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5 things we learned Saturday at the Masters
Our biggest fear was that the great, Saturday leaderboard would disappear at day’s end. No chance. The greats are still there, just fewer of them. 11 golfers within five shots of the lead, but daunting figures sit at the top. The rain is coming, so we won’t delay. Here are five things we learned on Saturday at Augusta National.
5. Will you still need me, will you still feed me …
…when I’m 64? The Beatles asked those questions a generation ago. Tony Finau, Webb Simpson and Patrick Cantlay answered with 64s of their own on moving day. Finau day-tripped his way from 3 under to a second-place tie at 11 under. Simpson climbed from a real nowhere man to 9 under, two strokes back of the leader. And Cantlay came from across the universe, from 2 over to 6 under. All in all, a fab 6-4 day, wouldn’t you say?
From 261 yards, @tonyfinaugolf hits his second shot on to 8 inches for an eagle on No. 8 that gives him the solo lead at 9-under par. #themasters pic.twitter.com/XKv0uUncZF
— Masters Tournament (@TheMasters) April 13, 2019
4. That purr’s getting louder
With whom is Tony Finau tied for second place? That four-time winner on this very course, the holder of 14 major professional titles. For the first time all week, Tiger Woods limited himself to a solitary blemish, that being a bogey at the challenging fifth hole. It is a hole that does not line up well for him, as he has made five each day of this event. The resurgent one rebounded with three consecutive birdies, then added another trio of minus-holes on the inward half. His 67 bettered yesterday’s round by one stroke, continuing the improvement trend. Woods will tee off in the final threesome on Sunday, accompanied by Finau and the man who leads both by two strokes.
Tiger Woods is tied for the lead at #themasters pic.twitter.com/dC2JEODVSC
— Masters Tournament (@TheMasters) April 13, 2019
3. Enter, Sandman
Francesco Molinari’s week has not been defined by trips to the beach. Not like Finau’s second round, where the lanky one found sand on each of the opening four holes. Molinari’s week may have been defined today by one trip to the beach. In trouble off the 18th tee, he played into the left bunker, hard against the front of the green. Off in the distance, in the back-right corner of the putting surface, was the hole. Molinari’s deft execution left him little more than 30 inches for par, and he converted. The Italian’s 2018 was spectacular, with wins on the regular PGA Tour, a major at the British, and a Ryder Cup performance for all time, with five wins against zero losses. On Sunday, he plays against history, attempting to stop Tiger from winning his 1st major in a decade.
The lead extends to two strokes for @F_Molinari following a fourth birdie in a row. He has three holes left to play today at #themasters pic.twitter.com/ux7bmEzahH
— Masters Tournament (@TheMasters) April 13, 2019
2. Sunday’s favorite is obviously …
The man who no one wishes to appoint the favorite, ever. It’s Brooks Koepka, winner of the last two major championships held on American soil. Koepka is so cool, so powerful, the internet has started to compare him to the man without comparison: Chuck Norris. Much in the same way that the impossible becomes mundane for Walker, Texas Ranger, so too, does the legend of Koepka grow. Remember to tell your grandchildren one day about the round of golf that Koepka, Brooks Koepka will play tomorrow. He sits at 10 under, best of the penultimate threesome, poised to claim major number four of his career.
.@BKoepka leaps to ten under par with an eagle at No. 15 #themasters pic.twitter.com/Y3d8X5vfhO
— Masters Tournament (@TheMasters) April 13, 2019
1. Threesomes and split tees? Say it ain’t so, Cliff!
Actually, it’s not that big a deal. There’s a storm a-brewing, poised to make landfall at Augusta in the afternoon of Sunday the 14th. Final-round groupings will be threes, not twos. In addition, they will go off both the first and 10th tees, hearkening back to the early days of the tournament, when the leaders weren’t paired together, and weren’t always in the final group. Not the same, but interesting nonetheless. What the system change does, most importantly, is put the potential Tiger roars in the final grouping, not ahead of the last pairing. If it comes down to Tiger and one of his pards, edge should go to the cat.
.@AAC_Golf champion Takumi Kanaya, @TyrrellHatton, Patrick Cantlay, @marcleish, Si Woo Kim, @McIlroyRory, Hideki Matsuyama, @bubbawatson, @jordanspieth, @keegan_Bradley, and @hoffman_charley provide highlights from early afternoon action at #themasters. pic.twitter.com/hbLWSOMplr
— Masters Tournament (@TheMasters) April 13, 2019
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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.
Austin Smotherman +25000 (PointsBet)
Austin Smotherman has been up and down during the 2023 season but had his best start on the PGA Tour a few weeks ago at the Mexico Open. The Dallas resident raced out to the first-round lead at Vidanta by shooting -8, showing he can go low at an easier course on Tour. He gained 6.3 strokes on approach that week, which was the best performance of his career thus far.
Getting into contention recently combined with the fact that he’ll be comfortable playing in the state of Texas is enough reason to take a flier on the former SMU standout.
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Jose Pinatas
Apr 14, 2019 at 5:54 pm
We learned saturday Tiger loves Mock Turtlenecks and pants with tons of belt loops. I guess we learned that on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Also learned Adam Scott is a big fan of pleated pants. At least that’s what I learned.
A
Apr 14, 2019 at 9:13 am
We’ve never seen these early tee times before. Not like this.
This is a huge deal. You’re wrong. Again.
Ronald Montesano
Apr 14, 2019 at 9:59 am
Which part is incorrect? Also, say hello to the girls on PLL.
rm
M
Apr 14, 2019 at 8:23 am
It’s a huge deal that it’s being played early, in 3somes, and with split tees.
They hadn’t done this in ages, and certainly not with Eldrick, and certainly not at a major like this, with this magnitude of things that could have been, had it been a normal afternoon play.
The intensity and excitement will be completely different, as players will be all over the course, and those having to play split tees will be doubly disappointed.