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Tour Mash: Rahm wins the Irish Open by six
Although not exactly a light week on the tours, the major-championship Spotlight switched off for a few days. Great golf was played from Ireland to Wisconsin, with comebacks taken and ground held. Let’s have a look at this week’s tour purée across four major global tours.
Xander puts Open experience to good use at Greenbrier
Xander Schauffele made his presence known in last month’s U.S. Open at Erin Hills. Although victory eluded him, the 23-year old from La Jolla, California, put the experience to us at the Greenbrier Classic in West Virginia. Needing birdie at the last to separate from Robert Streb, Schauffele placed his tee shot on the par-three closer within a yard of the hole and made birdie for a one-shot victory. Like Tommy Fleetwood on the European Tour last week, Schauffele used Erin Hills as a springboard to triumph.
The story that wasn’t belonged to Sebastian Muñoz. Attempting to emulate countryman Camilo Villegas and give Colombia another tour winner, Muñoz began the week with a run at 59. His 10-birdie effort gave him the lead with 61, and he would not relinquish that advantage until Sunday afternoon. Over his first three rounds, Muñoz made a total of five bogeys. He matched that number on Sunday, secured there birdies on the day, and signed for a two-over 72. He and Jamie Lovemark would tie for third at 12-under par, one behind Streb and two back of the winner.
The third story of the week was the return of this tournament from oblivion. In June and July of 2016, West Virginia was hit was flooding of historic proportion. Many fairways were underwater, then covered with a layer of silt when the waters receded. The 2016 playing was cancelled, as attention turned to the region’s people who most needed aid. The return to the tour in 2017 was a tribute to those efforts, and the resolve and fortitude of the people of the Mountaineer state.
The shot that won the tournament for @XSchauffele.
Talk about coming up clutch. pic.twitter.com/vRQDUjJQng
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) July 10, 2017
European Tour sees Rahm in top form at Irish Open
Jon Rahm simply needed a bit of European soil to shake the weight of the greatness that was thrust upon him. After exploding out of the 2017 PGA Tour gate with a win and runner-up finish, Rahm cooled off through the year’s first two majors, asking many to improperly wonder if something was up. It’s called acclimation, and the young Basque golfer showed that this week at Portstewart golf club. Rahm finished at 24-under, six strokes free of Richie Ramsat and Matthew Southgate.
On the week, Rahm holed 23 birdies and 4 eagles, including two of the latter on Sunday. For just one week, a bit of the great Basque fleet had returned to the open seas.
The five best shots of the week ?
Yup, you can probably guess what’s No.1! pic.twitter.com/Z1c87JrTbT
— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) July 10, 2017
LPGA Tour welcomes Kirk back to winner’ podium
Like Sebastian Muñoz above, Australia’s Katherine Kirk had built a sizeable lead through 3 rounds at the Thornberry Creek Classic in Wisconsin. Like Muñoz, Kirk was challenged by her own nerves and her competitors. Writing a different script, the Aussie held firm to secure her third tour triumph, and first since 2010, by one shot over South Africa’s Ashleigh Buhai.
Buhai turned in a flawless sheet on Sunday, including five birdies in her 67. Kirk was more erratic, with four bogeys on the day. She was able to counter those miscues with six birdies for 70, just enough to avoid a playoff. Also closing fast were Sei Young Kim (63) for third place, and Pornanong Phatlum (62) in fourth spot. kirk’s clutch birdie-3 at the last finished her week’s work and ended a seven-year dry spell.
RT to congratulate @Katherine_Kirk1 on her first win on the @LPGA Tour since 2010 pic.twitter.com/EJgA2QNOEU
— Golf Australia (@GolfAust) July 9, 2017
Hadley holds on for LECOM win on Web.Com Tour
Chesson Hadley had to wonder what would be necessary to shake Beau Hossler. The Carolinian had improved each round (69-67-64) but each time he looked in the mirror, there was Hossler. The former University of Texas golfer had six birdies for a back-nine 30 on Sunday, giving Hadley every opportunity to fold. The lanky, finger-snapping golfer wasn’t interested.
Despite Hossler’s fireworks, Hadley had some heroics of his own. After a bogey at the innocuous, par-four second hole, Hadley unearthed six birdies and an eagle from the western New York soil. He sealed the win with a birdie at the uphill 17th, then played safely home down the treacherous 18th hole corridor for his Third Web.Com tour title. Both Hossler and Hadley find themselves firmly inside The 25, chasing a 2017-18 PGA Tour card.
A look back at the highlights from yesterday’s final round @LECOMHC. ???? pic.twitter.com/fJbRZAGy67
— Web.com Tour (@WebDotComTour) July 10, 2017
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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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UnclePhil
Jul 11, 2017 at 5:50 am
And he’s definitely a rule bender too!
Jon
Jul 11, 2017 at 8:55 am
That’s no joke. It was a helluva lot more egregious than how Lexi marked and replaced her ball. At least Lexi didn’t move her ball CLOSER to the hole. And why didn’t his playing partner have the balls to call him out?
TCJ
Jul 10, 2017 at 5:07 pm
Does know won prouf reed these articles?
Ronald Montesano
Jul 10, 2017 at 5:56 pm
Typing with an IPad vs. my usual laptop definitely proved a challenge. Will be back to usual, born-again grammarian status next week!
ibo
Jul 10, 2017 at 11:10 am
Rahm is definitely Major winner material. The kid can putt.