News
Morning 9: Why Bryson is winning | Live odds coming to a PGA Tour telecast near you | Gary Player’s pleas
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By Ben Alberstadt
Email me at [email protected]
October 13, 2020 Good Tuesday morning, golf fans.
**We’re currently offering discounted Q4 Morning 9 ad packages. Drop me a line for more details**
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1. Shane Ryan on Fitzpatrick’s DeChambeau comments (& future of the sport)
I don’t want to say it’s the fullest rejoinder or the final word on Mr. Fitzpatrick’s remarks, and this is to avoid the issue of whether governing bodies ought to intercede, but Ryan’s take is the reality and historically-informed one, in my opinion.
He writes…”It’s clear from his comments that Fitzpatrick doesn’t want to be forced to change, which is why he’d prefer if somebody else handled the problem. Unfortunately for him, there are far more examples of sports evolving, and old styles being left behind, than there are of governing bodies stopping these changes in their tracks. In the early days of baseball, there were many who thought the curveball was a deceptive, unsportsmanlike tactic that should be banned. In football, the forward pass was resented. In soccer, traditionalists looked askance at the rise of professionalism. Today in basketball, there are fewer true centers than ever before due to recent style transformations. In all sports, equipment has improved, training has improved, and records are continually broken. In almost every case, change carries the day.”
“Golf might become an exception, but smart money is against it. At this point, any interference from the top-such as altering course set-ups (graduated rough, faster greens), or restricting equipment (dialing back the ball)-would have to be implemented specifically to punish long hitters. And that would be an aesthetic choice, because none of the long hitters are doing anything illegal. Can you really re-write the rules simply because a certain style rubs you the wrong way? Probably not (although some believe the anchoring ban was done for that specific reason), and it leaves Fitzpatrick in an uncomfortable position. He may soon arrive at an inevitable conclusion: to compete with DeChambeau, serious weight training and a bigger body are the only way forward. The irony is that this is already true in almost every other professional sport…”
2. CJ Cup telecast to feature live odds
The official word on the permeation of sports betting into the once entirely off limits realm of the PGA Tour (generally, telecast, specifically)…”The PGA TOUR announced today that BetMGM will provide betting odds for all four rounds of THE CJ CUP @ SHADOW CREEK in Las Vegas, Oct. 15-18 on Golf Channel. This will mark the first time that a PGA TOUR telecast will feature live odds.”
3. “Solheim Cup stars set to compete in Saudi Arabia – where women fight for basic freedoms”
That’s Golfweek’s Beth Ann Nichols’ headline…“European Solheim Cup stars Carlota Ciganda, Georgia Hall and Charley Hull plan to tee it up next month in back-to-back events in Saudi Arabia. The first women’s golf events ever held in the Kingdom will take place from Nov. 12-19 at Royal Greens Golf Club on the Red Sea Coast near Jeddah. The two events will have a combined purse of $1.5 million.”
4. Teen star Kim set for The CJ Cup at Shadow Creek
Chuah Choo Chiang for PGATour.com…“Korean teenager Joohyung “Tom” Kim is your typical golf nerd. He idolizes Tiger Woods, regularly watches the PGA TOUR on TV or mobile device and dreams of becoming World No. 1 and a World Golf Hall of Famer.”
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5. Gary Player on Bryson, ball rollback
Michael McEwean for Bunkered…“he said that is a huge fan of the new US Open champion, South African Player insisted that the time has come for the R&A and USGA to rein in golf ball technology.”
6. Taking advantage of the COVID-19 bump
The National Golf Foundation compiled some thoughts from its members/industry leaders on how golf can capitalize on the present participation bump.
Joe Assell, CEO, GOLFTEC…“Golf is experiencing an unprecedented surge in interest and activity. As long as COVID-related lifestyle and business restrictions are in place, golf will remain one of the primary activities people pursue. Existing golfers are playing more golf, former golfers are returning to the sport, and droves of people are taking up golf for the first time. This surge is leading to more demand on all aspects of the industry from club memberships, to tee times, to golf equipment, to lessons. The opportunity for golf is to retain as much of this accelerated activity as possible for years to come.”
Mike Davis, Executive Director, USGA…“Thinking about it in very general terms, one of the things that all of us in golf talk about on a constant basis is what the game of golf is. We all know it’s the game of a lifetime, so you can be a little kid to days away from kicking the bucket, so to speak, and you can play golf. It’s a game that through the handicapping system allows players of varying skill levels to play on an equitable basis. Not many other sports are like that. I think that this coronavirus has given us a great opportunity for people that never played the game, or people that did play it that lapsed from it and came back, or families to recreate and socialize together and do it safely. We went from really utter chaos in March and April – golf courses being closed, golf equipment manufacturers furloughing employees, laying off employees, shuttering plants – to now it’s booming. And it’s only been a few months that that’s happened.”
7. Koepka bused outta the Top 10…Hatton in
Golf Channel’s Brentley Romine: “The Englishman, who won the BMW PGA Championship on Sunday for his fifth career European Tour title, jumped five spots from No. 15 to No. 10, bumping Koepka to 11th in the process. Hatton’s previous career-best ranking had been No. 13, which he achieved after tying for third at the WGC-Mexico Championship in February 2018. Hatton nearly dropped out of the top 50 last fall before winning in Turkey and ending the year just outside of the top 30….”
“Koepka, meanwhile, will return to action this week at the CJ Cup, which will be played at Shadow Creek in Las Vegas. Koepka hasn’t played since the Wyndham Championship in August, about a year after he underwent arthroscopic surgery to repair his left knee. He later reaggravated the injury at last year’s CJ Cup in South Korea and didn’t play again until February.”
8. Cobb Creek closed for the next 2 years
The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Julia Coleman…“Philadelphia’s historic Cobbs Creek Golf Course will close for a few years to undergo a $20 million renovation aimed at restoring it to its former glory as one of the country’s most well-regarded public courses. Cobbs Creek will close to the public Oct. 31, when the city’s contract with its managing company, Billy Casper Golf, ends. The renovations will start this spring, and the course is expected to reopen in June 2023, a representative from Philadelphia Parks and Recreation said.”
9. Just brutal…Do better
Reading this story, I’m very confused by the build up of tension and what precipitated, but there is no place for a conflict like this nor language like this on a golf course (or anywhere).
City News’ Quintin Bignell and Erica Natividad…“According to Dhillon, there was tension with the family throughout the afternoon as he and his friend played just ahead of them on the golf course. He alleges it came to a head at the final hole.
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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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