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Tour Mash: Inbee Park wins Olympic Gold in convincing fashion
Two shining weeks of Rio Olympic golf closed with the conclusion of the Women’s championship, while other events were contested in the Czech Republic, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Ontario. The PGA Tour qualified its final golfers into the Tour Championship series while the women looked toward their next major, the Evian Championshp in France. The amateur men crowned their U.S. national champion, and we retrieved our blender after a week off and came up with this tasty tour mash for you.
What a moment. What a feeling for Inbee Park.#Gold #OlympicGolf?? #Golf #Rio2016 #KOR pic.twitter.com/IyUDtwbfBO
— Olympic Golf (@OlympicGolf) August 20, 2016
Inbee Park claims Olympic gold in women’s golf
The unique value of an Olympic medal was not lost on anyone on Saturday. Some golfers wanted it so much yet came up short. Others found the proper balance of emotion and execution. In the end, Korea’s Inbee Park triumphed by 5 strokes at 16-under par, with Lydia Ko of New Zealand claiming silver, and Shan-Shan Feng of China wearing bronze.
Park was never threatened on day four as she made a triumphant return to the winner’s podium. A thumb injury had reduced her from championship form to an afterthought, but Park’s total command of the Olympic course was a powerful reminder of the dominance she exerted on women’s golf over the past 5 years. Lydia Ko never quite connected her putting stroke to the Brazilian greens, but her effort was enough to secure a silver medal. On day four, Shan-Shan Feng surged just enough to edge a stroke beyond three other golfers and avoid a playoff for the bronze medal.
As for Team USA, well, Lexi Thompson took until round 4 to figure things out (T19), Gerina Piller cared too much in a closing 74 (dropped from 3rd to T11) and Stacy Lewis came up one inch short of a playoff for bronze, one of the trio at -9.
Si Woo wins in Greensboro while others qualify on
Si Woo Kim turned to the tenth hole on Sunday in 4-under par, 23 strokes deep for the tournament, but would later falter — maybe it was because he saw Mr. 58, Jim Furyk, in the rearview mirror. He bogeyed three of his first four holes on the inward nine, setting the gallery up for an exciting finish. A weather delay near the end of the round added to the drama, as well.
The young Korean golfer bounced immediately back with a 15th-hole birdie, and Furyk stumbled. Although Luke Donald would reach 16-under for second place, Kim closed with a punch worthy of Connor McGregor, birdieing the 18th for a five-stroke win. Hideki Matsuyama and Brandt Snedeker finished in a third-place tie, one behind Donald.
Kyle Stanley and Shawn Stefani moved inside the top-125 to advance to the FedEx Cup playoffs. For Stefani, the result was especially poignant, as the result secured his tour card for 2016-17. Dropping out of the playoffs were Matt Jones and Whee Kim, numbers 124 and 125 heading into the week.
That's how you finish in style, young man.#ShotOfTheDay https://t.co/QHMjTwkZL8
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) August 22, 2016
Czech Masters title on European Tour in hands of Peterson
Every element of the 2016 Czech Masters pointed to Thomas Pieters defending his 2015 title. The Belgian had placed 4th at the Olympics and was on a course that suited his game. When he took the 3rd round lead, it seemed that the script was written. American Paul Peterson, however, was in charge of the rewrite and he gave the tournament a different ending.
Pieters has had trouble closing the deal this year. While his final-round 70 was a fine effort, it wasn’t enough to hold off the fast-charging Peterson. The Oregon State product had seven birdies on the day. More important, after each of his two bogeys, he bounced back with a birdie. Pieters bogeyed the par-five first hole, then played 3-under golf the rest of the way. Both he and Peterson birdied the closing hole. Pieters ended three strokes ahead of third-place finishers David Howell and Ryan Evans.
Congratulations @PPetersonGolf – the #CzechMasters Champion! ???? https://t.co/9P7IocyRQv
— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) August 21, 2016
A lot of Luck at the U.S. Amateur
The final match of the U.S. Amateur at Oakland Hills brought together two unique competitors; Brad Dalke of the University of Oklahoma matched up with Curtis Luck of Australia. Dalke committed to OU in 2010…when he was a seasoned human of 12 years of age. Talk about precocious! Luck, on his official Twitter account, describes himself as “growin’ beards,” specifically Mirin decent beards (whatever those might be!). After the morning round of 18 holes, the golfers were tied. Each finalist had won five holes in round one, setting the stage for a memorable afternoon.
Dalke burst from the lunchroom gate with a birdie to take a one-up lead. Unmoved, Luck went on one of the all-time great tears, winning 8 consecutive holes. His ridiculous run was highlighted by an eagle 3 on hole 2, birdies on 5 and 7, and pars on the rest. It’s not the Dalke played poorly, he just didn’t play well enough to win a single hole during the stretch. To his credit, Dalke made consecutive pars on holes 10 and 11 to cut the deficit to 5 holes. Luck returned to form, finishing birdie-par-par over the final three holes of the match to win the title, 6 and 4. Both golfers earned return trips to the 2017 Amateur, along with expected invitations to next year’s Masters and U.S. Open tournaments.
And with that, @CurtisLuck6 is the champion of the 116th #USAmateur. https://t.co/2KJCkMIseC
— USGA (@USGA) August 21, 2016
J.J. Spaun surges to back-nine win at News Sentinel Open
After nine holes on Sunday, Sam Ryder had increased his lead over J.J. Spaun by one stroke. Both golfers were in search of their first 2016 wins on the Web.Com Tour, although for Ryder, the stakes were higher. While Spaun held down the 5th spot on the Tour money list, Ryder was farther back, in 55th place. Ryder’s back nine turned out to be an acceptable one, three birdies against two bogeys. Unfortunately for him, Spaun awakened.
Spaun graduated from PGA Tour Canada to the Web.Com Tour, winning once last season. He used that experience over Fox Den’s final nine holes, marking five birdies against no bogeys on his card, to surge past Ryder by one slim stroke. Both golfers laid up on the par-five 18th hole, facing birdie putts of 12 feet for Spaun and 8 feet for Ryder.
As they say in golf, first in wins, and Spaun made certain that his putt dropped for birdie. Ryder could not counter and the victory was Spaun’s. With the victory, Spaun moved inside the top three on the money list. Although he didn’t win, Ryder’s runner-up finish was enough to move him inside The 25 who earn a PGA Tour card at the end of the regular season.
Spaun has spunk. He drains the birdie on the 72nd hole. pic.twitter.com/gRLvd40nMd
— Web.com Tour (@WebDotComTour) August 21, 2016
Mackenzie Tour-PGA Canada’s National Capital Open lasts 8 extra holes
Manav Shah and Jonathan Khan found out what pressure feels like in the final round of the National Capital Open. After lighting up the Hylands Golf Club in Ottawa for three rounds, they collapsed to 77 and 78, respectively, and tumbled down the leader board. Eager to exploit the opening was a trio of competitors.
Samuel Del Val and Adam Cornelson avoided the big numbers on Sunday, each posting 1-under on the day. Brock Mackenzie, inspired by the tour that bears his name, went deeper, reaching 3-under for the final 18. The result was three golfers at 15-under par, one stroke ahead of a quartet of pretenders. Off to the par four 18th went the trio, twice! After six pars, the playoff moved to the par-three third hole. Both Mackenzie and Del Val made birdie, but Cornelson stumbled to bogey and was eliminated.
It took two more visits to each hole (18 and 3) before Mackenzie was able to strike for another birdie and seize victory. Both Mackenzie and Cornelson firmed their grasp on their spots in The Five — the golfers who earn a Web.Com Tour card at season’s end. Del Val has a way to go, but moved inside the top-20 on the Order of Merit with his runner-up finish.
There it is! Brock Mackenzie ends the marathon playoff with a birdie on the seventh extra hole. pic.twitter.com/vrsYMskMYc
— Mackenzie Tour (@PGATOURCanada) August 21, 2016
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News
Vincenzi’s 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson betting preview: International talent to shine
As anticipation mounts for the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla in a few weeks, the PGA Tour makes a pit stop in McKinney, Texas to play The CJ CUP Byron Nelson.
Last year was the third time TPC Craig Ranch hosted the Byron Nelson. Prior to 2021, the event was held at Trinity Forest Golf Club in Dallas.
TPC Craig Ranch is a 7,414-yard par-71 that features Bentgrass greens. The event historically plays relatively easy, and that has remained the case in the three editions at TPC Craig Ranch.
The course structure may provide some additional intrigue with the par-3 17th featuring a stadium setup called “Ranch 17” which is reminiscent of the 16th hole at TPC Scottsdale. The course also has both long and difficult par-4s mixed with drivable par-4s, which should create some exciting moments.
There are 156 golfers in the field this week, and many stars will be taking the week off to prepare for 2023’s second major championship in a few weeks and a “signature event” at Quail Hollow next week. Notable players in the field include Jordan Spieth, Jason Day, Sungjae Im, Stephan Jaeger, Tom Kim, Si Woo Kim, Min Woo Lee, Alex Noren, Adam Scott and Will Zalatoris.
Past Winners of the AT&T Byron Nelson
- 2023: Jason Day (-23 at TPC Craig Ranch)
- 2022: K.H. Lee (-26 at TPC Craig Ranch)
- 2021: K.H. Lee (-25 at TPC Craig Ranch)
- 2019: Sung Kang (-23)
- 2018: Aaron Wise (-23)
- 2017: Billy Horschel (-12)
- 2016: Sergio Garcia (-15)
- 2015: Steven Bowditch (-18)
Key Stats at TPC Craig Ranch
Let’s take a look at five key metrics for TPC Craig Ranch to determine which golfers boast top marks in each category over their last 24 rounds.
Strokes Gained: Approach
Strokes Gained: Approach remains the best measure of current form.
Hot iron play will be at a premium this week. Last year, Jason Day gained 6.4 strokes on approach, which was fourth in the field. In 2022, K.H. Lee was ninth in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach, gaining 5.2 strokes. In his 2021 victory, he was second in the field and gained 8.3 strokes on the field in the category.
Strokes Gaines: Approach Over Past 24 Rounds
- Tom Hoge (+1.12)
- Keith Mitchell (+1.02)
- Henrik Norlander (+0.99)
- Ryan Moore (+0.98)
- Ben Martin (0.80)
Strokes Gained: Off the Tee
Fairways are wide at TPC Craig Ranch.
Distance will certainly be helpful, and there aren’t too many difficult holes on the course. Golfers who put themselves in position off of the tee this week should have a sizable advantage.
Strokes Gained: Off the Tee Over Past 24 Rounds
- Peter Kuest (+0.93)
- Kevin Daugherty (+0.91)
- Alejandro Tosti (+0.83)
- Keith Mitchell (+0.82)
- Kevin Tway (+0.74)
Birdie or Better %
There aren’t many hazards on the course, and all of the par-5s should be reachable in two for the majority of the players in the field. I am anticipating a birdie fest, and this statistic should be helpful in finding the birdie-makers.
Birdie or Better % Over Past 24 Rounds:
- Wesley Bryan (31%)
- Kelly Kraft (26.2%)
- Peter Kuest (25.9%)
- Matti Schmid (25.7%
- Jimmy Stanger (25.2%)
Strokes Gained: Putting (Bentgrass)
Many golfers on TOUR have some major putting surface variance in their statistics and prefer Bentgrass to other surfaces.
Bentgrass is common in Texas, and we often see golfers who play well in Texas continue to do so, finding a great feel around the greens.
Strokes Gained: Putting (Bentgrass) Over Past 24 Rounds:
- Maverick McNealy (+0.92)
- Aaron Baddeley (+0.87)
- Callum Tarren (+0.86)
- Harry Hall (+0.81)
- Nick Hardy (+0.69)
Course History
This statistic will tell us which players have performed the best at TPC Craig Ranch over the past three seasons.
Course History Over Past 12 Rounds:
- Jordan Spieth (+2.69)
- K.H. Lee (+2.59)
- Seamus Power (+1.84)
- Ryan Palmer (+1.76)
- Adam Scott (+1.72)
CJ CUP Byron Nelson Model Rankings
Below, I’ve compiled overall model rankings using a combination of the five key statistical categories previously discussed — SG: Approach (27%), SG: OTT (24%), Birdie or Better % (18%), Course History (17%) and SG: Putting Bentgrass (16%).
- Alex Noren
- Adam Scott
- Keith Mitchell
- Si Woo Kim
- Stephen Jaeger
- Jordan Spieth
- Jhonnatan Vegas
- Nate Lashley
- Brice Garnett
- Tom Hoge
2024 CJ CUP Byron Nelson Picks
Byeong Hun An +3000 (DraftKings)
Byeong Hun put together an excellent performance at The Masters, finishing T16, which ties his best ever finish at a major championship (also T16 at 2019 U.S. Open). The South Korean gained 9.16 strokes from tee to green, which ranked 2nd in the field behind only the champion, Scottie Scheffler.
An’s next start at Harbour Town didn’t go as well (67th), but he still had a fantastic ball striking week. The 32-year-old bled strokes both around and on the greens, which was his eventual undoing. In his past three starts, An has gained significant strokes on the field both off the tee and on approach.
Benny had a strong start at last year’s Byron Nelson, finishing in a tie for 14th. With limited challenges on the course, he shouldn’t have to do much scrambling. In his past 24 rounds, he ranks 17th in the field in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee and 17th in the field in birdie or better percentage. The putter is up and down per usual, but his ceiling putting weeks with his LAB Golf putter in 2024 are higher than they’ve been in past seasons.
An is starting to become my “white whale” of the PGA Tour, but I believe in his talent and TPC Craig Ranch is a course that should suit his excellent tee to green play.
Mackenzie Hughes +5500 (FanDuel)
Mackenzie Hughes is quietly putting together a very good season. He finished in a tie for 3rd at the Valspar Championship and followed that up with a T14 at the Texas Children’s Houston Open.
In his past 36 rounds in Texas, the Canadian ranks 5th in the field in Strokes Gained: Total. Last year, he finished in a tie for 14th at this event and gained strokes putting and off the tee. Mackenzie played well that week despite being in extremely poor form. He missed two cuts in a row prior to the event, and four consecutive cuts immediately after. His irons were off that week, but in 2024, we’ve seen an improvement in Hughes’ approach game. He now comes to the event playing some steady golf. He’s gained strokes on approach in four of his past five events and is hitting the ball very well from tee to green.
Hughes has two victories on the PGA Tour, both coming in relatively low-scoring affairs (-17 in each). He will need to go a bit deeper to win the CJ Cup Byron Nelson but has the type of putter that can keep pace in a birdie barrage.
Seamus Power +7000 (FanDuel)
After struggling over the past few seasons with injuries, Seamus Power seems as if he is rounding back into the form that made him a really consistent player on the PGA Tour.
Power finished T12 in his most recent start at the RBC Heritage, which is encouraging considering it was a “signature event” with a very strong field. For the week, the Irishman gained 4.4 strokes on approach and 2.8 strokes putting, which is the combination he’s used in the past to contend on Tour.
In his three trips to TPC Craig Ranch, Power is yet to finish outside of the top-20, with his best finish being a T9 in 2019. He ranks 4th in Strokes Gained: Total at the course. The 37-year-old thrives on easy tracks and has won in 2021 (Barbasol Championship) and 2022 (Butterfield Bermuda) on easier layouts with weaker fields.
Power has the game to go extremely low and I believe he can get back in the winner’s circle for the third time in four years.
Chan Kim +10000 (FanDuel)
Chan Kim has been striking the ball beautifully this season and is a proven winner with two wins on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2023 as well as eight career Japan Tour wins.
At last week’s Zurich Classic, Kim and his partner Doug Ghim finished in a tie for 28th. Prior to that, the South Korean T14 at the Valero Texas Open and T6 at the Corales Puntacana Championship. His success this season in Texas as well as he propensity to play his best golf on the PGA Tour’s easier courses make him and ideal fit for TPC Craig Ranch.
2024 has given plenty of longshot winners on the PGA Tour, and with a birdie fest like this, I believe there’s a strong chance we get another this week in McKinney, Texas.
Alejandro Tosti +10000 (FanDuel)
Alejandro Tosti is one of the most polarizing players on the PGA Tour thus far in the 2024 season. His antics can rub many the wrong way, but he’s shown on a few occasions that he has what it takes to compete in Tour events.
This season, Tosti has been elite off the tee. In his past 24 rounds, he ranks 2nd in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee. The Argentine hits it long and straight, which works at any course on earth. He got a taste of contention a few starts ago at the Texas Children’s Houston Open, finishing in a tie for 2nd place.
Tosti had a fantastic year in 2023 on the Korn Ferry Tour, where going low is a prerequisite to success. If this turns to a shootout, which it likely will, the 27-year-old has the ability to set the pace. Tosti will look to become the second Argentine to win in Texas in the past two seasons after Emiliano Grillo emerged victorious at last year’s Charles Schwab Challenge.
C.T. Pan +15000 (FanDuel)
Outside of a T3 at the Mexico Open, C.T. Pan doesn’t have strong results this season in terms of finishes. However, over his past two starts, Pan’s iron play has come alive. At The Players, he gained 6.6 strokes on approach. At the Valero Texas Open, he gained 3.7. At last week’s Zurich Classic, Pan and his partner Kevin Yu finished T28. For a player who can get extremely hot with his scoring clubs, I believe he’s playing better than the results have shown over the past month or so.
Last season, Pan finished 4th at TPC Craig Ranch and was spectacular across all the major stat categories. In his past 36 qualifying rounds, he ranks 16th in Strokes Gained: Total in Texas.
Pan has won on the PGA Tour at the RBC Heritage and is always a player that I believe has what it takes to win on a Sunday if he finds himself in contention.
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Morning 9: McIlroy, Lowry win Zurich | Green repeats on LPGA | Steele victorious down under
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Morning 9: 58 on the Korn Ferry Tour | Rory on possible return to policy board
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Rob
Aug 22, 2016 at 1:00 pm
Inbee Park a swing no one copies YET…….
Steve
Sep 28, 2016 at 4:46 pm
Love that swing, prove positive how hand eye coordination trumps swing mechanics every time…..Inbee lets us all know when you have the talent you can do it your way…