PHOTOS: AT&T Byron Nelson golf tournament tees off for 2nd year in McKinney with sold-out crowd

The opening ceremony for the sold-out AT&T Byron Nelson was held May 10. Representing the Salesmanship Club of Dallas, Jeff Eckert presided over the ceremony with guest speakers Peggy Nelson Jaros, widow of Byron Nelson; McKinney Mayor George Fuller; Invited CEO David Pillsbury; AT&T Chief Sustainability Officer Charlene Lake; and Momentous Institute Executive Director Jessica Gomez.

A song sung by Momentous Institute’s second graders was also performed to kick off the tournament. Momentous Institute is the beneficiary of the tournament and exists to provide social and emotional health support and partners with children and family members.

“This is what the tournament is all about,” Fuller said about Momentous Institute. “Byron [Nelson] could have put his name on any tournament, but it wasn’t about putting his name on a tournament for him. It was about, ‘What can I do to have an impact on the community?’ And that’s why he did what he did, and that’s why Peggy [Nelson Jaros] continues to be involved.”

The AT&T Birdies for Students program will once again donate $2,500 for every birdie or better made on the 17th hole during competition this year, helping to connect more students to the internet and improve their educational experiences, a tournament release stated.

This is the second year in a row for the AT&T Byron Nelson to be held at TPC Craig Ranch in McKinney. In 2021 attendance was capped at 10,000 people per day due to COVID-19 safety protocols. This year the tournament will operate at full capacity, and for the first time since 2008 has sold out, a news release stated. General admission ticket sales were closed May 5.

“This [event] really highlights our community as a whole; it highlights our downtown; it highlights our city; and it highlights our corporate partnerships that are involved,” Fuller said.

He pointed out that the partnership the city has with McKinney ISD was influential to getting the tournament to reside in McKinney for the next few years. The biggest hurdle in organizing the AT&T Byron Nelson was figuring out where people would park, and the school district stepped up and offered the McKinney ISD Stadium to serve as general parking, Fuller said.

“Especially in a time of so much political noise, people can come together in this [event],” Fuller said. “The only red and blue they see is the red pants of the Salesmanship Club and the blue shirts of the tournament volunteers.”