News
Morning 9: Newsmakers: Rules of Golf | Kuchar | TGR Design’s Pebble commission
Adam Woodard at Golfweek…“Tuesday the Pebble Beach Company announced a partnership with 15-time major champion Tiger Woods and his TGR Design firm to redesign Pebble Beach’s Peter Hay par-3 golf course.”
“Pebble Beach has always been a special place to me,” Woods said in a statement. “It’s an honor for TGR Design and me to partner with Pebble Beach Company to design a new short course at such an iconic location.”
“Located just across from the first tee at Pebble Beach Golf Links and named after the former head professional at Pebble Beach, the Peter Hay Golf Course has been a mainstay on the property since it opened in 1957.”
2. Digest’s newsmakers of the year
…One of the 19 entries (of the eventual 25) Digest has published: Matt Kuchar
Daniel Rapaport writes…”Matt Kuchar must have mixed feelings about 2019. The good: a ninth PGA Tour victory, two runner-up finishes and clinching the winning half-point for the U.S. at the Presidents Cup in his fifth appearance in the biennial event. The less good: dirtying a previously spotless reputation. It started back in November 2018, when Kooch used local caddie David (El Tucan) Ortiz at the Mayakoba Classic. The two agreed, according to Kuchar, that Ortiz would get $5,000 for the week. Kuchar went on to win and made $1.3 million for his efforts. Standard procedure calls for a player to pay his caddie roughly 10 percent of a winner’s check, but Kuchar decided against giving Ortiz any bonus at all, meaning he paid his looper less than 0.4 percent of his winnings. The public didn’t learn about this until January, when Kuchar was contending at the Sony Open (which he also won). After initially defending his actions, Kuchar eventually apologized … and paid out another $45,000. But his strangely scandalous year was far from over.”
“At the WGC-Dell Match Play, Kuchar again found himself at the center of a controversy when he didn’t verbally give Sergio Garcia a two-inch putt that Garcia missed. Kuchar told a rules official that he didn’t say “it’s good,” meaning Garcia lost the hole. As you might imagine, Garcia was not pleased. A few days later, the two put out a truly odd video trying to put the awkward situation behind them in its own awkward way. For good measure, Kooch had another snafu at the Memorial, when he pleaded for a dubious drop in the fairway. TV footage showed he didn’t deserve the drop, and two rules officials told him as much. Unconvinced, he asked if he could seek a third opinion. The answer was no. The outrage from the match-play mixup and the Memorial imbroglio should fade with time. Unfortunately for Kuchar, no one will forget El Tucan.”
3. “Neither simple nor satisfactory”
Meanwhile, Golf Channel’s Rex Hoggard, identifies the RoG as a newsmaker of the year…and not for the reasons the ruling bodies would have hoped…
“This was the year that the Rules of Golf were supposed to be simplified. It became the year that the rules, and the game’s rules makers, became reactionary.”
“There was a great deal of interest as to how the new abiding principles were going to play out in 2019, as well as intrigue as to how players at the professional level would accept them.”
“…Controversy started immediately and never seemed to let up, and touched on any number of issues. Some were routine, the kinds of infractions you see every season. Some were more unusual, like Lee Ann Walker’s 58 penalty strokes or Trey Bilardello being disqualified from U.S. Open qualifying after shooting 202, or the backstopping debate.”
“But what made rules such a big storyline this year was the implementation and reaction to something that was designed to clean up past messes. Instead, the USGA and R&A, as well as the PGA and European tours, spent the year dealing with the fallout, making in-season concessions and promising alterations.”
4. LPGA player of the decade
The most recent and youngest player ever inducted into the LPGA Tour Hall of Fame, Park tallied 18 of her 19 career wins and six of her seven major-championship titles between the first shots of 2010 and the last of 2019. Park spent 106 weeks atop the Rolex Rankings, won three major championships in a row in 2013, and captured the gold medal in the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio following a nearly two-month layoff due to a left thumb injury.”
5. Two teams: one owner
Interesting perspective from Doug Ferguson at the AP…”while the Ryder Cup is billed as a contest between the flags of two continents, it’s really between two tours.”
“The European Tour picks the venue (it usually goes to the highest bidder these days). It has full control of all operations. Paris last year felt like a home game – the course, not just the crowd – just as Hazeltine was for the Americans.”
“The Presidents Cup is a match between two teams, one owner….The PGA Tour selects the site. The PGA Tour picks the captains, though not without heavy input from all the key people on the International side.”
“That magnificent logo Els created for the International team? He said it required PGA Tour approval. The support staff for the International team are PGA Tour employees, even if they hail from countries outside the U.S.”
6. Pettersen reflects
Golf Digest’s Keely Levins filed a Q&A with the recently retired Solheim Cup hero…
“What was the moment on the 18th green like on Sunday?”
“I’ll never be able to recreate that moment. The entire week was a team effort. I feel like I got a lot of credit for it because it came down to that putt, but anyone else’s point was as important as mine. I never thought I was going to be part of a moment like that ever again. You can dream, that maybe you can be in the mix and have those emotions, the highs, lows and excitement. It shows what the Solheim is all about. And maybe how important experience is. It shows sometimes that’s as valuable as young talent. You need a combination. I’ll be vice captain two years from now and hopefully down the road, I’d love to be captain. Those are things that I’ll remember when it’s my turn to pick a team.”
“Was it the best moment of your career? Yes, because it was a moment I could share with my son. I think you can only dream of sharing a moment like that with blood. I think that’s why I made the decision right there to retire. This is it. This is the peak. Everything else is going to feel … more ordinary. That moment gave me all the answers I’ve been searching for. I wanted to get back on the golf course as a mom, to prove to myself that I could come back. Hopefully when Herman gets older we can look back at the videos and hopefully that will make him proud of what I did.”
7. How to play the best clubs in the world
Josh Sens at Golf.com offers his suggestions for making it to the first tee at the country’s most exclusive clubs…
One of his suggestions…”Work the Event...Here’s one proven path onto Augusta National: create a technology company and build it into a multi-billion dollar business, then get word out through your well-connected friends that you’d like to join the club and wait a few years for the invite. It worked for Bill Gates. It could work for you.”
“More realistic, though, is to learn how to write, photograph or broadcast. From there, all you have to do is join the press corps, get credentialed to cover the Masters and enter the media lottery. 28 members in that pool are chosen to play the course on the Monday after the event, though if you’re selected, you have to wait another seven years to enter the lottery again.”
“Another option is to earn a coveted spot as a tournament volunteer. They’ll work you hard that week. But they’ll also set aside a spot for you to play one day in May.”
8. Big news/you couldn’t care less
…it’s one of the two for you, most likely!
“Former Fox Sports host Holly Sonders has shared news of her engagement on Instagram, taking the next step in her whirlwind romance with Vegas Dave.”
“Sonders and Dave Oancea, who is a big-time bettor better known as Vegas Dave, both shared photos on social media of what appears to be a proposal on the beach in Mexico.”
“I never thought this day would ever happen,” writes Oancea, who has 947K followers on Instagram.
9. Irons of the year: Shotmakers
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News
Morning 9: Tiger confirms playing schedule | Player: This caused Tiger’s downfall
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Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
GolfWRX is on site this week in McKinney, Texas, at the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson (FKA the AT&T Byron Nelson).
Last year at TPC Craig Ranch, Jason Day ended a five-year winless streak. J-Day is in the field again, as are Jordan Spieth, Tom Kim, and Will Zalatoris.
We have our usual assortment of general galleries, WITBs, and pullout albums for your perusal. As always, we’ll continue to add links to additional albums as they make their way to us from the Lone Star State.
Check out links to all our photos below.
General Albums
- 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson – Monday #1
- 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson – Monday #2
- 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson – Tuesday #1
- 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson – Tuesday #2
- 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson – Tuesday #3
WITB Albums
- Pierceson Coody – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Kris Kim – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- David Nyfjall – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Adrien Dumont de Chassart – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Jarred Jetter – North Texas PGA Section Champ – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Richy Werenski – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Wesley Bryan – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Parker Coody – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Peter Kuest – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Blaine Hale, Jr. – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Kelly Kraft – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Rico Hoey – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
Pullout Albums
- Adam Scott’s 2 new custom L.A.B. Golf putters – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Scotty Cameron putters – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Ben Griffin playing Maxfli golf ball
See what GolfWRXers are saying in the forums.
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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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