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Carnoustie Golf Links and the Open Championship
Recent history has Carnoustie intertwined with one name – Van de Velde. However the course has a rich history and a list of winners that encompass some of the greatest players to ever play the game.
The 1999 Open Championship will forever be an image burned into the collective memories of the golfing population. Ask anyone about the Open Championship, and the first word to jump into their minds will likely be Van de Velde.
With the Open Championship returning to Carnoustie in 2007, many people insist in reliving each step of Van de Velde’s historic collapse on Carnoustie’s difficult par 4 18th hole. However, the course has a rich history and tradition that extends far beyond the 1999 Open Championship. Taking a brief glance at some of the past Open Champions who have been awarded the Claret Jug at Carnoustie, one would pass over such legends as Tommy Armour, Gary Player, Tom Watson, and Ben Hogan. Read on for a brief glimpse into some of these champions and a brief look at Carnoustie and its history.
1931 – Tommy Armour
Tommy Armour’s incredible golfing history is eclipsed only by his personal story. Armour was born and raised in Edinburgh Scotland. While in college in Edinburgh, World War I began and Armour enlisted in the Scottish Tank Corps. Armour rose from the rank of private to Staff Major thanks to his ability as the fastest gunner in the Corps and feats of heroism such as killing a German officer with his bare hands after his tank had been reduced to rubble. After being hit with mustard gas, Armour lost his left eye and while recovering, found golf as a method for rehabilitation. Armour’s strength was just as famous as his heroism, he was rumored to be able to hold the tip of a pool cue at length with only his thumb and forefinger. After becoming close friends with Walter Hagen, Armour moved to the U.S. and turned professional.
Tommy Armour had already won the U.S. Open in 1930 when he returned back to Scotland for the 1931 Open Championship at Carnoustie. When the final round began, Armour was five shots behind Jose Jurado of Argentina. The fact that Armour shot the course record of 71 to catch and pass Jurado fit Armour’s personality and story like a glove. However, there is more to the finish than that. The truth is, before there was Jean Van de Velde, there was Jose Jurado. At the 17th hole, Jurardo hit his second shot into the burn and finished with a six. He needed a four at the last to tie Armour for the lead, but not realizing this, he layed up short of the burn and pitched onto the green taking a five. Regardless, Armour’s tremendous play in the final round will always be one of the greatest come back stories in the history of golf.
1975 – Tom Watson
Tom Watson may well be the best links golfer of the modern era. He has won five Open Championships, including the first one he ever entered at Carnoustie Golf Links. Early in his career, Watson was dubbed as a guy who couldn’t close the deal due to his failures in final rounds of the U.S. Open. Although he didn’t have the 54 hole lead at Carnoustie, after the final round, he would not have to bear that image any more.
Scoring conditions were initially very mild at Carnoustie. Warm weather and sunshine lead to low scoring in the first round. Jack Nicklaus was in second place, with Watson four shots behind the leaders. Rain during the second round lead to even lower scoring. However, going into the final round, the weather and the leaderboard changed dramatically. Watson trailed Bobby Cole by three strokes and as the wind began to howl, and players began to struggle. Jack Nicklaus carded an early 72 to set the clubhouse lead at 280, but that would quickly fall when Watson birdied the 18th and became the new leader at 279 for four days. The only two with a chance to catch him were still on the course. Bobby Cole was unable to convert on his birdie putt to tie, but Jack Newton sunk his par putt to tie Tom Watson’s score of 279. This setup a full eighteen hole playoff the next day.
Watson and Newton traded the lead back and forth throughout the day, with a barrage of birdies, eagles, and bogies. Going into the 18th, both were tied. On their approaches, Watson found the green, while Newton found the right hand bunker. Newton’s bunker shot went long and Watson was able to two putt to collect his first of five Open Championships.
1968 – Gary Player
With his heroic flair and gentleman’s demeanor on course, Gary Player earned the name "Black Knight" and has revelled in it ever since. The South African has travelled over 14 million miles and has become golf’s world wide ambassador. Player is one of golf’s elite, having won the career grand slam and his trophy case contains three Claret Jugs. Player also holds the unique distinction as the only golfer to ever win the Open Championship in three different decades (1959, 1968, and 1974). Player’s second Open Championship title came at Carnoustie in 1968.
Carnoustie’s difficult layout and conditions traditionally has created tightly packed leader boards and 1968 was no exception. After two rounds, Gary Player was in a tie for third with Jack Nicklaus, and when the final round began, the two golfing legends would battle for the Claret Jug. Player took the lead after the sixth hole and although he dropped a shot at the tenth bringing him back in a tie for the lead, the tie would be short lived. At the par 5 14th hole, Player hit one of the most famous shots in golf history, hitting a fairway wood to inches of the pin for a tap in eagle. However, Player’s impending victory was not without tense moments. Coming into the 18th, Nicklaus was only one shot behind and when Player found the long right hand rough, his chances for the victory appeared to be slipping away. However, Nicklaus hit his approach into a right hand bunker and failed to get up and down, while Player layed up out of the rough and used three more strokes to finish his round winning his second Open Championship victory.
1953 – Ben Hogan
These days it’s hard to imagine professional golf without the Open Championship. However, this was not always the case. Burgeoning trans-Atlantic travel, different rules proposed by the R&A, combined with tremendous expense and meager prize money meant top American players would rarely compete in the Open Championship, even if they were the defending champion. Ben Hogan only played four competitive rounds of golf in Scotland and they combined to form a virtuoso performance for the ages at Carnoustie Golf Links. Tiger Woods impressed golfers everywhere in 2000 by not hitting into a single bunker at St. Andrews, but that performance pales in comparison to Hogan’s at Carnoustie. Throughout the entire tournament, not once did Hogan’s ball find the treacherous Carnoustie rough, without a doubt one of the greatest ball striking performances in history.
Hogan was urged to play in the Open Championship by Tommy Armour and Walter Hagen, and challenge himself against a new type of golf. Just four years before, Hogan’s life had nearly ended in a head-on car accident with a bus, but Hogan climbed his way back to the top and the Open Championship at Carnoustie would be the d’enouement of his landmark 1953 season. Hogan had already won the Masters, U.S. Open (played at Oakmont), and three other tournaments before he set foot in Scotland determined to become the Open champion. Hogan impressed the Scots tremendously, affectionately earning the nickname, "Wee Ice Man" for his calculating demeanor and perfectionist attitude.
When play began, Hogan struggled to adapt to the hard Scottish fairways and shaggy greens. His first round 73 combined with a second round 70 in heavy rains and winds placed him well behind the leaders. However, in the third round Hogan caught fire with a 70 that tied him for the lead with Roberto De Vicenzo. On the long 565 yard par 5 6th, most players layed up with iron off the tee. However, in all four rounds, Hogan hit driver, avoiding the treacherous bunkers and out of bounds along the left hand side. To this day, the 6th fairway is still called "Hogan’s Alley." Hogan capitalized on this position in the final round, playing a three wood to the edge of the green and two putting for birdie. With another birdie on the 17th, Hogan had sealed his victory at the Open Championship with a 68 and perhaps the greatest season in golf history.
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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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