Horses for Courses: Jordan Spieth looking for more birdies in hometown event

Byron Nelson and the city of Dallas have been synonymous with the PGA TOUR for decades. TPC Craig Ranch, located in the suburb of McKinney, carries on the proud tradition of hosting a TOUR event for the fifth consecutive year. The previous four tournaments produced three champions, but 2024 winner Taylor Pendrith (+3000) is the only one participating in the week's proceedings.

Making his tournament debut, the big-hitting Canadian circled 22 birdies and two eagles against only three bogeys and won on the PGA TOUR for the first time. Posting 23-under, he led the field on the greens, needing only 104 putts for the week, and was also first in par-5 scoring average (4.08) on the par-71 layout (7,414 yards). Pendrith posted four rounds of 67 or better, which included 64 to open and 63 in Round 3 to secure the 54-hole lead and a spot in the final group on Sunday.

Joining Pendrith in the field from the top 10 of 2024 includes Ben Kohles (+27000), who finished one shot back. Byeong Hun An (+2500) and Matt Wallace (+7500) shared fourth and were part of a group of seven players who posted 20-under or better. Jake Knapp (+5000), the 18-hole and 36-hole leader after rounds of 64-64, posted 70 on Sunday to finish eighth alone. Rafael Campos (+100000) shared ninth on 18 under.

Rounds in the 60s

Players listed below are competing this week; 2025 ranking as of 28 April.

All four previous events at TPC Craig Ranch have produced winning scores of 23 under or better. THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson ranked in the top 10 in scoring average of the easiest courses on TOUR in all four editions, so I expect another shootout. The highest the 36-hole cut is 4-under, and rounds in the 60s are the requirement this week. The Bentgrass greens, which will not exceed 11.5 feet, will be in use for the final time before being replaced by Ultradwarf Bermuda putting surfaces for the 2026 event.

Of the five players to share second place over the first four editions, Dallas resident Jordan Spieth (+1800) is the only player to earn another top-10 payday. The 2022 runner-up posted 25 under and circled 29 birdies after signing for T9 in the debut event at TPC Craig Ranch in 2021. In the 2024 edition, he posted rounds of 68-70 (4-under) but missed the cut. Better go low!

Local Si Woo Kim (+3000) has played in all four events and never posted a round above par. After falling short of the weekend in the 2022 edition (3-under; MC), he joined Austin Eckroat (+4500) in second place, one shot behind winner Jason Day (not entered). Kim opened with 65 and closed with 63, his two best loops from 14 career rounds. In 2024, he added another round of 65 and did not sign for anything higher than 68 (T13).

Two-time winner K.H. Lee is not in the field this week, but the runner-up in the first edition, Sam Burns (+3000), returns to TPC Craig Ranch for the first time since falling short of the weekend in 2022. The memories from 2021 include 65-62 in the first two rounds.

Notables

• The field of 156 includes seven players from the top 50 from the Official World Golf Ranking, including world No. 1 and Dallas resident Scottie Scheffler.
• The three winners from the previous four events are all President Cup Internationals. None produced more than three bogeys total.
• The largest margin of victory is three shots, set in the inaugural event of 2021 by K.H. Lee.
• The scoring average of 68.497 in 2024 is the lowest field average in the history of the event and was the easiest par-71 on TOUR.
• Two of the three winners won on TOUR for the first time and won in their first appearance at TPC Craig Ranch.
• TPC Craig Ranch plays 7,569 yards, the longest of the five editions and 155 yards longer than the 2024 tournament.
• The tournament scoring record is 26-under 262 set by K.H. Lee in 2021. TPC Craig Ranch played to par-72 in 2021 and 2022 before shifting to par-71 for the 2023 and 2024 events.
• The course record is 60, set in 2021 and tied in 2022.
• The field will be cut to the top 65 and ties after two rounds.

Oddsmaker’s extras (odds)

Scottie Scheffler (+280): Trending in the right direction, the Dallas man will look to add to a trend of T47-T15-T5 before not starting in 2024. Sharing fifth on his last visit in 2023, he signed for 64 twice and 65 in the final round.

Byeong Hun An (+2500): The Korean owns a 37-under aggregate in two events in 2023 and 2024. He owns two Sunday 65s, a pair of 66s, and a trio of 67s from eight loops. His round of 68 in Round 3 in 2023 (T14) is the highest.

Stephan Jaeger (+4500): Sitting 49-under on aggregate, the German has produced tournament totals of 16-under (T20), 18-under (T11) and 15-under (T38) over the last three years.

Seamus Power (+7000): Before missing the weekend in 2024, the Irishman rattled off paydays of T19-T17-T9 in the first three editions in McKinney.

Patton Kizzire (+50000): Never missing a start, he’s played all four weekends, highlighted by T3 in 2021, T30 in 2023 and T24 in 2024.

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