The PGA Tour heads to the Lone Star State for the 2025 CJ CUP Byron Nelson at TPC Craig Ranch. Let’s break down the course, key stats, and best bets for this week’s event.
Tournament Information:
Social Media:
Course Information:
Course Architect:
Comparable Courses:
- Grand Reserve Golf Club – Puerto Rico Open – RESULTS
- Vidanta Vallarta – Mexico Open at Vidanta – RESULTS
- TPC Scottsdale – WM Phoenix Open – RESULTS
Comparable Location (McKinney, Texas):
Designer Link (Tom Weiskopf):
- TPC Scottsdale (Stadium Course) – Tom Weiskopf (1986) – WM Phoenix Open
Comparable Yardage (7,569 Yards):
Comparable Greens (Bentgrass .100”):
Comparable Average Green Size (6,778 sq. ft.):
TV Information (all times ET):
Weather:
Course/ Tournament History:
The CJ Cup Byron Nelson is a longstanding PGA Tour event held annually in Texas, with a rich history dating back to its inception in 1944 as the Texas Victory Open. Named in honor of the legendary golfer Byron Nelson in 1968, the tournament has been hosted at various courses over the years, including Lakewood Country Club, Preston Trail Golf Club, and TPC Four Seasons. In 2021, the event found a new home at TPC Craig Ranch in McKinney, Texas, where it continues to attract top-tier talent. The tournament underwent a significant change in 2024 when the CJ Group became the title sponsor, rebranding it as The CJ Cup Byron Nelson.
Previous Tournament Venues:
| Duration | Course |
| 2021 – Present | TPC Craig Ranch |
| 2018 – 2019 | Trinity Forest Golf Club |
| 1994 – 2017 | The Tournament Players Course and the Cottonwood Valley Course (Four Seasons) |
| 1986 – 1993 | TPC at Las Colinas |
| 1983 – 1985 | Las Colinas Sports Club |
| 1968 – 1982 | Preston Trail Golf Club |
| 1958 – 1962; 1964; 1966 – 1967 | Oak Cliff Country Club |
| 1957 | Glen Lake Country Club |
| 1956 (May), 1956 (Jun) | Preston Hollow Country Club |
| 1946 | Brook Hollow Golf Club |
| 1945 | Dallas Country Club |
| 1944 | Lakewood Country Club |
Previous Tournament Names:
Tournament Records:
- 72-Hole Record:
- 259, Steven Bowditch (2015 at TPC Four Seasons). Bowditch was 18-under after heavy rain turned TPC Four Seasons into a par-69 layout for the final three rounds.
- 18-Hole Record:
- 60, Arron Oberholser (second round, 2006 at Cottonwood Valley GC), Keegan Bradley (first round, 2013 at TPC Four Seasons)
Course Records:
Course Guide/ Scorecard:
Originally crafted by Tom Weiskopf in 2004, TPC Craig Ranch features a Par 71 layout, comprising four Par 3s, eleven Par 4s, and three Par 5s.
In terms of length, TPC Craig Ranch is one of the longest courses on Tour measuring 7,569 yards. It ranks 3 out of 44 courses in length. The fairways are on the wider side, ranking 8 of 44, with the average fairway width being 37.0 yards. The average green size is roughly 6,778 square feet which is on the larger side when compared to the other courses on the PGA Tour.
The four Par 3’s range between 147 yards and 232 yards. In the last edition of this event, all of the Par 3’s had a scoring average over par except for No. 4 and No. 17.
No. 7, 232 Yards, Par 3: “This is a large green that slopes back to front. It is best to miss your tee shot short right, this will give you the best opportunity to get up and down.”
No. 17, 147 Yards, Par 3: “A true sleeper par 3, don’t let the yardage fool you. The wind will make hitting this green a true test. Any shot coming up short will be punished by the false front on the green and may roll back into the front bunker.”
There are eleven Par 4’s at TPC Craig Ranch with the majority of those holes ranging between 450 and 500 yards. No. 6 is the shortest listed at 361 yards with the longest being No. 13, playing 512 yards. In terms of scoring average, the toughest Par 4 on the course last year was No. 12 (+0.177).
No. 6, 361 Yards, Par 4: “This is a short par 4 that brings a lot of strategy into play. The fairway is well protected by bunkers, if you want to attack this hole finding the fairway is a must. If you hit driver off the tee and get to close to the green, attacking a front pin location is difficult. This is one of our smallest greens, be aggressive if find the fairway and have a wedge in your hand.”
No. 14, 362 Yards, Par 4: “This short par four is a through risk/reward hole. The shorter hitters have to decide what yardage second shot they want to have, there is more room right off the tee than appears. Most big hitter will take on the green, the bunkers right are always there to catch a bail out shot. This is one of our most undulated greens, you have to be accurate with your wedges if you want to make birdie.”
No. 16, 492 Yards, Par 4: “A long and testing par four, into the wind this hole will challenge the best of players. You have to avoid the bunkers down the left if you want to hit this green in two. The bunkers front right hide what is one of the biggest greens on the course. Hitting the middle of this green is never a bad play. There is a severe slope on the left side of the green, and getting up and down from the chipping area is hard.”
There are three Par 5s on the course, No. 5, No. 9, and No. 18. All of these holes had a scoring average under par in 2024. The easiest hole on the course last year was No. 18 with a scoring average of 4.415.
No. 9, 564 Yards, Par 5: “This is a tough tee shot on a windy day because of the forced carry. Plenty of room right off the tee, playing down the left side will result in more run out and better angle to the green. The big decision you have to make is with your lay up, being aggressive and taking on the creek opens up the green for third shot. This green has three tiers, distance and spin control with your wedge shot is a must.”
No. 18, 552 Yards, Par 5: “Another risk/reward hole to finish, there is a large landing area for those who have to lay up. The longer hitter off the tee will have an approach shot between 220-250 to the middle of the green. This green has two distinct levels, and if you want to make birdie being on the correct level is a must.”
Featured/ Signature Hole(s): 14
Key Statistics:
The CJ CUP Byron Nelson takes place at TPC Craig Ranch. Here are the key statistics to keep an eye on for this week’s event.
| Statistics | PGA Tour Average | TPC Craig Ranch |
| Driving Distance (Yards) | 283.87 | 294.10 |
| Driving Accuracy | 62% | 61% |
| GIR Percentage | 66% | 71% |
| Avg GIR Prox. to Hole (Feet) | 29.17 | 34.17 |
| Scrambling Percentage | 58% | 66% |
| Avg 3 Putts / Round | 0.55 | 0.40 |
Per DataGolf, this is the favored skillset at TPC Craig Ranch.
Strokes Gained: Off the Tee
- While TPC Craig Ranch isn’t overly penal off the tee, it still rewards players who drive the ball well — especially those with both distance and consistency. Wide fairways encourage aggression, and longer hitters can take advantage of shorter approach shots into greens. But it’s not just bombers who benefit here. Accuracy and consistent positioning also play a role, especially with water lurking on several holes. Interestingly, each of the past four winners at TPC Craig Ranch finished the week ranked 23rd or better in SG: Off the Tee among the field. That tells us that while this isn’t a brutal driving test, gaining strokes off the tee is a key ingredient for winning. Whether through length, accuracy, or both, players need to be in control with the driver to contend.
- Leaders in this category in the last 24 Rounds:
- Rico Hoey
- Niklas Norgaard Moller
- Keith Mitchell
- Isaiah Salinda
- Kevin Yu
- Taylor Pendrith
- Scottie Scheffler
- Jesper Svensson
- Joseph Bramlett
- Kurt Kitayama
- Leaders in this category in the last 24 Rounds:
Strokes Gained: Approach
- TPC Craig Ranch is a second-shot golf course, and iron play is one of the most predictive stats for success here. In fact, three of the past four winners ranked inside the top 8 in Strokes Gained: Approach for the week, showing just how important precise iron play is. With large greens and favorable scoring conditions, hitting it close gives players the best chance to convert birdie opportunities. Those who are consistently dialed in with their mid-to-long irons tend to separate themselves over four rounds.
- Leaders in this category in the last 24 Rounds:
- Henrik Norlander
- Sami Valimaki
- Scottie Scheffler
- Will Zalatoris
- Stephan Jaeger
- Rico Hoey
- John Pak
- Jackson Suber
- Nicolai Hojgaard
- Kevin Yu
- Leaders in this category in the last 24 Rounds:
Strokes Gained: Putting (Bentgrass)
- The greens at TPC Craig Ranch are pure Bentgrass, cut to .100″, and generally run at a medium-to-fast speed. While the putting surfaces are large, players who roll it well on Bentgrass will have a significant edge, especially in a low-scoring shootout where missing birdie chances can quickly put you behind. Historically, strong Bentgrass putters have shown a positive correlation with top finishes at this event.
- Leaders in this category in the last 24 Rounds:
- Mackenzie Hughes
- Harry Hall
- Brian Campbell
- Pierceson Coody
- Vince Whaley
- Kevin Kisner
- Kevin Tway
- Kris Ventura
- Sam Burns
- Ben Silverman
- Leaders in this category in the last 24 Rounds:
Driving Distance Gained
- While accuracy off the tee is helpful, TPC Craig Ranch tends to favor players with distance more than precision. The fairways are relatively wide, and players who can drive it long will set themselves up for shorter approach shots into greens — a major edge when you need to rack up birdies. The course plays over 7,500 yards, so length can be a real asset.
- Leaders in this category in the last 24 Rounds:
- Aldrich Potgieter
- Christo Lamprecht
- Brandon Matthews
- Tim Widing
- Jesper Svensson
- Niklas Norgaard Moller
- Alejandro Tosti
- Rasmus Hojgaard
- Chirs Gotterup
- Pierceson Coody
- Leaders in this category in the last 24 Rounds:
Par 3 Scoring: 200-225 Yards
- Two of the four par 3s at TPC Craig Ranch fall within the 200-225 yard range.
- Leaders in this category in the last 24 Rounds:
- Ben Griffin
- Seamus Power
- Brian Campbell
- Sam Ryder
- Michael Thorbjornsen
- Ryan Gerard
- Matthew McCarty
- Aldrich Potgieter
- Takumi Kanaya
- Mac Meissner
- Leaders in this category in the last 24 Rounds:
Par 4 Scoring: 450-500 Yards
- TPC Craig Ranch features five par 4s in the 450-500 yard range, which will test players with both length and accuracy. These are among the tougher holes on the course, so gaining strokes here can lead to a significant advantage over four rounds.
- Leaders in this category in the last 24 Rounds:
- Scottie Scheffler
- Brian Campbell
- Alex Smalley
- Joel Dahmen
- Keith Mitchell
- Justin Lower
- Chad Ramey
- Sam Ryder
- Matt Kuchar
- Pierceson Coody
- Leaders in this category in the last 24 Rounds:
Par 5 Scoring: 550 – 600 Yards
- Two of the three par 5s fall between 550-600 yards, which are reachable for the longer hitters and offer prime scoring chances. Converting birdies — or even eagles — on these holes is often a requirement to stay competitive in a tournament that regularly sees winning scores of -23 or better.
- Leaders in this category in the last 24 Rounds:
- Davis Riley
- Jesper Svensson
- Thorbjorn Olesen
- Jordan Spieth
- Nicolai Hojgaard
- Cameron Davis
- Adam Schenk
- Victor Perez
- Pierceson Coody
- Dylan Wu
- Leaders in this category in the last 24 Rounds:
Birdies or Better Gained
- With the last five winners all finishing -23 or better, it’s clear that scoring is paramount at TPC Craig Ranch. Players need to capitalize on the gettable holes and avoid settling for too many pars. Those who gain the most strokes through birdies (or better) tend to rise up the leaderboard in this type of shootout environment.
- Leaders in this category in the last 24 Rounds:
- Jacob Bridgeman
- Danny Walker
- Jesper Svensson
- Stephan Jaeger
- Scottie Scheffler
- Taylor Moore
- Niklas Norgaard Moller
- Cameron Davis
- Ryan Gerard
- Jordan Spieth
- Leaders in this category in the last 24 Rounds:
Proximity Gained: 200+ Yards
- DataGolf’s approach distribution shows a disproportionately high number of approach shots at TPC Craig Ranch come from 200+ yards out.
- Leaders in this category in the last 24 Rounds:
- Erik Van Rooyen
- Charley Hoffman
- Thorbjorn Olesen
- Rikuya Hoshino
- Kris Ventura
- Ryan Gerard
- Jackson Suber
- Brandon Matthews
- Joel Dahmen
- Kurt Kitayama
- Leaders in this category in the last 24 Rounds:
Course History & Comparable Courses
- Looking at the Data Golf Course History Tool, prior experience at TPC Craig Ranch hasn’t proven to be extremly advantageous. However, we have seen multiple players in the past few years win twice at this course including Jason Day, K.H. Lee, and Sergio Garcia.
- Leaders in this category:
- Jordan Spieth
- Stephan Jaeger
- Scottie Scheffler
- Sung Kang
- Ryan Palmer
- Si Woo Kim
- Byeong Hun An
- Davis Riley
- Matt Kuchar
- Joseph Bramlett
- Leaders in this category:
The Field:
The 2025 CJ CUP Byron Nelson will feature a field of 156 players, with just two of the top 20 in the Official World Golf Ranking set to compete.
Basis of qualification for each entrant this week:
- Winner – U.S. Open
- Winner – PGA Championship
- Winner – THE PLAYERS Championship
- Winner – Tournament Winner in the Past Year
- Career Money Exemption
- Sponsor Exemption: DPWT
- Sponsor’s Exemption – PGA
- Sponsor’s Exemption – Unrestricted
- Sponsor’s Exemption – PGA
- PGA Section Champion\Player of the Year.
- Open Qualifying
- Top 30 on the FedExCup Playoffs & Eligibility Points List
- Top 70 on Prior Year FEC Playoff & Elig List through the Playoffs
- Top 125 FedExCup Fall Point Lists
- Major Medical Extension.
- Leading Points Winner from DP World Tour
- PGA TOUR University #1 – Prior Season
- Leading 10 players (not otherwise exempt) on DP World Tour
- Players 2-30 on the Prior Season Korn Ferry Tour Points List
- Top 5 Finishers and Ties from PGA TOUR Q-School
Previous Winners in the Field (Event):
- Taylor Pendrith (2024), Sung Kang (2019)
Debutants in the Field:
- Aldrich Potgieter, Braden Thornberry, Christo Lamprecht, Cristobal Del Solar, Danny Walker, Frankie Capan III, Gabe Reynolds, Isaiah Salinda, Jackson Suber, Jeremy Paul, Jesper Svensson, John Pak, Kaito Onishi, Karl Vilips, Kevin Velo, Mason Andersen, Matt McCarty, Matteo Manassero, Matthew Riedel, Michael Thorbjornsen, Nicolai Hojgaard, Niklas Norgaard Moller, Noah Kent, Paul Peterson, Paul Waring, Philip Knowles, Rasmus Hojgaard, Ricky Castillo, Rikuya Hoshino, Seungbin Choi, Takumi Kanaya, Taylor Dickson, Thomas Rosenmueller, Tim Widing, Tommy Morrison, Victor Perez, Vince Covello, Will Chandler, William Mouw
Exemptions:
- Seungbin Choi – Commissioner Exemption – 2 Foreign Players.
- Pierceson Coody – Sponsors Exemptions – Unrestricted.
- Chesson Hadley – Sponsors Exemptions – PGA TOUR Member not otherwise exempt.
- Noah Kent – Sponsors Exemptions – Unrestricted.
- Kris Kim – Sponsors Exemptions – Unrestricted.
- Kevin Kisner – Career Money Exemption.
- Martin Laird – Sponsor Exemptions: DPWT / Korn Ferry Tour / Q-School Category
- Tommy Morrison – Sponsors Exemptions – Unrestricted.
- Ryan Palmer – Career Money Exemption.
- Chez Reavie – Sponsors Exemptions – PGA TOUR Member not otherwise exempt.
- Kevin Tway – Sponsor Exemptions: DPWT / Korn Ferry Tour / Q-School Category
Notable Withdraws/ Changes:
- Michael Kim (WD); Dylan Wu (IN)
- Nick Dunlap (WD); Kevin Tway (IN)
- Trace Crowe (IN)
- Blades Brown (WD)
- Martin Laird (IN)
- Kevin Tway (IN)
- Chez Reavie (IN)
- Chesson Hadley (IN)
- Zac Blair (OUT); Zach Johnson (IN)
- S.H. Kim (OUT); Joseph Bramlett (IN)
- Keith Mitchell (WD); Taylor Montgomery (IN)
- Brandt Snedeker (WD); Zac Blair (IN)
- Joe Highsmith (WD); Matt NeSmith (IN)
Tee Times & Groupings:
The Odds:
Here are the current favorites for this week’s event:
| Golfer | Odds | Last 5 Finishes on the PGA TOUR (Recent -> Past) | Last 5 Finishes at the CJ CUP Byron Nelson (Recent -> Past) |
| Scottie Scheffler | +280 | T8-4-T2-T20-T11 | T5-T15-T47 |
| Jordan Spieth | +1800 | T18-T14-T12-T28-59 | MC-2-T9 |
| Sungjae Im | +2200 | T11-T5-60-T61-T19 | – |
| Byeong Hun An | +2500 | T38-T21-T16-T52-T8 | T4-T14 |
Tournament Props:
Playoff:
- Will There Be a Playoff at the CJ CUP Byron Nelson? (Yes +360 / No -500)
Since moving to TPC Craig Ranch in 2021, the CJ CUP Byron Nelson has yet to be decided by a playoff.
Hole-in-One:
- Will There Be A Hole-in-One at the CJ CUP Byron Nelson? (Yes -160/ No +125)
2024: (1) – Raul Pereda (Hole No. 7)
2023: No Aces were recorded,
Recent Horses for Courses (TPC Craig Ranch):
| CJ Cup Byron Nelson | AT&T Byron Nelson | AT&T Byron Nelson | AT&T Byron Nelson | ||
| TPC Craig Ranch | TPC Craig Ranch | TPC Craig Ranch | TPC Craig Ranch | ||
| Golfer | Events Played | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Byeong-Hun An | 3 | 4 | 14 | – | – |
| Carson Young | 2 | 30 | 14 | – | – |
| Stephan Jaeger | 5 | 20 | 11 | 38 | – |
| Si Woo Kim | 4 | 13 | 2 | MC | 55 |
| Scottie Scheffler | 5 | – | 5 | 15 | 47 |
| Seamus Power | 7 | MC | 19 | 17 | 9 |
| Jordan Spieth | 12 | MC | – | 2 | 9 |
Recent Donkeys for Courses (TPC Craig Ranch):
| CJ Cup Byron Nelson | AT&T Byron Nelson | AT&T Byron Nelson | AT&T Byron Nelson | ||
| TPC Craig Ranch | TPC Craig Ranch | TPC Craig Ranch | TPC Craig Ranch | ||
| Golfer | Events Played | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Mac Meissner | 3 | MC | MC | MC | – |
| Pierceson Coody | 3 | MC | MC | – | MC |
| Greyson Sigg | 3 | MC | MC | MC | – |
| Harry Higgs | 3 | – | MC | MC | MC |
| Scott Gutschewski | 5 | MC | – | MC | – |
| George McNeill | 10 | – | MC | – | MC |
| Erik van Rooyen | 2 | – | MC | – | MC |
| Chez Reavie | 11 | MC | – | MC | – |
| Matthias Schmid | 2 | MC | MC | – | – |
| Kevin Kisner | 5 | MC | – | MC | – |
Previous Winners Scores, Prices, and Strokes Gained (Rank at Tournament):
- 2024: Taylor Pendrith (-23)
- Price: 90-1
| SG: Off the Tee | SG: Tee to Green | SG: Approach | SG: Around the Green | SG: Putting | |
| Taylor Pendrith | 6th | 4th | 38th | 3rd | 14th |
- 2023: Jason Day (-23)
- Price: 18-1
| SG: Off the Tee | SG: Tee to Green | SG: Approach | SG: Around the Green | SG: Putting | |
| Jason Day | 12th | 1st | 3rd | 31st | 28th |
- 2022: K.H. Lee (-26)
- Price: 125-1
| SG: Off the Tee | SG: Tee to Green | SG: Approach | SG: Around the Green | SG: Putting | |
| K.H. Lee | 20th | 5th | 8th | 10th | 13th |
- 2021: K.H. Lee (-25)
- Price: 200-1
| SG: Off the Tee | SG: Tee to Green | SG: Approach | SG: Around the Green | SG: Putting | |
| K.H. Lee | 23rd | 2nd | 2nd | 24th | 9th |
- 2019: Sung Kang (-23)
- Price: 125-1
| SG: Off the Tee | SG: Tee to Green | SG: Approach | SG: Around the Green | SG: Putting | |
| Sung Kang | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Previous Winners Incoming Form (Last 5 Starts):
- 2024: Taylor Pendrith
- T11 – Zurich Classic of New Orleans (PGA)
- T11 – Corales Puntacana Championship (PGA)
- MC – Valero Texas Open (PGA)
- T36 – Texas Children’s Houston Open (PGA)
- MC – Valspar Championship (PGA)
- 2023: Jason Day
- MC – Wells Fargo Championship (PGA)
- T39 – Masters Tournament (MAJ)
- T5 – WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play (PGA)
- T19 – THE PLAYERS Championship (PGA)
- T10 – Arnold Palmer Invitational (PGA)
- 2022: K.H. Lee
- T25 – Wells Fargo Championship (PGA)
- MC – RBC Heritage (PGA)
- MC – The Masters (PGA)
- MC – Valero Texas Open (PGA)
- T55 – THE PLAYERS Championship (PGA)
- 2021: K.H. Lee
- T58 – Wells Fargo Championship (PGA)
- T29 – Valspar Championship (PGA)
- T23 – Zurich Classic of New Orleans (PGA)
- T56 – RBC Heritage (PGA)
- T23 – Valero Texas Open (PGA)
- 2019: Sung Kang
- MC – Wells Fargo Championship (PGA)
- MC – Zurich Classic of New Orleans (PGA)
- T42 – Valero Texas Open (PGA)
- T18 – Valspar Championship (PGA)
- T47 – THE PLAYERS Championship (PGA)
Previous Winners Finishes at Event:
2024: Taylor Pendrith
- Tournament Debut
2023: Jason Day
| 2022 | 2021 | 2017 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | |
| Jason Day | T51 | MC | 2 | T27 | T9 | 5 | WON |
2022: K.H. Lee
| 2021 | 2019 | |
| K.H. Lee | WON | MDF |
2021: K.H. Lee
| 2019 | |
| K.H. Lee | MDF |
2019: Sung Kang
| 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2012 | 2011 | |
| Sung Kang | T42 | T20 | T34 | MC | MC |
Picks:
Outrights
Jordan Spieth (+1800) – DraftKings
Stephan Jaeger (+4500) – FanDuel
Jake Knapp (+5500) – FanDuel
Ryan Gerard (+6000) – FanDuel
Sami Valimaki (+11000) – FanDuel
Best of luck, and as always you can find me on Twitter @GatorBetting and Instagram @Gator_Sports_Betting. Any feedback whether positive or negative is always encouraged.
