News
Tour Rundown: Gutsy finishes all around
In Italian and Spanish, Montesano translates as Healthy Mountain. Well, duh, obviously…just look at me! This week, I become Montecalvo, or Bald Mountain, when I participate in Bald For Bucks to raise money for cancer research. Donations of all sizes are welcome, and you can support the cause by clicking this link.
Last week’s professional golf stretched from the gulf of Oman to Singapore, to Australia and New Zealand, across the Pacific Ocean to Arizona, and on to Florida. As much as any other week, it was an international game. For a complete rundown, keep your eyes on the screen and read on.
PGA Tour: Honda Classic to Mitchell in gutsy close
At the 2017 final regular-season event on the Web.Com Tour, Keith Mitchell failed to birdie the easy, par-5 closer, and just missed getting his PGA Tour card. His face told the story. During the playoffs, he played well enough to secure the card for 2018, albeit with less status.
On Sunday, the table turned 180 degrees. Tied with a couple of no-names (cough, Brooks Koepka; cough, cough, Rickie Fowler) on the 72nd hole. Mitchell made an unlikely birdie from a fairway bunker, and won by one stroke over the decorated duo. Having driven in the left fairway bunker, Mitchell eschewed a run at the green, and pitched some 84 yards to the short grass. His 130-yard approach settled 15 feet from the promised land. His putt never wavered, and an inaugural PGA Tour title was his.
No words.@K_m_Mitchell steps up to the plate and delivers @TheHondaClassic.#LiveUnderPar pic.twitter.com/csScf6KCF7
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 3, 2019
European Tour: Oman Open has unexpected winner in Kitayama
Al Mouj did not lay down this week in Oman. The course and its surrounds tested the field with water, wind, and a round-delaying sandstorm. 36 holes were on offer Sunday, to conclude play. The closing marathon took its toll, as challengers fired and fell back. Along the coast where the gulf of Oman meets the Arabian sea, Al Mouj might have kept its trophy, were it not for the closing heroics of Kurt Kitayama. The young American birdied holes 16 and 17 in round four, at precisely the time when his competition found water, rocks, and everything unwanted over the watery, final stretch. What made his victory all the more improbable was his start early Sunday: quad-bogey-bogey-birdie-bogey.
After playing holes 37-41 in 6 over, Kitayama flipped a switch and played the next 31 holes in nine under. Playing together in the final group, Kitayama, Max Kieffer and Joachim Hansen came to the 72nd tee with a chance at victory. Hanson went to a watery grave off the tee, making bogey and dropping to T6. Kiefer had an uphill birdie putt to tie Kitayama, but left it well short after a case of line-obsession. Kitayama was able to calmly two-putt from 15 feet to secure his second European Tour title in four months. In a four-way tie for second, one behind Kitayama, were Kieffer, Jorge Campillo, Clement Sordet and Fabrizio Zanotti.
????????
Kitayama takes the lead with one hole to play.#OmanOpen pic.twitter.com/rsHk4Vjlse
— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) March 3, 2019
LPGA: Sung Hyun claims Women’s World Championship with Sunday 64
Another week, another close call for Minjee Lee. These are the stretches that make or break a season, even a career. We’ll get to the winner in a moment, but Australian Lee is so close to a dominant stretch of victories. Here’s hoping that the coming weeks see her scale the mountain. At the top of this week’s podium, the winner of the Women’s World Championship, is another golfer with designs on the number-one ranking. Sung Hyun Park epitomizes the power game of the new generation of golfer. She hits it hard, far and straight! When she putts with precision, as happened during round four, well, 64s also happen.
Both golfers (Park and Lee) were clipped by a single Sunday bogey. It was the only blemish for Lee, against four birdies. Park simply went deeper: three consecutive tweets to begin her round, two more chirps by the seventh hole, and a quartet on the inward nine. Nine birdies on any day are a tough hand to counter, and Lee came up two strokes shy, at 13 under. Both golfers are inside the season points race’s top 10, with Lee at third and Park resting at sixth.
The final round of the HSBC Women's World Championship included a battle between @Rolex Rankings No. 1, 2 and 3 with No. 2 Sung Hyun Park prevailing.#HWWCGolf
Final round highlights ==> pic.twitter.com/jeS698Vjhw
— LPGA (@LPGA) March 3, 2019
PGA Tour Champions: Cologuard Championship ends 9-year victory drought for O’Meara
Did you hear the one about the professional golfer who birdied eight consecutive holes? On Friday, it was Mark O’Meara. After opening with par at the first, he didn’t make another until the 10th. Turning in 28, O’Meara slacked his way in with eight consecutive pars, then a bogey at the last. Despite the unconscious display of brilliance, all O’Meara had to show for his efforts was a tie for second, one shot behind Kenny Perry. As the leader tumbled on Saturday, O’Meara played a decent round (70) to take a one-shot lead over three golfers. With everything on the line on day three, O’Meara made eight birdies against one bogey for another 66, and claimed his first Champions Tour title since 2010, by four strokes over Willie Wood, Kirk Tribplett, Darren Clarke, and Scott McCarron.
Another one.
Mark O'Meara is putting on a clinic @CologuardGolf. pic.twitter.com/9Rj9TDsgEp
— PGA TOUR Champions (@ChampionsTour) March 3, 2019
PGA Tour of Australasia: New Zealand Open to Murray by a whisker
Australia’s Zach Murray played a game of come-and-get-me; countryman Ashley Hall nearly did. Murray opened with 63-65, then closed with 70-68. His efforts reached 21-under par at 266. Hall lay like a lion in the bushes with 67-69-67, then burst home with 65 on Sunday. His 7-under effort on day four nearly caught the champion, but Murray’s early-week fireworks were enough to secure victory. Hall might have done the deed, save for a closing bogey at the par-4 home hole. Murray also made a mess at the last, with a bogey of his own. His eagle-birdie-birdie stretch on holes 13-15 kept the charging Hall at a distance, and established the winning margin.
It’s a beautiful day to try and win a golf tournament! ??????????????#NZOpen100 @NZOpenGolf @nzgolf pic.twitter.com/gRFyq58lu8
— PGA of Australia (@PGAofAustralia) March 3, 2019
Ladies European Tour: Canberra Classic in touch with the Dutch
A weekend of 64-68 usually spells wonderful news for golfers, unless you find yourself pitted against Holland’s Anne Van Dam. That was the case for Slovenia’s Katja Pogocar, who entered the final round square with her rival. Her day-three work was a bit choppy, with six birds against three boges. As things went, it was just enough to hold off Jiyai Shin for outright second, by one slim stroke. The day and the week belonged to Van Dam, who secured her fourth tour title by following 63 with 65. The pair were tightly pitted as the closing stretch arrived, when Van Dam went to work. She closed with an eagle and two birdies over the final four holes, two shots better than her competitor. The final margin of victory was three strokes, thanks to the winner’s final-day, unblemished scorecard.
WATCH the highlights from the final round of the @ActewAGL Canberra Classic at the stunning @RoyalCanberra where Anne Van Dam and Katja Pogacar started the day tied for the lead ahead of Carly Booth#VisitCanberra @ALPGtour @VisitCanberra @AnneVanDam @katja_pogacar @CarlyBooth92 pic.twitter.com/KK5ZSDDuzG
— Ladies European Tour (@LETgolf) March 3, 2019
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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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