News
Tour Rundown: Lazy Days at Lahinch, MinnesOHta Mania and Wisconsin Women
The European Tour’s 3-week run in early July might be unmatched in golf broadcasting. For a fortnight and a half, viewers are afforded the opportunity (most years) to see the finest links in golf. Played as it was created, centuries ago, golf balls carom with abandon around fairways and green sites. Putts from 70 feet (and sometimes, 70 yards) maneuver to within the leather. Sure, there’s tremendous golf in the heartland of the USA and other locales, but give credit its due assignment: golf along the ground, along the British coastlines, is spectacular. With that, to the linksland and this week’s Tour Rundown.
PGA Tour returns to Minnesota
It was an unforgettable return to the PGA Tour for the state of Minnesota. A tournament that had been contested on PGA Tour Champions, essentially received a promotion to the PGA Tour Regular. The golf course, dotted with ponds so reminiscent of the lakes of the host state, offered opportunities galore for birdies and disaster. More than one scorecard told the story of doubles, followed by eagles, pursued by birdies. The champion turned out to be the type of golfer that the event hopes to be: young, unafraid, a little brash, and worthy.
Matthew Wolff is a valley kid from California. Like Rickie Fowler, he left the west coast for America’s heartland, pursuing academics and golf at Oklahoma State. He got big for two reasons: great play in college, and regular feature on George Gankas’ Instagram feed. Wolff jumped up large on Saturday with 62. On Sunday, he stormed the castle in the end, closing with an eagle at the last to vault over Bryson DeChambeau and playing partner Collin Morikawa, securing an initial tour title by one stroke. The runners-up did nearly everything correctly: they posted 66s and tossed up a potent challenge. This was Wolff’s day, week, and moment, and he did not back away, he did not disappoint. As Wolff featured in a Tweet to Gankas, his teacher, a dream come true.
@pgatour @3mopen @George Gankas @matthew_wolff5
The hat of a champion.
A gift he'll never forget.#LiveUnderPar pic.twitter.com/xhNC7J2zNy
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) July 8, 2019
Korn Ferry Tour visits NY/PA border
As happens each week on the Korn Ferry Tour, stories abound. The former Demon Deacon, making a run at his first, large-tour title. The US Air Force pilot and instructor, doing the same. The Kiwi grinder from down under, recently turned 40, also in search of the breakthrough victory. They toil in fair anonymity, the near-equivalent of the minor league ballplayer. Many of their tour stops are smaller towns and rural areas, where the KF event is the biggest game of the summer. Such was the case in Clymer, NY, where the Peek’n Peak Resort hosted another LECOM Health Challenge. As in previous years, when the likes of Bubba Watson competed, and winners like Chesson Hadley, Kevin Stadler and Guy Boros, held the trophy high, multiple stories collided into one, with Ryan Brehm the biggest tale of them all.
A single stroke separated Brehm and Tim Wilkinson (the Kiwi) as Sunday awakened. By day’s end, they had traded that stroke, and went into a playoff. Truly, they should not have been there. Brehm handed Wilkinson a 2nd chance by following a 71st-hole birdie with a 72nd-hole double bogey. Making a concerted effort to catch the pair, was the trio of Blaine Barber, Will Zalatoris (the Demon Deacon) and Chase Seiffert. Seiffert gave the greatest effort, closing with 4 consecutive birdies for 63, -19, just one shot out of the playoff. Barber and Zalatoris came to the closer needing birdie to join the after-party, but each came up short.
Off, then, went the pair of Brehm and Wilkinson to the elevated tee of the 18th hole. As in regulation, Wilkinson made a solid par 5. His 4th stroke lipped maddeningly out of the hole. Unlike regulation, when the hole ensnared him, Brehm made a right-proper birdie 4, securing his 2nd victory on the under-tour. On Monday, Brehm stood in 25th spot on the points list. On Sunday, he had vaulted to 5th place. The triumph ensured a return to the PGA Tour for 2019-2020 for the Michigan State alum.
@LECOMHC @peeknpeak @kornferrytour
Game of inches.
(Birdie putts on first playoff hole @LECOMHC.) pic.twitter.com/1LpsfcTr89
— Korn Ferry Tour (@kornferrytour) July 8, 2019
Irish Open at Lahinch
Great golf courses need a champion. Not the type that says “OK, completely change this layout for the professionals” (cough, Merion 2013, cough). The type like Paul McGinley, who lobbied to bring the Irish Open to lovely Lahinch. Yes, the USA won those two wars, back in the day, but it has a ways to go in learning how to cherish its classic golf courses, especially when these host the professionals.
Jon Rahm blistered Lahinch in the final round. Despite stumbling with 2 bogeys over the course of the day, the Spaniard made up for them on the 12th hole, with an eagle. He posted 8 birdies to reach 62 on the day, 126 for the weekend. The trophy gives Rahm bookends, as he first won the tournament by 6 strokes, in 2017. On this occasion, his margin of victory was 2 shots over Andy Sullivan and Bernd Wiesberger. On a day when the Spanish flag seemed destined to fly over Lahinch, Rahm worked his way through the course with precision. In contrast, countryman Rafael Cabrera-Bello jumped out to a 3-stroke lead, then lost his game. The Canary Islander birdied 3 of his first 5 holes, then succumbed to some ailment and bogeyed 4 of 6 holes as the back nine commenced. He finished in a tie for 4th with Eddie Pepperell and Robert Rock.
@ddfirishopen @europeantour @mcginleygolf
EAGLE for Jon Rahm! One back. #DDFIrishOpen #RolexSeries pic.twitter.com/z5Xq1PoeKV
— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) July 7, 2019
The tournament within the tournament
Qualifying for The Open championship is so cool! Each week of the Rolex Series (including the upcoming Scottish Open) three golfers not otherwise exempt, will earn a spot at Royal Portrush. Despite having 2 major titles, Martin Kaymer is still on the outside, looking in. Why? Well, Paul Waring birdied 4 of his final 6 holes to squeek past the German great and earn a spot in 2 weeks in Northern Ireland. In addition, to Waring, Bernd Wiesberger (2nd at Lahinch) and Robert Rock () also claimed a place in the run for champion golfer of the year. This week, not only will a Scottish Open champion be crowned at the Renaissance Club, but a triumvirate of grateful golfers will punch a ticket for Portrush.
@renaissancegc @TheOpen @ScottishOpen
Blind par 3.
No problem for @BWiesberger. pic.twitter.com/Je3HzkK7rS
— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) July 7, 2019
Loaded ladies field makes Wisconsin #Awesummer
There’s a reason we left the exciting, Thornberry Creek news for last. In the awesummest awesummer of them all, four golfers went into the final round tied for the lead at -20. Tiffany Joh, she of the piano playing and the standup comedy, shot a laudable 67. It earned her a tie for 3rd with Amy Yang. Sung Hyun Park, whom everyone expected to win for a 2nd consecutive week, had 69 for a tie for 6th spot. Ariya Jutanugarn, the 2018 US Open champion, went 2-eagle low with 64. She made a deuce at the par 4 sixth hole, and a 3 at the par 5 9th hole. Out in 30 strokes, she looked like the world-beater on Sunday. Alas, her ridiculous bogey at the par 5 15th hole did her in. She needed perfection on this day, and it went a-wandering.
So who, then? Shanshan Feng, she of the cow-print pants and the permanent smile, turned in a remarkable 63 to reach -29, one beyond the grasp of Jutanugarn. Feng had no eagles, but otherwise, she was perfect. 9 birdies, 9 pars, with a 7-feet putt for a 3 at the last. The 2016 bronze medal winner in Rio claimed her 10th tour title after her duel with Ariya. The golf on all fronts was blindingly good; as with all tournaments, only one golfer hoists the trophy. Feng probably won’t win the Race to CME Globe (symbolic of LPGA supremacy) this year, but she did leap 15 spots in the standings with her victory.
@lpga @shanshanfengCHN @thornberrylpga
Sunday saw a barrage of low scores as a number of players made a run towards the top of the leaderboard.@shanshanfengCHN emerged from that crowd victorious to claim her tenth @LPGA Tour victory.
HIGHLIGHTS ?? pic.twitter.com/SA5XkOQbG3
— LPGA (@LPGA) July 8, 2019
- LIKE1
- LEGIT1
- WOW1
- LOL0
- IDHT1
- FLOP0
- OB0
- SHANK1
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 Hole2 weeks 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 Hole3 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
-
19th Hole1 week ago
LET pro gives detailed financial breakdown of first week on tour…and the net result may shock you
-
Equipment2 weeks ago
Jason Day on his recent switch into Srixon ZX5 and ZX7 Mk II irons