Ben Martin and Andrew Novak aren’t going to be going on the Voice anytime soon. The victorious duo from last week’s Zurich team event engaged in a bit of post-victory karaoke (which is becoming a bit of a tournament staple after Rory and Lowry belted out Don’t stop Believing last year).
2025 US PGA Tour
CJ Cup Byron Nelson
TPC Craig Ranch, McKinney, Texas
1st-4th May
Their awful renditions of ‘Get Down on it’ and ‘We are the Champions’ shouldn’t detract too much from what was wonderful week for the pair (they each picked up their maiden PGA Tour title). This week, the tour moves from New Orleans to Texas for the latest edition of the CJ Cup Byron Nelson. This tournament began life as the Dallas Open way back in 1944, with the inaugural tournament won by its namesake: Byron Nelson.
The tournament has produced a cavalcade of elite champions that span different generations. Sam Snead and Ben Hogan won the 2nd and 3rd editions of this event. Nicklaus, Watson and Couples won the title in the 70’s while Els, Mickelson and Woods took the title home in the 90’s. The event started to lose some of its appeal in recent seasons, with many players growing disenchanted with the hugely unpopular TPC Four Seasons. The event was moved to Trinity Forest in 2018 and then to current home- TPC Craig Ranch- four years ago. There is plenty to play for this week, as players look to force their way into next week’s Truist Championship (while there will also be precious Ryder Cup points up for grabs).
Designed by Tom Weiskopf, TPC Craig Ranch opened as recently as 2004. This is a course that should help impart confidence ahead of next week’s next Signature Event (the Truist Championship). The course features minimal rough and generous Zoysiagrass fairways. Also, the Bentgrass greens only measure 11.5 on the stimp (they prepare them slow due to gusty Texas conditions). Rowlett Creek provides some natural protection, but the pros have generally gobbled up TPC Craig Ranch. It’s probably one of the simpler 7,400+ yard courses on tour. That probably explains why so many outliers have thrived here (Jason Day aside). It’s always more difficult to pinpoint success on such a gettable course. I think there’s an excellent chance we see a 59 this week. Players with distance will make the course considerably shorter and should make plenty of birdies. I would also look for players who can put themselves into great birdie positions with solid approach play.
Is Scottie Scheffler becoming the Jon Rahm of the PGA Tour (always finishing in the top ten but barely winning)? I’m obviously being somewhat facetious. Still, Scheffler won seven events last year and is yet to register his maiden triumph this year. Still, Scheffler is trending well and always seems to perform well in his home state. Fellow Texan Jordan Speith will be hoping to emulate good friend Justin Thomas’ exceptional performance at the RBC Heritage. The trio of Sungjae Im, Byeong-Hun An and Si Woo Kim will look to produce in an event that has been kind to South
Koreans in the past: South Koreans won every edition hosted between 2019 and 2022 (with the 2020 event cancelled due to Covid). Elsewhere, Sam Burns and defending champ Taylor Pendrith stand out in a field bereft of depth ahead of next week’s Signature Event.
Past Winners
2024: Taylor Pendrith (-23)
2023: Jason Day (-23)
2022: KH Lee (-26)
2021: KH Lee (-25)
2020: event cancelled
2019: Sung-Hoon Kang (-23)
Betting Favourites (To Win): Scottie Scheffler (11/4), Jordan Speith (18/1), Sungjae Im (22/1), Byeong-Hun An (25/1), Sam Burns
Value Bets
Mackenzie Hughes- To Win (35/1)
Two-time PGA Tour winner Mackenzie Hughes is exactly the sort of streaky player who could come right at TPC Craig Ranch. The Canadian knows how to get around this course, shooting a seven-under-par final round during last year’s renewal. Hughes started slowly this season but picked up a bit of steam with a T36 at the Valspar. He has gone from strength to strength since then, finishing solo 10th at the Houston Open prior to an excellent T3 finish at the RBC Heritage (a Signature Event).
Sami Valimaki- To Win (90/1)
Two-time DP World Tour champion Sami Valimaki is in low-key brilliant form. The 26-year-old Finn has shown an aptitude for Texas golf this season, finishing 4th at the Houston Open and T12 at the Valero Texas Open. Crucially, Valimaki has been deadly on approach of late, sitting 2nd in SG: Approach in the field over the last 24 rounds (he incredibly gained eight strokes on the field on approach in Houston). He finished inside the top 20 at Harbour Town and he could be a wonderful sleeper option this week.
The Man to Beat- Jordan Spieth- To Win (18/1)
Jordan Spieth needs something to happen if he wishes to worm his way into Keegan Bradely’s Ryder Cup side. Spieth has only won twice this decade. He has always been a threat in Texas, winning at
TPC San Antonio and Colonial. His 2021 Valero Texas Open win ended a trophy drought that dated back all the way to the 2017 Open Championship. Spieth actually made his PGA Tour debut in this event but struggled when it was hosted at Las Colinas and Trinity Falls. But he has thrived since the event moved to TPC Craig Ranch, finishing 9th in 2021 and 2nd in 2022. Spieth is an excellent Bentgrass putter, winning five of 13 titles on these greens.
