News
Tour Rundown: Clark’s 3rd in 9 months, Frittelli doesn’t fritter
February brought a decrease in competitions with its arrival. The LPGA are off until the last weekend of the month, while the Tour Champions break until just after the Superb Owl. Even the DP World Tour will rest for a week, mid-month, before resuming a full slate of events. Ditto the Korn Ferry Tour. Light is the descriptor for the month of love, but that’s fine. With loads of golf on arrival from March to November, a break in month the second won’t be missed.
The US PGA Tour began its West Coast Swing at the first Signature event of the year. The No-Cut Crosby, as some call it, references the ancient name of the AT&T, while highighting the absence of a 36-hole dismissal for the lesser achievers. Everyone got a payday along the Monterey peninsula, and a 59 watch took place at storied Pebble Beach on Saturday. The DP World Tour continued its early-season stretch in the middle east, stopping in Bahrain for its eponymous championship. Finally, the Korn Ferry Tour moved west, from the Bahammas to the Americas, for a sojourn through central and south America. Just three events, but plenty of mileage in between. From California, to Panamá, to the island nation of Bahrain, it feels more like a Flydown than a Rundown. Let’s have a look at this week’s Tour Rundown, from three unique locales.
Another one!@Wyndham_Clark is having a special day @ATTProAm.
He’s now 9-under thru 10 ? pic.twitter.com/EKVegdmAKn
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 3, 2024
PGA Tour @ The AT&T: Clark claims third title in nine months
When a competitor wins a weather-shortened event, the golfverse ignites with suggestions of woulda, coulda, and other nonsense. When a competitor wins a weather-shortened event on the heels of a third-round, 12-under par 60 over Pebble Beach golf linkage, there might a bit of chatter, but not much. The old gal along Carmel Bay took three days worth of shots, and it was enough for her to wave a white kerchief and cry “enough.”
On Saturday, Clark played a round of golf unlike any other. Eagles at both par-fives on the outward half, were married to four birdies. Their love child was a score of eight-under par 28, and thus did the golfverse blaze with thoughts of 59. Two more birdies at 10 and 11 added kindling and coal and anything else flammable to the hecatomb, but a bogey at twelve drenched (foreshadowing) hopes for a time. The time lasted all of 15 minutes, as the Colordado native and current US Open champion posted another pair of birdies and reached eleven deep. Pars at 15, 16, and 17 could not have looked more like birdies, and the leader arrived at the 18th tee needing eagle for immortality.
He gave it (and us) everything he had. Drive to the edge of doom, long iron to 25-ish feet, and another effort that seemed destined for the hole’s depths, until fate cried “enough.” A score of 60 gave Clark a one-shot advantage over the other 2023 revelation, Ludvid Abert. With everyone salivating at the thought of a young-guns duel, Mother Nature landed. Winds and rains on Sunday saturated the course beyond consideration. She was just getting started, and Monday was abandoned before Sunday drew to a close.
Clark and the rest of the sojourner caravan move inland to Scottsdale, for the greatest show on turf at TPC Scottsdale. The one week a year when rowdy triumphs over formal is at hand, but few will forget the magic of Saturday along the Monterey Peninsula.
Wyndham Clark is dialed today. pic.twitter.com/LuRKZ1WxjT
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 3, 2024
DP World Tour @ The Bahrain Championship: No fritter from Frittelli
Dylan Frittelli came out of the University of Texas as a heralded golfer bound for stardom. Winning on the tours has come his way, but not at the pace nor the level that pundits predicted. Frittelli has five wins in Europe (2 Challenge and 3 DP World), three in Africa (1 each on Asian, Big Easy, and Sunshine tours) and one in the USA (PGA Tour) on his ledger. The lanky South African took the lead this week in Bahrain, reaching 12-under par to hold a two-shot advantage over countryman Ockie Strydom through 54 holes. Strydom seeks the same, higher validation as Frittelli, ensuring that their pairing should have been a compelling one.
Through nine hole on day four, it was anything but. While Strydom stood two-under par on the 64th tee, the overnight leader could not find the formula that had brought success over three days. Frittelli had eight pars and a bogey to show, and things were getting worse. Zander Lombard and Jesper Svensson gained multiple shots on the lead pair, and when Frittelli went plus-two on the day at the 12th, the resolution appeared to have passed him by.
And that’s the beauty of golf. When you least expect it, the switch flips and the juice returns. Frittelli found birdies at consecutive, par-five holes, midway through the inward half. He gained one shot on Lombard, and two shots on both Svensson and Strydom. Frittelli added an unlikely, third birdie coming home, at the par-three 16th. A modest tee shot to 42 feet was followed by an absolute dagger to the heart of his pursuers. From the bottom of the putting surface, the Longhorn’s aim was true, and the advantage went to two shots.
The final tally saw Frittelli reach 13-under par, two ahead of Sweden’s Svensson and countryman Lombard. Strydom ended on plus-one for the day, in solo fourth position. The DP World Tour moves next door this week, onto the mainland of Qatar for the Qatar Masters.
.@Dylan_Frittelli goes two shots clear with two holes to play ?#BahrainGolfChamps pic.twitter.com/13ApDmaCzK
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) February 4, 2024
Korn Ferry Tour @ The Panamá Championship: Isaiah, Chapter One
Isaiah Salinda didn’t venture far from home to attend Stanford University. He is a Pacific Coast kid at heart. It should come as no surprise that his first important professional win came just north of the Pacific Ocean. That’s right, north. If you map the location of Club de Golf de Panamá, you find it on the arc of Panamá that curves north, then south. As a result, the Caribbean/Atlantic lies to the north, while the Pacific sits due south. Despite the shift from longitude to latitude, Salinda’s first big V came just a bit away from another Pacific coastline.
Salinda and countryman Will Bateman reached seven-under par by the end of round three, to share the top sport of The Panamá Championship. Their advantage was tenuous, with a handful of golfers within a few shots of the helm. The first ten holes on Sunday offered little indication of how things would resolve. Salinda scratched a stroke from par, while Bateman posted a decade of pars. Salinda drained an unlikely, 50-feet putt for birdie at the difficult eleventh, while his playing companion struggled to a triple-bogey seven. Salinda played the 12th hole to perfection (drive and approach to ten feet, followed by one putt for eagle) to turn a two-shot advantage into a seven-shot margin.
The Californian finished his week at 12-under par, good for an eight-shot win over Bateman (73) Keenan Huskey (64), and Trent Phillips (66). The KFT travels to the capital city of Colombia for this week’s Astara Golf Championship in Bogotá.
A big eagle on No. 12 ?@isaiah_salinda is 11-under with four holes left to play and currently holds a five-stroke lead @ClubGolfPanama. pic.twitter.com/ZQxIDcLQ86
— Korn Ferry Tour (@KornFerryTour) February 4, 2024
- LIKE2
- LEGIT0
- WOW0
- LOL0
- IDHT0
- FLOP0
- OB0
- SHANK0
News
Morning 9: Tiger confirms playing schedule | Player: This caused Tiger’s downfall
|
- LIKE1
- LEGIT0
- WOW0
- LOL1
- IDHT0
- FLOP0
- OB0
- SHANK1
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.
- LIKE10
- LEGIT0
- WOW0
- LOL0
- IDHT0
- FLOP0
- OB0
- SHANK1
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.
- LIKE16
- LEGIT10
- WOW3
- LOL0
- IDHT0
- FLOP3
- OB0
- SHANK4
-
19th Hole2 weeks ago
Justin Thomas on the equipment choice of Scottie Scheffler that he thinks is ‘weird’
-
19th Hole1 week ago
‘Absolutely crazy’ – Major champ lays into Patrick Cantlay over his decision on final hole of RBC Heritage
-
19th Hole3 weeks ago
Two star names reportedly blanked Jon Rahm all week at the Masters
-
19th Hole2 weeks ago
Report: LIV Golf identifies latest star name they hope to sign to breakaway tour
-
19th Hole3 weeks ago
Neal Shipley presser ends in awkward fashion after reporter claims Tiger handed him note on 8th fairway
-
19th Hole2 weeks ago
Brandel Chamblee has ‘no doubt’ who started the McIlroy/LIV rumor and why
-
Equipment3 weeks ago
What we know about Bryson DeChambeau’s 3D-printed Avoda irons
-
19th Hole6 days ago
LET pro gives detailed financial breakdown of first week on tour…and the net result may shock you