News
Tour Rundown: Finau claims consecutive wins | Stunning 62 lifts Furue to title
The big news in a short week came from…well, let’s explain short week first. Three major tours were in action this week, with linksland golf in Dundonald, heathland golf in St Andrews, and good, old Scottish transplant golf in Detroit. The LPGA/Ladies European Tour joined forces at the Scottish Open, while the DP World Tour played at the Fairmont above St. Andrews linksland. Finally, the US PGA tour returend to the Detroit Golf Club, designed by Dornoch native Donald Ross.
In anticipated news (aka, this morning) Luke Donald’s concomitant sincerity has pushed him to the top of the selection list to replace the former captain of the European Ryder Cup squad. A formal announcement should come while you are reading this Tour Rundown. As an added bonus, we have a report from the USGA boys National Junior for a pair of reasons. We shall detail those at the end of this Tour Rundown installment
PGA Tour: Finau claims consecutive wins with heliacal performance
If Tony Finau had a better sense of timing, he’d have turned in a unique straight over the course of four rounds in Detroit, Rock City. Finau posted 64-66-65-67 in Motown to shuffle to a five-shot win. Roundmate Taylor Pendrith of Canada had a shot at the straight, standing even with Finau after 64-65-66 of his own. Unfortunately for Pendrith, Sunday brought three birdies, three bogies, and twelve pars. He tumbled a bit to a tie with Cameron Young and Patrick Cantlay for second position.
When things that for so long were obscured, become obvious, we wonder how we never noticed them before. Such is the case with Finau’s penchant for winning golf tournaments. Despite appearances on Presidents Cup and Ryder Cup sides for Team USA, Finau’s first win came in 2016. It would be half a decade before he won again, in 2021. Now he has won in consecutive weeks, and we wonder if he will run the table on 2021-2022.
On Sunday, Finau had three birdies in the first ten holes, to expel Pendrith from the equation and set his sights on the finish line. A bogey at eleven gave him pause, but he regrouped and added three more stroke-savers over the concluding stretch. Cantlay juped up three slots with his 66 and Young moved up from third with his own 67. The week and the day, however, belonged to the man from Utah. Time to Dougie.
Double Ws.
Time to Dougie ? pic.twitter.com/jvGZVZcF1f
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) July 31, 2022
LPGA/Ladies European Tour: Stunning 62 lifts Furue to title
We are fortunate to witness rounds of brilliance on a few occasions each calendar season. When they take place on the final day, their magic is more palpable and obvious than on other days. Ayaka Furue of Japan had never won on the big stage prior to this week. After opening with rounds of 69-68-68, she sat four shots behind a confident Celine Boutier, who looked like nothing less than a winner after 65-69-67 of her own.
Then came Sunday, a day that changed Furue’s career arc. Ten birdies outnumbered eight pars on her card, and the she calmly shot past all challengers to summit the leader board. This ataraxy was evident throughout her course tour, as Furue ran off consecutive birdies at six holes to round the turn. She closed with three in her final four holes to clip Boutier by three shots.
The French golfers was left to wonder what more she might have done. Her 69 was a solid score from the lead, and left groupmate Lydia Ko (71) in the dust. Alas, such are the whims of the gods of golf. On to Muirfield, where the venerable links will host the women’s British Open for the first time.
Course record ?
Tournament record ?
First LPGA Tour win ?
Watch highlights from Ayaka Furue's winning Sunday 62 at the @Womens_Scottish! pic.twitter.com/XW3w0obkw8
— LPGA (@LPGA) July 31, 2022
DP World Tour: Crocker a hero at Hero Open
As if the Furue and Finau shows weren’t compelling enough, we present the following bit of evidence to the jury. Consider a Zimbabwean-turned-Californian named Sean Crocker. After a collegiate career at USC (the Cali version) Crocker embarked on a professional career. He has never played the US PGA tour, preferring to ply his trade overseas. For five seasons, the worldy linksman learned the ways of the tours, until a glorious Sunday in July, in St. Andrews.
No, not Cameron Smith. He’s Australian. Zimbabwe, we said. Crocker took a lead into the final round of the HERO open in St. Andrews, and showed grit and guile as he posted 68 on day four. Crocker placed five birdies against a solitary bogey in the final round, then held his breath as the ebullient Eddie Pepperell, a massive voice of humor and reason, nearly chased him down.
The resurgent Pepperell signed for 65 after eight birdies of his own. Did the ninth-hole bogey cost him? Mathematically, yes. Logically, no. Pepperell was nowhere close at the day’s dawn, but blitzed his way into contention, and nearly to the apex. This story, however, is about Crocker, and it’s about time that he claimed a victory of his own. With a gutsy, six-feet putt at the last, Crocker made it happen.
Winning your first Tour title in St Andrews ???????
A moment that will live with Sean Crocker for a lifetime.#HeroOpen pic.twitter.com/QJrtef7Nna
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) July 31, 2022
USGA: Ding holds off Surratt to claim USGA title for China
How big of a lead is enough, is a question often posed to average golfers. Could you achieve victory on tour with a 15-shot advantage. The answer is always “No,” because average golfers are average in every capacity. Wenyi Ding is not an average golfer. He is quite talented. We know this because he reached the final of the boys junior championship at Bandon Dunes. Ding face off against Caleb Surratt, a south Charlotte golfer who had enjoyed an excellent run of championship golf in 2022. The final promised to be epic, and it was.
Ding was down by two after three holes, but clawed back to take a three-hole lead into the midway lunch of the planned 36-hole final. After ten holes of the afternoon session, oddsmakers would have laid against the match reaching the twelfth tee. Ding added five holes to his lead, and stood dormie-eight as the pair reached the 11th tee.
Surratt was not finished. He won one-two-three-four-five holes in succession, to chop the legs out from under Ding. With so much momentum on his side, the recovery seemed plausible and achievable. Alas, it was not to be. Neither Surratt nor Ding provided any sparks on the 33rd hole of the day, and when they halved in par fours, the week, day, and match were finished. Ding had become the first male golfer from China to secure a USGA title.
Brilliance at Bandon!
Wenyi Ding made 11 birdies and an eagle in the #USJuniorAm final. His 3-and-2 victory over Caleb Surratt is our Lexus Top Performance of the Day. #LexusGolf pic.twitter.com/zpO4g913He
— USGA (@USGA) July 31, 2022
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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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