Next on the PGA TOUR schedule is THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson at TPC Craig Ranch (par 71, 7,569 yards, bentgrass greens) in McKinney, Texas. This will be the fifth year in a row that this event is played at TPC Craig Ranch. This week’s field consists of 156 golfers and there will be a standard top-65 and ties cut following the first two rounds.
Below, I have featured some finishing position bets to consider for THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson.
Mackenzie Hughes for a top-20 finish including ties (+160)
Hughes finished T-14 at TPC Craig Ranch two years ago and the Canadian’s game is firing on all cylinders right now. Hughes has improved in each of his last three starts, finishing T-36, T-10 and T-3, in that order. Hughes gained strokes in every major category at all these events and he shot under par in all but one of these 12 rounds. When we compare this field’s last 12 rounds, Hughes ranks fourth in total strokes gained.
That T-3 impressively came at the RBC Heritage two weeks ago, which is a Signature Event that features the PGA TOUR’s top players competing for a $20 million purse. The field for THE CJ Byron Nelson is a much weaker group of golfers and Hughes has the potential to contend if he can maintain his stellar form.
Stephen Jaeger for a top-30 finish (+115)
Jaeger has finished inside the top-30 four times in 12 starts this season and he has been lights out with his irons as of late, gaining strokes on approach in seven of his last eight starts. Jaeger has been excellent at TPC Craig Ranch the last two years, finishing T-11 and T-20, and his tremendous ball striking as of late puts him in perfect position for another high finish at the second-shot course. Of the four winners at TPC Craig Ranch, three have finished the week top-three in SG APP.
Among the players in this week’s field that have competed at TPC Craig Ranch more than once, Jaeger ranks fifth in strokes gained per round. The 35-year-old has an 8-under 63 on his resume at this track and Jaeger has a ton of appeal for a top-30 finish at these +115 odds.
