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Nelson Versus Colonial

This week's EDS Byron Nelson Championship in Irving, Texas, is the first stop in the Tour's annual two-tournament swing through the Dallas--Fort Worth area. The Bank of America Colonial will be the next week in Fort Worth. Here's how the two events match up. --G.V.S.

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NELSON

 

WHO WINS AND WHY

 

COLONIAL

Byron Nelson

X

ICON
Both are legends, but Nelson has always been a nicer guy

 

Ben Hogan

Pavilion, the best pick-up joint in town

X

HOT SPOT
Push

X

Margaritaville. It's all about the jigger and salt

Irving, home of high-rise office parks, expressways and the Dallas Cowboys

 

HOST CITY
Fort Worth, because there's a real city Where the West Begins

X

Fort Worth, a former rail center with a once-bustling stockyard

Modern TPC course, flanked by high-end housing

 

COURSE
Puh-leeze!

X

Short, old-school track that demands precise shotmaking

A waterfall and a pond guard the treacherous, 196-yard par-3 17th

 

FEARED HOLE(S)
It's not Amen Corner, but players tread lightly around the 'Shoe

X

Pars at the Horrible Horseshoe--numbers 3, 4 and 5--are hard-won

What clubhouse? Players use the chic Four Seasons Resort Hotel

 

CLUBHOUSE
By how much did Nixon beat McGovern?

X

A classic built in the 1930s

Bronze statue of Lord Byron

 

COMMEMORATIVES
Wall of Fame is to the Colonial as the Green Monster is to Fenway Park

X

Wall of Fame listing past champions

$1,116,000 and a figurine of Nelson

X

WINNER'S REWARD
The bad plaid never leaves the locker room

 

$1,008,000 and a red plaid sport coat

Texas Stadium

 

NEARBY ATTRACTION
With the Cheerleaders off-duty in May, stick with the more natural attractions

X

Fort Worth Zoo

Well-dressed, high-powered executive type

 

TYPICAL FEMALE FAN
Pros have a thing for halter tops and low-rider jeans

X

Not-so-well-heeled fit and tanned type

BMW-driving preppie on the lookout for other swingers

 

TYPICAL MALE FAN
Mama, don't let your sons grow up to stalk the Nelson galleries

X

Pickup-driving golf nut on the lookout for best swings

In 2000 Jesper Parnevik won while wearing Pepto-Bismol--colored slacks

 

TROUSERS HIGHLIGHT
Nice boxers, Finchy

X

In 1993 Ian Baker-Finch removed his pants to play a shot out of the water

Thanks to Byron, Tiger usually plays

X

BUZZ
If Tiger is stalking, America is talking

 

Got Annika, once

Struggling Tiger can't find the fairway, barely misses the playoff ... and oh, yeah, Sergio García wins

X

2004 STORYLINE
See above

 

Tiger skips tournament once again, calls the course obsolete ... and oh, yeah, Steve Flesch wins

B/W PHOTO

CORBIS (NELSON)

B/W PHOTO

JOHN G. ZIMMERMAN (HOGAN)

COLOR PHOTO

RICHARD CUMMINS/CORBIS (FORT WORTH)

COLOR PHOTO

JAMES D. SMITH/ICON SMI (COWBOY)

COLOR PHOTO

DAVID BERGMAN (FLESCH IN JACKET)

COLOR PHOTO

PAUL A. SOUDERS/CORBIS (KOALA)

COLOR PHOTO

JONATHAN FERREY/GETTY IMAGES (WOODS)

COLOR PHOTO

LM OTERO/AP (PARNEVIK)

COLOR PHOTO