At T National

It only took a glimpse of the gallery following Tiger Woods in Saturday's third round of the AT&T National to figure out that something was amiss at Congressional Country Club. There were about 50 people -- media included -- watching a player who normally attracts thousands. "I told Tiger that it was a Bo Van Pelt crowd, so I was used to that," Van Pelt joked after the round. "I was very comfortable with 10 or 15 people watching me play golf. " Weather permitting, it should be much different for Sunday's final round.

SUNDAY'S TELEVISION HIGHLIGHTS X Games Los Angeles ESPN29 Autos Rolex Sports Car Watkins Glen SPEED11 a.m. MLB Cleveland@Orioles 13, MASN21:30 Washington@Atlanta MASN, 501:30 White Sox@Yankees TBS, WGN-A2 Cleveland@Orioles (T) MASN5 Mets@Dodgers ESPN8 WNBA Phoenix@Washington CSN, NBA4 Cycling Tour de France: Stage 1 NBCSP8 a.m. Football IFL playoffs: teams TBA TCN1 PGA European Irish Open: final rd. GOLF8:30 a.m. AT&T National: final rd. GOLF1 Constellation Senior Players: final rd. GOLF2:30 AT&T National: final rd. 93 AT&T National: final rd. 134:30 N'wide United Leasing: final rd. (T)

Billy Hurley III came into the AT&T National at Congressional Country Club having missed the cut in six of his previous seven PGA Tour events. A week playing before friends and family proved to be the perfect panacea for the former Navy standout. The 30-year-old tour rookie, who put off his professional career while finishing his five-year military commitment, had his best tournament since getting his playing card last fall. Hurley finished tied for fourth at 4-under par 280 after a 1-over par 72 Sunday.

In the old days, Tiger Woods might have won the AT&T National with ease. In the old days, Woods might not have needed his closest competitor to bogey the last three holes at Congressional Country Club. In the old days, Woods might not have stopped to acknowledge the two military officers waiting his arrival at the 18th tee before he made his final putt. In the old days, Woods might not have acknowledged the crowd - twice - and high-fived some volunteers en route to the scoring tent.

It has taken three years, a stretch of time when their career arcs crisscrossed, when their successes and failures were dissected like frogs in a high school biology class, when they seemed to share little except the same swing coach. Such is the way things have gone for Hunter Mahan and Tiger Woods since the final round of the 2009 AT&T National. The last time the tournament was held here at Congressional Country Club, Woods appeared invincible, recovered from a serious knee injury and in the midst of another dominating season.

- Billy Hurley III might be in his element at steamy Congressional Country Club for the AT&T National. Not only is the former Navy golfer playing close to where he grew up in Leesburg, Va. and where he now lives in Annapolis, but the triple-digit temperatures that are expected this weekend could be to Hurley's advantage given his military training. "It was 110 in the shade in the Persian Gulf, that was maybe as hot as I've ever been," Hurley said Thursday, when the temperature barely reached the mid-90s.

In the old days, Tiger Woods might have won the AT&T National with ease. In the old days, Woods might not have needed his closest competitor to bogey the last three holes at Congressional Country Club. In the old days, Woods might not have stopped to acknowledge the two military officers waiting his arrival at the 18th tee before he made his final putt. In the old days, Woods might not have acknowledged the crowd - twice - and high-fived some volunteers en route to the scoring tent.

This week's AT&T National remains sponsored by AT&T. Tournament proceeds continue to benefit the Tiger Woods Foundation. Woods, though, no longer serves as tournament host. Nor does the AT&T logo adorn his golf bag anymore. It all makes for a bit of an awkward setup. Sort of like a wedding feast that dictates your recently divorced parents — and their new flings — sit next to each other at the table. Prudence calls for the high road; voyeurism secretly hopes for a little flare-up.

- When Tiger Woods broke a 2 - 1/2 year drought without an official PGA Tour victory at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in March, it didn't come down to a crucial putt as in 2009. Woods, much like he did when he was the most dominant player on the planet, won by five shots. When Woods backed up that win with another at the Memorial Tournament last month, matching host and fellow legend Jack Nicklaus for second place behind Sam Snead with 73 PGA Tour victories, it was a miraculous chip-in from the 16th green that Sunday which pushed him into the lead.

SUNDAY'S TELEVISION HIGHLIGHTS X Games Los Angeles ESPN29 Autos Rolex Sports Car Watkins Glen SPEED11 a.m. MLB Cleveland@Orioles 13, MASN21:30 Washington@Atlanta MASN, 501:30 White Sox@Yankees TBS, WGN-A2 Cleveland@Orioles (T) MASN5 Mets@Dodgers ESPN8 WNBA Phoenix@Washington CSN, NBA4 Cycling Tour de France: Stage 1 NBCSP8 a.m. Football IFL playoffs: teams TBA TCN1 PGA European Irish Open: final rd. GOLF8:30 a.m. AT&T National: final rd. GOLF1 Constellation Senior Players: final rd. GOLF2:30 AT&T National: final rd. 93 AT&T National: final rd. 134:30 N'wide United Leasing: final rd. (T)

Billy Hurley III came into the AT&T National at Congressional Country Club having missed the cut in six of his previous seven PGA Tour events. A week playing before friends and family proved to be the perfect panacea for the former Navy standout. The 30-year-old tour rookie, who put off his professional career while finishing his five-year military commitment, had his best tournament since getting his playing card last fall. Hurley finished tied for fourth at 4-under par 280 after a 1-over par 72 Sunday.

It only took a glimpse of the gallery following Tiger Woods in Saturday's third round of the AT&T National to figure out that something was amiss at Congressional Country Club. There were about 50 people -- media included -- watching a player who normally attracts thousands. "I told Tiger that it was a Bo Van Pelt crowd, so I was used to that," Van Pelt joked after the round. "I was very comfortable with 10 or 15 people watching me play golf. " Weather permitting, it should be much different for Sunday's final round.

It has taken three years, a stretch of time when their career arcs crisscrossed, when their successes and failures were dissected like frogs in a high school biology class, when they seemed to share little except the same swing coach. Such is the way things have gone for Hunter Mahan and Tiger Woods since the final round of the 2009 AT&T National. The last time the tournament was held here at Congressional Country Club, Woods appeared invincible, recovered from a serious knee injury and in the midst of another dominating season.

- Billy Hurley III might be in his element at steamy Congressional Country Club for the AT&T National. Not only is the former Navy golfer playing close to where he grew up in Leesburg, Va. and where he now lives in Annapolis, but the triple-digit temperatures that are expected this weekend could be to Hurley's advantage given his military training. "It was 110 in the shade in the Persian Gulf, that was maybe as hot as I've ever been," Hurley said Thursday, when the temperature barely reached the mid-90s.

- If Tiger Woods is the star attraction and host of the AT&T National tournament beginning Thursday at Congressional Country Club, Beau Hossler is certainly high on the marquee. Golf fans - and plenty of others - now know Beau. A year after playing here as a virtually unknown 16-year-old amateur in theU.S. Open, Hossler returns as something of a social media phenomenon after staying in contention - and briefly leading - this year's Open at the Olympic Club in San Francisco earlier this month.