14 hours ago 4 minute reading power Classifications*:not(style){overflow:hidden;position:absolute;top:0px;right:0px;bottom:0px;left:0px;display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-box-pack:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;-webkit-justify-content:center;justify-content: center;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;width:100%;height:100%;}.css- 17ygvlf>img,.css-17ygvlf>video{object-fit:cover;}.css-17ygvlf::before{height:0px;content:””;display:block;padding-bottom:56.25%;}]]>Blades Brown’s winning moment is the shot of the dayChange text sizeAAAPPlayers in item informationPlayers in this Item Favorite players to keep them on top of your leaderboard and get the latest updates. Sign in or sign up to save favorites across all devices. Written by Rob Bolton Process. Process. Process. Every sports psychologist will convey that message to any tourism professional who needs a reminder to focus on it instead of the destination, especially as the end of the PGA Tour season approaches. But come on, even mental skills trainers can’t disagree that the destinations their clients find themselves in make it hard not to stare. Literally. After a week in Bermuda and a fortnight along the western shores of Mexico, all true paradises, the circuit returns to the rugged splendor of Texas’ Hill Country for the inaugural Austin Championship presented by Compliance Solutions. It’s the penultimate stop on the 2026 FedExCup fall schedule. What the 120-strong field can expect from the Fazio Canyons course at Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa, how Mother Nature could play a role in determining this week’s outcome, and more details below the standings of those projected to compete. The Tour returns to Austin, Texas, for the first time since Sam Burns won the last edition of the World Golf Championship-Dell Technologies Match Play in March 2023. Surprisingly, particularly for Burns, he has not achieved another victory since. And he won’t do it again this week since he is not among those committed, but he will remain the most recent winner at Austin Country Club regardless of this week’s result. Fazio Canyons is new to the PGA Tour. It opened in 1999 and is one of four courses contributing to the Barton Creek offering, two of which were designed by Tom Fazio. (Fazio Foothills is the other). The par 72 that serves as the venue for the Austin Championship underwent a renovation in 2022 that lasted seven months. What was originally going to be a bunker upgrade became a wide-ranging project that brought new tees, greens and irrigation to the course. Off-the-ropes amenities for members and visitors have also been improved. The result of Fazio’s recent work allows Canyons to extend to 7,451 yards. Not that the PGA Tour will completely touch the advice of any course it uses, but it would still defeat the purpose of Fazio’s philosophy. It strikes a good balance of elevating accuracy while rewarding exceptional accuracy with distance off the tee, as any proper test should. Similarly, considerable greens look welcoming, while undulations that reduce targets into subsets of their images await when judging downward approaches. It’s not about not having the opportunity to score; it’s about being precise in employing the strategy that best fits the talent’s unique toolbox. In other words, it is fair and consistent. Bermudagrass covers the property. The lushest of the rough is just over two inches tall, while the greens are ready to roll up to 12.5 feet, as measured by the Stimpmeter. Of course, this is Texas, where the wind rules. But considering all this, locals would probably mention that it won’t be too windy. Golfers will evaluate this for themselves. In fact, natives of the Lone Star State wouldn’t mind if it increased a little. That’s what they know best and could be a timely advantage. Still, threats are limited to occasional gusts from the north on Thursday and a slightly stronger sustained advance from the south over the weekend as the chance for rain comes into play. The latter is the predominant direction, or at least it is closer to it. After seasonal highs of 70 degrees for the first three days, Sunday’s end is unlikely to escape 60 degrees. The scant history of courses in the ranks will largely be limited to University of Texas products. The Longhorns occasionally prepare in Fazio Canyons, which also serves as a useful recruiting asset. However, given the lack of familiarity with the greens, ball hitters (those comfortable with the wind and others) gather in the inside lane until everyone has registered valuable feel with their putters. PGATour.com’s Rob Bolton provides a preview and recap of each tournament. See the timing of your contributions below. He is also active as @RobBoltonGolf on X, where you can connect with him. TUESDAY: Expert elections; Sleepers*; Top 100 Watch*Sign up now to receive content found exclusively in “The Early Card” newsletter, delivered to your inbox every Tuesday.
