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Tour Rundown: McHorses for McCourses at the Wells Fargo | Thailand treated to 1-2-3 finish in Honda LPGA
May is here in full force, with a complete slate of professional events and a biennial amateur team golf event to boot. The guy who married a girl from Rochester came through in Charlotte, while a lad named Smotherman broke through on the Korn Ferry tour. We saw a first-time major champion on the Champions Tour, and a native daughter brought honor and glory to her country. Other than that, a dull week. Let’s wrap it up and run it down in this week’s edition of #GolfWRXTourRundown.
PGA Tour: McHorses for McCourses at the Wells Fargo
Rory McIlroy’s first PGA Tour win came at Quail Hollow. So did his 11th. And despite a 72nd-hole rinse, so did his 19th. McIlroy had been on a winless run of 18 months, stretching to the HSBC in November of 2019. Pundits and golf fans had criticized everything from his distance-chasing to the buttons on his shirts. McIlroy went as far as adding a new instructor, the renowned Pete Cowen, to his team. Finally, the work paid off, but he didn’t make it easy.
McIlroy began the final round three shots behind Keith Mitchell. The one-time PGA Tour winner failed to summon his better game on Sunday, although for just a moment, he appeared to do that. Mitchell opened with birdie, but lost two shots midway through the outward half with a pair of bogeys at five and six. He added a third bogey at 17, along with a birdie at 13. For his efforts, a third-place tie with Viktor Hovland came his way. Abraham Ancer played a fine round of golf, advancing five places into second position. Ancer never should have been a factor in the event, save for the trio of birdies he made at 15 through 17. His attempt to reach double-digits under par, from 33 feet, just missed at the final hole.
It was McIlroy who brought Ancer back into contention. The northern Irishman made up all three shots on Mitchell on the outward half, posting two-under 33. Coming home, he added birdies at 14 and 15, giving himself a comfortable lead on the home tee. And then, he pulled a Rory, or nearly did. McIlroy wisely opted for three-metal from the tee.
Knowing that water left awaited on the entire stretch of the hole, and that only water would bring a playoff into the realm of the possible, Rory pulled his tee shot into the drink. His drop, in the rough, left him 200 yards home, and he did well to land the ball safely on the green. Demonstrating considerable nerve, McIlroy took two putts from over 40 feet, and breathed a sigh of relief upon escaping with a one-shot win.
"That is a golf shot."
Thick rough. Bad lie. @McIlroyRory finds the green. ? pic.twitter.com/FcR6CKC4Ep
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 9, 2021
LPGA Tour: Thailand treated to 1-2-3 finish in Honda LPGA
What a week to bet the home team! Fans in Thailand were treated to a 1-2-3 finish by a trio of homebred golfers. From a legend to a new power, to a relative unknown, three countrywomen challenged for victory in Chonburi.
Patty Tavatanakit jumped out to an early lead with rounds of 64-64 through 36 holes. The newly-minted ANA Inspiration champion struggled mildly on the weekend (70-70) and finished two shots out of first place. Atthaya Thitikul also opened with 64, and remained in contention until the final hole. Thitikul stood minus-five on the day, tied for the lead, when she made bogey at 17. Unable to source a birdie on 18, she finished one ahead of Patty T. and three others, in solo second at minus-21.
Winning the day with 63, and the week with 22-under par, was Ariya Jutanugarn. Winless on the LPGA Tour since 2018, Jutanugarn made her homecoming a victorious one, capping her time on home soil with a 72nd-hole birdie. With her 4 at the last, she flipped places with Thitikul and claimed her 11th title on tour. The two-time major winner (British and US Opens) posted 9 birdies and 9 pars on day four to secure a special title.
Ariya @jutanugarn is back in the winner's circle! ?
Check out the highlights from her final round 63 at the @hondalpgath? pic.twitter.com/enYtI1WclU
— LPGA (@LPGA) May 9, 2021
European Tour: Higgo wins second title in Canary Islands
Right around 28 degrees north of the equator, and 16 degrees west of the prime meridian, suits Garrick Higgo just fine. The young South African completed a three-week stay in the Canary Islands in resolute fashion, finish first-eighth-first during his three weeks off the coast of Africa, earning a great deal of fairway cred and cash along the way.
It’s a fun week when your worst 18-hole score is a 66. Higgo opened with that number, making just six birdies on the day. He improved with six more on Friday, and capped the round with an eagle-three at the last, for minus-eight for the round. A paltry five birdies on Saturday were set straight by a pair of eagles, and Higgo began to pull away from the field. On Sunday, the Joburg native crushed any doubters with an ace at the seventh, to go with his six birdies. His margin of victory was six shots over Australia’s Maverick Antcliff, with Finland’s Tappio Pulkkanen an additional shot back, in the third slot.
? HOLE IN ONE ?@garrick_higgo just made the first hole in one of his professional career!
He now leads the #CanaryIslandsChampionship by six shots. pic.twitter.com/ixkiXkSy0T
— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) May 9, 2021
Korn Ferry Tour: Simmons Bank Open is Smotherman’s first big professional win
After playing some college golf in Dallas with Bryson DeChambeau, Austin Smotherman moved out into the great open spaces of the world’s golf tours. He won in Mexico in 2018, on the PGA Latinoamérica tour. In Tennessee this week, Smotherman caught lightning in a bottle and translated it into a 16-under par performance. The California lad opened with 65, two behind the leader, Harrison Endycott. When Endycott was forced to withdraw, Smotherman locked in on the number 69 and turned in three consecutive cards at that figure.
Smotherman carried a one-shot advantage over Carl Yuan and David Skinns into the final round, and turned in two-under 34. Yuan carded five birdies on the day, and made a brief run on the back nine with three saved shots in four holes. Bogey at 16 and 17 submarined his try at the title, but a birdie at the last brought him into a tie with Paul Haley II for second position. Skinns closed in even-par 72 and finished in solo 4th position.
A chip-in birdie at No. 17!
What a time to come up clutch @Austin_smosmo. ? pic.twitter.com/tjY1TRSy5d
— Korn Ferry Tour (@KornFerryTour) May 9, 2021
Walker Cup: Team USA wins a close one at Seminole
It’s hard to carry the weight of a side on your shoulders. Alex Fitzpatrick learned that this weekend in Florida. The Wake Forest stalwart from England did his level best in each of four matches over two days at storied Seminole golf club, and came out on the wrong end each time. Fellow Demon Deacon Mark Power, also on the Great Britain and Ireland side, fared much better. He was 3-0 until running into a buzzsaw named Austin Eckroat, who dispatched him by 7 & 6. Thus did the host squad escape with a 14-12 win on home soil.
Who were the heroes for the Red, White and Blue? Begin with Eckroat, who won a pair of singles matches, despite not experiencing partner combat either day. Essentially coming in cold off the bench, Eckroat dispatched Power and Angus Flanagan, giving the USA team a pair of needed points. Cole Hammer a member of the 2019 team went 3.5-0.5. Ricky Castillo, who should have been a member of that 2019 squad, earned four points, the only member of either side to achieve that accolade.
The 2021 Walker Cup will also be remembered for a stomach bug. Both Mac Meissner (USA) and Jake Bolton (GBI) came off the alternate bench for the USA, when the original partners were unable to compete during that round. Ironically, each won a point with his newfound partner.
That feeling when you secure the #WalkerCup clinching point! @cole_hammer6765 pic.twitter.com/cYnZg7tg6F
— The Walker Cup (@WalkerCup) May 9, 2021
PGA Tour Champions: first major of the season goes to Cejka
Steve Stricker knows what it’s like to win your first major title on the Champions Tour. That doesn’t mean he wouldn’t like to add another, and that surely means that he regrets his playoff loss to Alex Cejka at the Regions Tradition in Birmingham. It was Saturday when the two combatants proclaimed the 2021 playing to be a two-horse race, after posting 65 (Stricker) and 66 (Cejka). Robert Karlsson turned in a fine 64 on day three, but needed another on Sunday to enter the fray. He would settle for solo third place, four out of the playoff.
Through nine holes on Sunday, Stricker had opened up a three-shot advantage on Cejka. He gave two back through 13, and Cejka grabbed three more with birdies at 12 through 14. Suddenly with two strokes in hand, the German played conservatively home in par, giving Stricker an opening. The 2021 USA Ryder Cup captain made two more birdies at 16 and 18 to close the gap and send their match into extra holes.
Facing an awkward pitch from sidehill rough, Cejka lofted his third to about ten feet, just outside of Stricker’s birdie attempt. Leaving nothing to chance, he knocked the putt into the heart. When the reliable Stricker left his blade opened and missed to the right, the tournament belonged to Cejka.
Calm under pressure.
Alex Cejka won the @RegionsTrad in a playoff with this putt. pic.twitter.com/qAuLWGAuOP
— PGA TOUR Champions (@ChampionsTour) May 9, 2021
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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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