CJ Cup Byron Nelson has mainly hosted three totally different golf tournaments in three years, and the course’s historical past is not all that essential.
In 2024, it was a wide-open goal the place gamers might hearth on the flag and rack up birdies all through the week, however that model of the course now not exists.
Then final 12 months, new tees had been added, the course was lengthened, and Scotty Scheffler got here alongside and completely dominated the place along with his irons. His strategy play was so ridiculous that it virtually ruined the event.
In 2026, this can be a unique setup.
Designers rebuilt practically each inexperienced, narrowed the fairways, repositioned the bunkers, added wasted areas, and made the ultimate stretch play extra into the wind. This course is clearly making an attempt to interrupt away from the “all people hits -25” model of Craig Ranch.
So once more this week I used to be leaning towards ball strikers who can management pictures on the redesigned greens, however the wild card is the brand new bentgrass inexperienced. Placing volatility might be greater than ordinary as a result of nobody is answerable for them but. Strategy play remains to be essential, however there are additionally avenues for elite putters to get sizzling and wander.
Odds from DraftKings Sportsbook (Contains tie) Topic to vary.
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If you wish to wager on Scotty Scheffler, easy methods to wager on Scotty Scheffler
You do not want stroke fee knowledge to know that Scheffler is the most effective participant on the sector by the mile. Though expensive, he ranks first in practically each stroke gained metric, gained this event by eight strokes final 12 months, and holds the course report right here. Particularly this week, Scheffler’s ground is unusually excessive in comparison with others.
Usually I might shoot for a top-five end with this dominant favourite, however it’s laborious to justify posting -265 in a golf event. As a result of there’s nonetheless variation throughout 72 holes. If you wish to make a Scottie wager, the one strategy to do it’s to put an everyday, single unit wager on the most effective participant on the earth on a course the place all the info factors in his route once more.
Brooks Koepka Prime 20 (+102)
Koepka has a excessive ceiling and is a high-risk participant. He’s second within the subject in strategy and third in tee-to-green, each key metrics for this model of Craig Ranch. He hit T11 in Myrtle Seaside two weeks in the past, improved by over 5 strokes with irons, and is in fine condition going into this event. Placing is a identified weak point on the brand new recontoured greens, that are basically impartial, however manageable to complete within the high 20, doubtlessly leaking pictures on the greens, however nonetheless permitting you to regain your spot within the remaining video games. Koepka has his limits, however he nonetheless has many tournaments to go earlier than his true potential returns to tour.
Christian Bezuidenhout Prime 20 (+188)
This can be a “suppose exterior the field” kind of wager. Bezuidenhout has been main the best way in placing and has been actively enhancing, gaining 5 or extra strokes in two of the final 4 tournaments and solely actually lacking a stroke as soon as this season. If a brand new inexperienced causes extra variation in placing than ordinary, it might give the most effective putter within the subject a fair larger benefit over the traditional variety of balls hit. Two occasions will decide his skill this 12 months. In T6 at Myrtle Seaside, he prolonged greater than six strokes with the irons, exhibiting he can get sizzling. He additionally completed T35 eventually week’s PGA Championship, however improved his rating with the irons and across the greens at main championship venues.
Ryo Hisatsune high 20 (+142)
Hisatsune has upside that I wish to see in high 20 play. At Valero, he used striped irons to complete T8, and he additionally had good outcomes on the PGA Championship, and when his strategy play obtained sizzling, he had birdie alternatives. The volatility is actual, however that is additionally why I desire him within the placement market, the place he can bounce into the highest 10 or hold round rivalry, moderately than holding it for 72 holes. That volatility makes him fascinating as a first-round chief if Iron exhibits up early.
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Austin Eckrot, $7,500: This model of Craig Ranch could also be extra demanding than the outdated BirdieFest model. Eckrot’s T10 at Valero stands out, as TPC San Antonio already performs near the type that Craig Lunch strives for. If his rating drops into the -14 vary, Eckrot will be capable to get 4 stable rounds along with his irons as a substitute of counting on every week of good spikes. Accuracy is a priority, but when he can discover the green, he may very well be the favourite to win.
Blade Brown, $7,800: With the arrival of iron, there are indicators of enchancment. Fantasy scoring values birdies and place features over consistency. Brown recorded a T3 in Puerto Rico and a T9 in Myrtle Seaside, and can be good at Valspar with a robust strategy spike and aggressive placing when rolling. The value is on the upswing in comparison with the wage, so we won’t depend on a high 10 end or his full profile, however a high 20 with birdies can put the wage worth again on observe, so it is acceptable.
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Windham Clark, $8,800: The advance in his strategy is actual, however his current kind has deteriorated on account of a missed reduce in Houston and a missed reduce on the PGA Championship final week, inflicting him to lose strokes off the tee. His stroke acquire numbers are backed up by his early season efficiency. He completed T21 on the Masters, however the blame for dropping the stroke putt nonetheless lingers. His placing fluctuates wildly from week to week, and contemplating he is missed the reduce thrice in his final six begins, that is an excessive amount of for his wage degree. I might moderately spend $8,800 on a profile with much less likelihood of failure.
