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AT&T Byron Nelson Officially Arrives in Collin County. We Have the Photos to Prove It.

AT&T Byron Nelson is officially a Collin County tourist destination. On Tuesday, the McKinney Chamber of Commerce and the Salesmanship Club of Dallas hosted a ceremonial ribbon cutting ceremony at TPC Craig Ranch in McKinney.

AT&T Byron Nelson is officially a Collin County tourist destination.

On Tuesday, the McKinney Chamber of Commerce and the Salesmanship Club of Dallas hosted a ceremonial ribbon cutting ceremony at TPC Craig Ranch in McKinney. The event celebrated the arrival of the famed golf tournament and the early success in secured sponsorships and hospitality comments, according to the Nov. 10 press release.

“We couldn’t be more excited by the support we have received from everyone at TPC Craig Ranch, the City of McKinney and the Collin County community,” said Jeff Walter, chair of the 2021 AT&T Byron Nelson tournament. “We look forward to working together to host the best players in the world as we shine a spotlight on McKinney, Texas, and deliver the best AT&T Byron Nelson to date.”

The positive spotlight is sorely needed after several tumultuous months of the COVID-19 pandemic, a recall election that has left one seat vacant in McKinney, and a county judge and a couple of county commissioners who seem to struggle with the seriousness of the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, AT&T Byron Nelson's announcement was released shortly before Johns Hopkins University announced that Texas has surpassed a million COVID-19 cases.

But there is good news. Some medical experts claim golfing is one of the safest activities you can participate in during the COVID-19 pandemic, as long as you don't share a golf cart.

The 2020 AT&T Byron Nelson tournament was canceled in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A few weeks later, the tournament—along with the PGA tour—announced they were moving to TPC Craig Ranch as part of a five-year deal.

Next year, AT&T Byron Nelson is planning to host the tournament in early May to benefit the Momentous Institute, a therapeutic organization that focuses on social emotional health and mental health in children. The golf tournament has been supporting the organization for 53 years.

In the press release, AT&T Byron Nelson pointed out that they had already sold 77 percent of tournament hospitality with 95 percent of customers—more than 20 Collin County companies—committing to multi-year deals. Tournament organizers are currently at 45 percent of their projected sales goal before the launch of general ticket sales.

The Healthcare Highways Pro-AM, which is held the Wednesday before the 2021 tournament—is already sold out.

Lisa Hermes, president and CEO of McKinney Chamber of Commerce, said the city is thrilled to host the prestigious golf tournament and welcome visitors and golf enthusiasts to McKinney.

"We embrace the rich history of this tournament along with its meaningful philanthropic impact," Hermes said. "The relationships the tournament team has already built here prove this will not only be a respected golf event, but will be championed by local businesses and the entire Collin County community.” 

Checkout the slideshow below for images courtesy of AT&T Byron Nelson: