News
Tour Rundown: Augusta National Women’s Amateur sees Rose redemption | Conners collects
It feels like golf has arrived. Spring does that sort of thing to you. The Augusta trilogy (National Women’s, Drive/Chip/Putt, and Masters) is two-thirds complete. The final opportunity to qualify for the Masters has passed, and the world’s touring circuits are in full, forward motion. There is great electricity as anticipation for the first major championship of the season ramps toward giddiness. We’ll do our best to contain ourselves as we run down the final week prior to Augusta.
Amateur Women: Augusta National Women’s Amateur sees Rose redemption
Rose Zhang had it, lost it, then found it all in the space of eight hours. Saturday was a long day at the Augusta National Golf Club, and for Zhang, it must have seemed an eternity. She opened with a double bogey, followed that with a birdie, but never found the scoring game that staked her to 13-under par and a five-shot advantage through 36 holes of the fourth Augusta National Women’s Amateur championship.
In truth, no one did on Saturday at the firm course. The National played fast and tricky and 70 was the low round of the day. One of those belonged to Jenny Bae, who came from six shots back to reach minus-nine through 54 holes. Her iron to inches on the 17th hole brought her even with Zhang, and she looked for all the world to have what it took to snatch victory from the world’s number-one amateur. Zhang, however, had other ideas.
You don’t lead the USA Curtis Cup side, win the national amateur and national junior, without knowing how to manage the speed bumps that golf puts in your way. Zhang found a way to play the inward half in par figures, earning a spot in a playoff with Bae. On the 18th hole, the first overtime go, the pair split in par numbers. They repaired to the 10th tee, where Bae had struggles and Zhang was rock solid. Bae was inside ten feet for bogey, while Zhang had a fast, down- and sidehill putt birdie. When she approached to the edge of the hole, par and victory were guaranteed.
The winning moment for Rose Zhang.#ANWAGolf pic.twitter.com/ivya9lfNG8
— Augusta National Women's Amateur (@anwagolf) April 1, 2023
PGA Tour Texas Open: Conners collects second San Antonio title
The expression horses for courses does not necessarily mean complete and total success. Corey Conners’ lone PGA Tour win prior to this week came at the TPC-San Antonio, by two shots, over Charley Hoffman. This year, Conners entered the final round a shot behind Patrick Rodgers, who sought a first title of his own. Despite Conners’ great vibe at TPCSA, there were no guarantees. Winning on tour isn’t the slightest bit easy, and Conners had no illusions about adding a second trophy to his 2019 one.
Rodgers has not solved the key to closing the deal in a PGA Tour event. Five times he has held the 54-hole lead, and now five times, he has come up empty-handed. At the Valero, Rodgers began well with birdie at the second on Sunday, but derailed with four bogeys in six holes, to close the front nine. Needing a run of birdies on the inward half, Rodgers was unable to find the elixr, and his final-round 73 dropped him into fifth place.
Back to Canada’s Corey Conners. The Ontario native and Kent State alumnus did a little bit right and nothing wrong on Sunday. Four birdies against zero bogies were enough to edge him one shot in front of Sam Stevens, with Sam Ryder and Matt Kuchar a pair of shots out of first. At one point, his lead was four strokes, but driver inside ten feet at the 17th gave Stevens an eagle and made the final hole less of a stroll for Conners. Stevens failed to birdie the par-five closer, allowing Conners the luxury of playing to the back bunker in two, and taking three to get down for par and a win.
To extend the lead to 4 …
The Conners family loved this one ? pic.twitter.com/W6dH4CV1rP
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) April 2, 2023
LPGA LA Open: Yin holds on for first LPGA victory
Just like Rose Zhang, Ruoning Yin had to claw each step of the way to victory. Just like Rose Zhang, she was able to do precisely that. Yin’s one-shot advantage over Hyo Joo Kim nearly didn’t last through Sunday night. It wasn’t Kim who put up the challenge, but 2018 British Open champion Georgia Hall. Kim shot 71 on Sunday, one worse than Yin. She ended the day in a tie for third with Patty Tavatanakit.
As for Hall, she was charged with following a Saturday 62 with a number that would give her a chance to win. The English golfer signed for four birdies and a round of 68, but came up one shot shy of Yin. The 54-hole leader, Yin, made precisely one par on her first nine holes, and that came at the opening hole. Birdie at the second was followed by a run of three bogies, and her lead was gone. Just as quickly came four consecutive birdies, and the lead was back. Let’s take a break!
Bogies at ten and thirteen dropped Yin into a tie with Hall for first, but a final birdie lifted the second-year LPGA member to her first tour title.
Bounce back ?
After three bogeys in-a-row, Ruoning Yin rolls in four straight birdies! ? pic.twitter.com/Qw9praSTU8
— LPGA (@LPGA) April 2, 2023
Korn Ferry Tour Chile Classic: Kohles earns third Korn Ferry title in Chile
Ben Kohles won a pair of KFT titles in 2012, then went over a decade before collecting his third. It came in a distant place, along the Pacific ocean in Chile. For a while, this didn’t appear to be his week. Mason Andersen stood 18-under par through three rounds, tied with Pontus Nyholm for the top spot. Surely one of the two would continue to produce on Sunday, and walk away with the title. That, folks, is why they play the game.
Both Andersen and Nyholm struggled on Sunday, posting scores of 73 and 76, respectively. The door was open for the chasers, and a number of them took a run at the top spot. Tim Widing and Rico Hoey reached 19-under par and, for a time, looked like worthy challengers. Their ultimate reward was a tie for third place, two shots out of a playoff. Closing strong were Kohles of the USA and Dimi Papadatos of Australia. Kohles had 67 on Sunday, including birdie at the last. Papadatos signed for 65 on day four but, significantly, failed to birdie the par-five closer.
Away the pair went to extra holes. Twice they returned to the 18th hole. Papadatos went birdie-par in overtime, while Kohles made birdie for a second and then a third time on the day, and the title was his.
Man on a mission ?@ben_kohles has the solo lead by one shot @CHILEclassic and is through No. 8. pic.twitter.com/GSIaPxe205
— Korn Ferry Tour (@KornFerryTour) April 2, 2023
PGA Tour Latinoamêrica Aberto do Brasil: Hillier finds golf in Brasil
Charlie Hillier notched nine birdies on Thursday, seven more on Friday, and two plus an eagle on Saturday. On Sunday, one lonely birdie found its way onto his scorecard, but it was that simple avian that allowed him to stay ahead of Davis Shore and lay claim to an inaugural professional tile on PGA Tour Latinoamérica.
Hillier began the final day with a three-shot advantage over Joey Saviole. As Stuart Macdonald proved in his closing 61, low numbers were available on the Fazenda Boa Vista course in Porto Feliz. Fortunately for Hillier, Shore was unable to score a four on the closing par-five hole, and his day’s work of 66 strokes left him one shot shy of a playoff. For Hillier, the closer demanded a seven-feet par putt to secure the victory. How’d it go? Watch below.
La reacción de Charlie Hillier ?? al asegurar la victoria en el hoyo final del JHSF 68º Aberto do Brasil. ??
That winning feeling! ?? @hillier_charlie ?? reacts to his birdie at the last for the wire-to-wire win at the JHSF #BrazilOpen. pic.twitter.com/nrcXJsiXhs
— PGATOURLA (@PGATOURLA) April 2, 2023
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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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