-4 Reno-Tahoe Open GOLF Montrêux Golf and Country Club Reno, NV 
 5-11 PGA Championship # TNT/CBS Oak Hill Country Club Rochester, NY 
12-18 Wyndham Championship GOLF/CBS Sedgefield Country Club Greensboro, NC 
19-25 The Barclays GOLF/CBS Liberty National Golf Course New Jersey City, NJ 
S 26-2 Deutsche Bank Championship (Monday Finish) GOLF/NBC TPC Boston Norton, MA 
3-8 (OFF)
9-15 BMW Championship GOLF/NBC Conway Farms Golf Club Lake Forest, IL 
 16-22 TOUR Championship by Coca-Cola GOLF/NBC East Lake Golf Club Atlanta, GA 
23-29 (OFF)
O 30-6 The Presidents Cup GOLF/NBC Muirfield Village Golf Club Dublin, OH 
# Not PGA TOUR co-sponsored ** Host Course
* Unofficial Event
FedExCup Playoffs (4 events)
2013 FedExCup Season Schedule
DATE
PGA TOUR Regular Season (36 events)

 

Colonial officials to give sponsor's exemption to leading money winner on 2012 Web.com Tour

The leading money winner from the 2012 Web.com Tour will earn more than a PGA Tour card for next season when the final putt drops at Sunday’s Web.com Tour Championship at TPC Craig Ranch in McKinney.

That individual also will be given a sponsor’s exemption to compete in the 2013 Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial in Fort Worth.

Colonial tournament director Michael Tothe said today that he plans to be at Sunday’s final round of the Web.com event in McKinney to award a sponsor’s exemption to the golfer who finishes as the tour’s season money winner. The top five players heading into this week’s event include Casey Wittenberg ($407,453), Luke Guthrie ($384,593), Russell Henley ($365,366), Luke List ($345,539) and Shawn Stefani ($303,311).  

_ Jimmy Burch 

 

 

 

Mickelson returns to Colonial for photo shoot but no discussions held about possible return to tournament

Phil Mickelson, a two-time Colonial tournament champion, returned Monday to the Fort Worth course he criticized in May when Mickelson said recent course tweaks left him unsure about his future as a competitor in the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial.

Michael Tothe, Colonial tournament director, said Tuesday he had pleasant exchanges with Mickelson but discussed “nothing tournament related” during the golfer’s time at the course for a photo/commercial shoot for Callaway Golf, Mickelson’s equipment manufacturer. Tothe said he considered the timing inappropriate to discuss tournament business because Callaway brought five golfers to Fort Worth, including Mickelson, for the shoot.

“I didn’t even want to bring it up. I wanted to welcome him to the club as a past champion,” Tothe said. “I wanted to be respectful (of his sponsor-related commitment). He was very nice.”

But it remains unclear if Monday’s session will soften Mickelson’s stance from May, when he said he was “not sure” if he would return to Colonial because of tweaks made to the layout after his most recent title in 2008. At the time, Mickelson said Colonial “doesn’t really suit my game any more” and expressed concerns about the placement of fairway bunkers that, in Mickelson’s estimation, minimize his advantage as a long hitter.

Mickelson, a four-time major champion, won Colonial titles in 2000 and 2008. Tothe said Mickelson was joined at the photo shoot by PGA Tour competitors Gary Woodland and Fredrik Jacobson, as well as Web.com Tour players Luke List and Adam Hadwin.

In addition, Tothe said he plans to be at Sunday’s final round of the Web.com Tour Championship at TPC Craig Ranch in McKinney to award a sponsor’s exemption in the 2013 Colonial to the golfer who finishes as the tour’s season money winner. The top five players heading into this week’s event include Casey Wittenberg ($407,453), Luke Guthrie ($384,593), Russell Henley ($365,366), List ($345,539) and Shawn Stefani ($303,311).  

 

Colonial, Crowne Plaza to have presence in Chicago during Ryder Cup week

Colonial Country Club, venue for Fort Worth’s annual PGA Tour stop, will have a presence in Chicago during this week’s Ryder Cup festivities in concert with the event’s title sponsor, Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts.

The hotel chain, which sponsors the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial, has joined Golf Digest by becoming a national sponsor for an art exhibit during Ryder Cup week that will benefit Ronald McDonald House Charities of Chicagoland & Northwest Indiana, as well as the Illinois PGA Foundation.

The Magnificent Moments Tartan Art on the Avenue exhibition includes 50 hand-painted, five-foot golf sculptures displayed along Chicago’s Magnificent Mile throughout the city.

Crowne Plaza has a golf ball included in the display, painted by artist Steven Lopez. The ball is titled “It’s Good to be Rickie,” picking up the theme of recent commercials featuring touring pro Rickie Fowler, and features images of Fowler and Colonial.

The Ryder Cup will be played Friday through Sunday at Medinah County Club in suburban Chicago.

_ Jimmy Burch

#Colonial tournament announces charitable donations to 4 local organizations

Officials from the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial announced charitable contributions of $60,000 to each of four local organizations through the “Charity Foursome” program at this year’s PGA Tour event in May. Organizations receiving donations included Birdies for the Brave, Shelter In a Storm, Cook Children’s Medical Center and The First Tee of Fort Worth. During the tournament, each professional golfer played to benefit one of the four charities and the tournament’s title sponsor, Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts, donated $100 per birdie and $500 for each eagle. A fan-driven Facebook campaign helped boost the final total.

_ Jimmy Burch