Brooks Koepka took a wait-and-see approach to the AT&T Byron Nelson's new venue. He chose to skip last year's debut of Trinity Forest Golf Club.

Many players did the same thing, choosing to learn more about the new course before taking a blind dive into uncharted waters.

But Koepka at least caught the Nelson telecast, watching as rookie Aaron Wise broke through for his first PGA Tour victory. And it's a good thing, too. Koepka, three-time major champion, will be the top-ranked player in next week's Nelson field.

"He told me he really liked how the course played on TV," said Nelson tournament director Jon Drago. "He said it looked like a lot of fun."

Word of mouth and the PGA Tour's schedule change, with the Nelson immediately preceding the PGA Championship, has strengthened the field. An influx of Europeans created the largest spike.

The Nelson field will feature 14 of the top 50 players in the World Golf Ranking: No. 3 Koepka, No. 19 Patrick Reed, No. 22 Marc Leishman, No. 28 Hideki Matsuyama, No. 31 Rafa Cabrera Bello, No. 33 Alex Noren, No. 36 Jordan Spieth, No. 40 Henrik Stenson, No. 42 Kiradech Aphibarnrat, No. 43 Lucas Bjerregaard, No. 45 Justin Harding, No. 46 Branden Grace, No. 48 Charles Howell III, and No. 50 Thorbjorn Olesen.

That's an improvement over last year, when only five top-50 players were willing to try out the new links-style layout in southeast Dallas. Still, the no-show marquee names are hard to ignore.

In Irving's 2017 swan song, the Nelson featured four of the world's top six and nine of the top 20. Koepka and Reed are the only top-20 players in this week's field.

Among the most notable not committed to play this week: No. 1 Dustin Johnson, who skipped last year after playing eight of the final 10 tournaments at Las Colinas. He enjoyed the TPC layout, finishing in the top eight four times.

Longtime Nelson loyalist Matt Kuchar played nine of the last 11, including eight straight, but he has bailed. He was the most vocal critic of Trinity Forest, where his Tour-best streak of 30 straight made cuts ended.

"If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all," he told Golf Channel after the first round. After the second round, he said, "I'm mostly disappointed with myself that I probably let my dislike of the golf course affect my performance. As a professional, if they put 18 holes in a field and tell you this is where the tournament is, you go figure out how to play it."

Current top-50 former champions who are not here this week are Jason Day, Adam Scott, Billy Horschel, Keegan Bradley, and two-time champion Sergio Garcia.

"I'd say the field is similar to last year," Drago said. "We have a few guys playing that didn't play last year, and a few guys not playing that did play last year."

The tour's revamped schedule put the Nelson immediately before the PGA Championship at Bethpage Black. Some players prefer to take off the week before a major. But many Europeans embrace the chance to compete the week before a major after traveling from overseas.

Aphibarnrat, Bjerregaard, Harding, Noren, and No. 88 Thomas Pieters did not play last year's Nelson. Aphibarnrat's lone start came in 2016. The four others will be making their Nelson debuts. They will also strengthen the field's depth.

"It's interesting watching how things are shifting with the PGA's move," Drago said. "We have much more of an international field. Some of those we're getting are coming over to play us and the PGA."

The schedule change has created a juggling act for players. The four majors are packed closer together and the playoff shortened to three events for a pre-football finish to the season.

But there is only one fewer event. Instead of having two months after the Masters before the next major, the PGA's move reduces the break between majors to one month.

"I love the new schedule. I love the way there's kind of a rhythm to big events," Webb Simpson said at the RBC Heritage two weeks ago.

Asked if his preparations have changed because of the PGA changing dates, Simpson said:

"No, my preparation for majors is not that different than a regular event. The Masters is a few shots you have to hook, so I might work on that a little bit. But Bethpage Black, there's nothing unique about that golf course in terms of skill that you have to work on that's unique to what we do every week. It's long. It's not that tight. And so I'll prepare for that like I prepare for any event."

Bill Nichols is a freelance writer based in Dallas.

MORE GOLF

Rankings

-- The top 100 Texas golf courses, Nos. 1-50, ranked (2019)

-- The top 100 Texas golf courses, Nos. 51-100, ranked (2019)

-- The top 25 economy golf courses in Texas that cost $54 and under (2019)

-- The top 25 mid-priced golf courses in Texas that cost $55-$79 (2019)

-- The top 25 high-priced golf courses in Texas that cost $80 and above (2019)

-- The top 50 Texas golf courses open to the public, ranked (2019)

-- The top 25 nine-hole golf courses in Texas, ranked (2019)

-- The 18 most beautiful and best holes at Texas golf courses, ranked (2019)

Top courses

-- Back on top: Oak Cliff's Dallas National ranks as No. 1 golf course in Texas for 2019

-- New courses and renovations you need to know about in 2019: From Maridoe's difficulty to Texas Rangers Golf Club

Byron Nelson

-- Texas toast? How might a sandwich of home-state events affect Jordan Spieth's quest for a PGA Championship

-- In 2019, AT&T Byron Nelson golfers may face a Trinity Forest that plays less like a beauty, more like a beast

-- AT&T Byron Nelson, Trinity Forest Golf Club braces for surge of top players and a European invasion

-- Remember your first? Check out the golfers who captured their first PGA Tour win at the AT&T Byron Nelson

-- Players to watch at this year's two DFW PGA Tour events: The AT&T Byron Nelson and the Charles Schwab Challenge

-- The fields for the 2019 AT&T Byron Nelson and Charles Schwab Challenge

-- Jordan Spieth, Brooks Koepka, Patrick Reed highlight field at 2019 AT&T Byron Nelson

PGA's Frisco HQ

-- Here's what North Texans can expect from the courses at PGA's Frisco HQ, the potential Silicon Valley of golf

The right fit

-- Check out how proper clubs can make it easier for golfers