Round 2, HP Byron Nelson Championship

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May. 22, 2009
By PGATOUR.COM staff

The first groups are ready to tee off in today's second round of the HP Byron Nelson Championship. Here's how it sets up:

Groups We're Watching

Tee time	Players
7:44 am ET No. 1		Adam Scott, Fred Couples, Robert Allenby Defending champ Scott carded a 69 but hit only 43 percent of his fairways and 61 percent of his greens.
12:29 pm ET No. 10		Dustin Johnson, Charles Howell III, David Toms Howell shot 66 despite hitting only 57 percent of his fairways. Can he continue to contend while spraying the ball?
12:38 pm ET No. 1		Anthony Kim, D.J. Trahan, Charley Hoffman A double bogey hindered Kim in what is essentially a home game for him. He needs to cut out the mistakes.

EXPERT PREVIEW: PGA TOUR Network on-site correspondent John Maginnes looks back at Thursday's first round and previews Friday's second round:

Friday's forecast

Mostly Sunny
Temp: 84 high/66 low
There will be intervals of clouds and sunshine all day. Winds will blow out of the east-northeast at 10 to 15 mph.

Things tend to get tight and a little nasty on par-70 golf courses this time of year on the PGA TOUR. With only two par 5s, the TPC Four Seasons Resort has players bunched from top to bottom. After the opening round, there are only five shots between the top spot on the leader board and the cut line.

The cut should come somewhere around even par when the sun heads toward El Paso on Friday night. When you consider that 7 under par was the winning score a year ago, it becomes obvious that, moreso than most weeks on the PGA TOUR, any player who makes the cut is liable to have a chance to win this weekend. By contrast, just because you shot 66 or 67 on Thursday, you are not so far ahead of the cut line that you can dismiss it completely.

Friday's weather forecast is for much more of the same with light winds and sunny skies. Look for dramatic moves in both directions on the scoreboard. This is the type of week where we could end up with a different leader after every round.

Stat of the day

2007 HP Byron Nelson Championship winner Scott Verplank (69) is making his 23rd start at the tournament. Just five players have made more starts (28 by Lanny Wadkins and Tom Watson; 27 by Ben Crenshaw; and 24 by Bruce Lietzke and Raymond Floyd).

NOTEWORTHY NUGGETS:
• The first-round leader/co-leader has gone on to win just five of 20 stroke-play events on the PGA TOUR this season, most recently Phil Mickelson at the World Golf Championships-CA Championship. Last year, just nine of 46 first-round leaders/co-leaders went on to win.

• First-round leaders have not fared well at the HP Byron Nelson Championship over the previous 55 playings of the tournament. Only seven players have carried the opening-day lead on to victory, including Scott Simpson (1993), Tom Watson (1979-80), Mark Hayes (1976), Chi Chi Rodriguez (1972), Earl Stewart (1961) and Don January (1956). Only two have won the tournament in wire-to-wire fashion -- Hayes in 1976 and Watson in 1980. (Note: Complete first-round scores are not available for the inaugural event in 1944, which was won by Byron Nelson).

• Corey Pavin, who is attempting to become the first player to win all four Texas Swing tournaments during his career on the PGA TOUR, struggled to a 7-over 77. Pavin's victories in the Lone Star State include the 1984 Shell Houston Open, 1985 and 1996 Colonial National Invitation and the 1988 Valero Texas Open.

• Dallas native and resident Matt Weibring opened with a 3-under 67. His only previous start at the tournament was a missed cut in 2005 (73-71). Weibring's Dad, D.A., spearheaded the $10 million redesign of the TPC Four Seasons prior to the 2008 tournament. The elder Weibring played in the tournament 22 times, with runner-up finishes in 1993 and 1995.

Thus far at TPC Four Seasons

Round	Leader	Low round (par 70)	Key links
	Kent Duke, James Nitties (-5)	65: Kent Duke, James Nitties	Daily Wrap-Up \| Live Report Melanie Hauser column \| Notebook

The Film Room

	PGA TOUR Today Win McMurry updates action from the first round of the 2009 HP Byron Nelson Championship and previews what to watch for in the second round. Watch it
	Shot of the day Adam Scott nearly aces the par-3 180 yard 17th hole during round 1 of the 2009 HP Byron Nelson Championship. Watch it
	Round 1 highlights Ken Duke and James Nitties share the lead after round 1 of the 2009 HP Byron Nelson Championship. Watch it