2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson: Top 10 power rankings at TPC Craig Ranch
The PGA Tour is in Texas for the penultimate time in 2024.
This week’s CJ Cup Byron Nelson is the third event in the Lone Star State, all coming in the spring.
TPC Craig Ranch has been this event’s home since 2021. It’s a big, burly course in the Dallas suburb of McKinney that is equipped to handle modern distance gains. It doesn’t provide a stern test of golf, though. Its wide fairways, soft conditions, and large greens have produced tournament winners dipping into the 20s below par.
If you dare card a round in the 70s this week, you can likely kiss a top-10 finish goodbye. In fact, four scores in the 60s might not even equate to a top-40. Just ask Tom Hoge and Matt Kuchar, who settled for T-43rd despite going sub-70 all four days.
This event falls on a tough part of the schedule right before a Signature Event next week, the Wells Fargo Championship.
A lot of the top names are opting for rest this week. Many of them played twice in a row recently at the Masters and RBC Heritage. Some even kept it going last week at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, a two-man team event.
It’s expected to be a rainy week in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, so look for bombers to have more of an advantage than they already would this week.
From there, precise iron play is crucial to make enough birdies to stay on the offensive and not lose ground. Large green complexes like the ones in play this week take the pressure off players with poor short games, but they can’t afford to be lag-putting all week if they’re not honed in on their approaches.
Bentgrass greens are in play this week at The CJ Cup Byron Nelson
This is a common grass type in the region, so look for Texans to have an advantage. They know a thing or two about playing in the wind, which will be a factor per this week’s forecast.
Let’s dive into the top 10 players in this week's power rankings who aim to honor one of the legends of the game, Byron Nelson, by winning his prestigious tournament dating back to 1944.