News
Amy Olson denies any wrongdoing in backstopping controversy
Following the backstopping controversy which overshadowed the LPGA’s Honda Thailand event, Amy Olson one of the two players involved, took to social media to present her side of the story.
Within the post, Olson denied any intent and dismissed claims of collusion, while stressing both herself and Ariya Jutanugarn’s innocence from any wrongdoing.
— Amy Olson (@AmyOlsonGolf) February 25, 2019
The LPGA previously addressed the situation after the second days play, stating
“There was no agreement by either player to leave Jutanugarn’s ball in place to help Olson’s next stroke. An LPGA Rules Official was approaching the 18th green at the time and agreed that no breach had occurred.”
Neither player received any punishment over the incident, and both Olson and Jutanugarn notched top-25 finishes at the event, finishing T23 and 14th respectively.
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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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Peter McGill
Feb 28, 2019 at 8:20 pm
I always clear on my popularity in the group if they all race up to mark their ball when I’m about to chip…
dan mcco
Feb 26, 2019 at 6:17 pm
Change the rule so that a ball cannot be marked unless the player hitting onto the green requests it. Then there is no backstopping issue and everyone gets the “advantage”. We used to make player putt over or around a ball on the green (stymies.)
Matthew Keves
Feb 26, 2019 at 1:29 pm
Simple fix…if an opponent’s ball hits yours, you both play it as it lies…no more putting it back where it was. That’ll stop this immediately
Sandra
Feb 26, 2019 at 1:43 pm
That’s a good one. I’d go for that AND mark my ball every time!
frank cichon
Feb 26, 2019 at 12:06 pm
What a joke! After hitting her chip, Ariya started towards the hole INTENDING to MARK her ball but glanced at Olson and was WAVED OFF by Olson. If anyone that has played the game at a fairly decent level (having some skill) knows that a ball resting within 2 feet right of the hole makes a downhill chip (from a poor lie) MUCH easier. I my mind Olson took advantage and hit the shot MUCH quicker than she would have. I think Olson should have been penalized …not Ariya because Olson waved her off. As for not holding up play…did I not see Wie standing on the fringe of the green (NO CLUB in hand) waiting for a RULING. WHAT A MONTH FOR GOLF……..KUCHER, DJ’s ruling was another JOKE ….I lost a lot of respect for ALL 3 of these golfers.
UpstateGolfer
Feb 26, 2019 at 9:34 am
Rub of the green. Sometimes it helps, sometimes it hurts. I am for the speed up of play and if it helps a player every now and again so be it. Non-Issue.
Tim Armington
Feb 26, 2019 at 9:14 am
If she is good enough to hit a 1.5″ ball at will why wouldn’t she aim at the 4.5″ hole? It speeds up play and should be a non-issue!
Jim
Feb 26, 2019 at 9:13 am
Gianni,
Words are significant! Your use of the word “denies” in your column above implies there was guilt. A much more positive word would have been the truthful “explains” what happened. I’m tired of all you journalists and so-called experts taking the negative viewpoint on everything, especially Chamblee!
Regarding the backstopping, Amy made an error in judgement trying to protect the field from slow play by playing fast. That’s all.
Stop trying to make something sinister or negative out of it and get on with life and more important things!
Dennis
Feb 26, 2019 at 9:02 am
Require a ball on the green must be marked before the next player plays his/her shot.
Dave R
Feb 26, 2019 at 10:50 am
Curious…how far away 100yds…50yds
This whole “backstopping” thing is ludicrous…
joro
Feb 26, 2019 at 8:59 am
So what, there is no rule against it and it is done all the time. A person chips it close and rather than wait for the player to mark it, which takes time, the next player hits. So big deal, it is stupid to even comment on it. It has been going on forever.
Tiger Noods
Feb 26, 2019 at 5:49 am
You guys are full of it. The word “likely” is used in the rule, and by all accounts, likely by definition is better than a 50% chance. The thought that you are all suggesting that it was *LIKELY* that the other ball would be hit from a pitch from off the green is flatly preposterous. If it were “likely”, then imagine how easily a larger target, like a 4.25″ hole would be hit from there… this was just a wee little 1.68″ ball!
You either expect these ladies to be shooting 59s consistently, or you are putting way, way too much into this.
JP
Feb 25, 2019 at 9:42 pm
Jutanugarn was on her way up to mark her ball. She knew it was likely to get hit. Olsen waved her off and proceeded to do just that.
Everyone who saw it knew it was a rule infraction.
Like already said, if this were match play, there’s no way Jutanugarn doesn’t mark her ball!
scott
Feb 26, 2019 at 2:21 pm
“likely”? Why didn’t she just hit the stick instead of the ball that was 2 feet to the right? Wouldn’t it be easier if she would have just hit the stick and made the chip instead of hitting the other ball?
But I guess you are right EVERYONE knew it was a rules infraction. Let’s not let the fact that it IS NOT a rules infraction get in the way of your story.
JP
Feb 26, 2019 at 3:47 pm
“Likely” as in it had a good chance! It was in close proximity to the intended target. So yes, it was likely to get hit.
.
Oh wait! Not just likely, it DID get hit! That’s how likely a ball somewhat close to the pin is to get hit. A distinct possibility. That’s why there is a rule about this.
.
Given the choice, I’d love to have a ball or two somewhat close to the pin each and every time I chip up. And I’d prefer those balls be just left, right, or behind the cup. Why? Because it’s likely I’ll hit them once in a while and it will help. Or is there a rule regarding this???
Tom
Feb 25, 2019 at 2:33 pm
Both spectators watching the women’s golf noticed the infraction…..lol!
2putttom
Feb 25, 2019 at 1:45 pm
what does the “rule” say
thebigdad
Feb 25, 2019 at 11:58 am
I can assure you had Jutanugarn’s ball been in front of the hole, Olsen would have insisted it be marked.
bob
Feb 25, 2019 at 11:06 am
So they want to speed up play, but you have to stop to mark every ball on the green.
kevin
Feb 25, 2019 at 1:38 pm
it took the players 12 seconds from the shot to walk to the green and fist pump. marking a ball sitting next to the cup does is not the reason why players are slow.
the simple test should be whether or not the ball would’ve been marked during match play. guarantee it would’ve.
Matt D
Feb 25, 2019 at 4:37 pm
100% right Kevin. Jutanagarn’s instinct was to mark it because it might give Amy an advantage. Jutanagarn is entitled under the rules to mark her ball, or have any other ball marked if there’s an advantage. My guess is she didn’t want to make waves so just left it.
Jon G
Feb 25, 2019 at 9:48 am
Players need to know the rules. I like Amy, but ignorance of the rules for any player in a sport they play for a living is not good for the sport,