Ernie Els saw some photos earlier this week of his win at the HP Byron Nelson Championship back in 1995. Even for someone who doesn't seem greatly affected by the passage of time, Els struggled to comprehend the 17-year difference between then and now.
"Amazing how quickly time goes," he said.
A year later, Phil Mickelson won here, the eighth of his PGA TOUR career that has since grown to 40 wins and a place -- with Els -- in the World Golf Hall of Fame.
Asked on Wednesday to recall his thoughts on winning and being greeted by tournament namesake Byron Nelson, Mickelson replied with a grin, "You know it's 16 years ago, right?"
It hasn't been that long for Adam Scott, who won the HP Byron Nelson four years ago. But it has been three years since his last visit, and he did notice one change on the TPC Four Seasons Resort course.
"The tree's gone in front of the 14th green," he said.
Besides being past champions of the HP Byron Nelson Championship, those three also have something else in common -- they're back in the Dallas after extended absences, thanks to various adjustments in their playing schedules.
Els' last PGA TOUR start here was in 2006. Since then, he has usually spent this week in England, participating in the European Tour's BMW PGA Championship at the Wentworth Club. Not only does Els have a home there, he redesigned the course in 2006.
As a result, he adjusted his playing schedule. Instead of playing the Dallas-area event, in which he's finished in the top 20 in seven of his eight starts, he felt the obligation of playing at Wentworth. "Same damn date," Els said.
This year, the BMW PGA Championship is next week, which freed up Els to play here.
"I have wanted to come back every year, believe me," Els said. "The commitment is such that I had to play in the U.K. because of the redesign of the course. It's tough when the guy that redesigns the course doesn't show up, so I had a commitment to do that. ...
"But I always wanted to come back here, and now that they've changed the date in England, I'm grateful for that."
Mickelson is making his 14th start at the HP Byron Nelson but his first since 2007 when he tied for third. The next year, Mickelson opted to play across the Metroplex in Fort Worth at the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial, and ended up winning.
In 2009, he wife Amy was diagnosed with breast cancer, forcing him to skip his defense of Colonial, although the tournament supported his family with a Pink Out campaign. He then returned to Fort Worth in 2010 and missed the cut. He did not play in either event in North Texas last year, as he made just one start (at the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide Insurance) between THE PLAYERS Championship and the U.S. Open.
"This tournament for me personally, my own schedule, has been a bit awkward the last few years," Mickelson said, "and I guess it's been a bit longer than I expected it to be since I've been here."
Mickelson doesn't have the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial on his schedule this year. Last month, he told The Dallas Morning News that recent renovations to Colonial no longer gives him a power advantage. On Wednesday, he said, "I have a lot of fond memories and special feeling for Colonial, but the course doesn't suit my game anymore."
Meanwhile, he's looking forward to seeing the TPC Four Seasons Resort for the first time since D.A. Weibring renovated the course in 2008.
"I like the chipping areas around the greens, that if you miss some shots you have ... a chance to get up and down," Mickelson said of the course changes. "You can use your short game to salvage some strokes. ... I think there are a lot of great things here that have been done to make the golf course fun and challenging."
The flip-flop in schedules with the HP Byron Nelson and Crowne Plaza Invitational allowed Scott to return to Dallas this year. Last year, the Fort Worth event was played the week before the Dallas event.
"It fits in the same week as I would have played last year," Scott said, adding that "it's a little extra special coming back to a place where you have had success."
