These Days, Browne Finds Himself in Between Tours

For years, when Olin Browne played in tournaments in or around Washington, he stayed at home, in his mother's house in Northwest. The District native and St. Albans alumnus felt comfortable that way, as he does at the AT&T National at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda.

"This is home," Browne said. "This is one of the places I really want to play."

But this week, the veteran PGA Tour player's Washington rhythm is off a bit. Browne arrives at the third AT&T National, which tees off Thursday, staying in a hotel for the first time. His mother is "not feeling her best," Browne said, so he'll deal with family and friends from afar.

"It's totally weird," he said. "Completely weird."

Browne also enters play here as someone who turned 50 in May, meaning he is officially straddling life between the PGA Tour, where he first played regularly in 1992, and the Champions Tour, the senior circuit for which he is now eligible. He is a three-time winner on the PGA Tour, but the last of those victories came in 2005. He is fully exempt on the Champions Tour, meaning he can enter any tournament he likes. He no longer enjoys such status on the regular tour.

"That makes the choice easy sometimes," Browne said.

Brown has played seven PGA tournaments this year, making just two cuts, and has twice entered Champions events, making the cut both times. The AT&T National is an invitation-only event limited to 120 players, and Browne is here because Greg McLaughlin, the president of the Tiger Woods Foundation and the tournament director, invited him.

"That was nice, because it's great to come home," Browne said. "I happen to just love this place. I've had some success here, and it's nice to be in this area. It's such a historic course that I'll play it anytime I get the chance."

That includes, Browne hopes, the 2011 U.S. Open, which will be held at Congressional. In 1997, when Ernie Els won the Open there, Browne finished tied for fifth, six shots back. Browne last played in the Open in 2007 at Oakmont, finishing tied for 45th.

"I'm definitely going to continue to try to qualify for that," Browne said. "I would love to be here. This is one of the really good golf courses we have, and it's the kind of course that I think has the potential to host a classic-type championship."

Woods Arrives Today

Woods, the tournament's host, will arrive at Congressional today, along with most of the marquee names in the field. He'll play in the Earl Woods Memorial Pro-Am, teamed with Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, tomorrow.

Also expected to play together in that tournament: Redskins quarterback Jason Campbell, joining wide receiver Antwaan Randle El and Washington Capitals Coach Bruce Boudreau. They'll join a pro to be named later. . . .

One player not in the field is veteran Kenny Perry, who won the Travelers Championship on Sunday in Hartford, Conn., with a closing 63. Perry, who memorably led this year's Masters after 70 holes but lost in a playoff to Angel Cabrera, did not play in the AT&T National during the first two years of the tournament, either. He leads the PGA Tour's money list. Woods, who ranks third on the money list despite playing in only eight events, is the only one of the top six earners in the AT&T field. . . .

Woods will once again pay tribute to the U.S. military, hosting several wounded veterans in a first shot celebration at 11 a.m. tomorrow. The 101st Airborne Division Parachute Demonstration Team will deliver golf balls for the first shot. Jessica Simpson, Romo's girlfriend, will sing the national anthem.