Christiaan Bezuidenhout
I have already used Scottie Scheffler, Si Woo Kim and Jordan Spieth this season. In theory, the best option I have available for the CJ CUP Byron Nelson is Brooks Koepka and while he certainly has merit this week, Koepka has never competed at TPC Craig Ranch before and the five-time major champion is likely to be a trendy pick for one and done pools, simply based off name value in this very weak field. Instead of following the crowd with Koepka, I am going to go a contrarian route and use Bezuidenhout, who should come with little-to-no ownership in one and done pools.
This season, Bezuidenhout has made 7-of-10 cuts and carded three top-25 finishes. His last two times out, Bezuidenhout has finished a season-best T-6 at the Myrtle Beach Classic and T-35 at the PGA Championship. At the demanding Aronimink GC for this major, Bezuidenhout finished the event with an impressive 3-under 67 on Sunday, which was the fourth-lowest score of the final round.
Bezuidenhout gained strokes on approach and with his putter in each of these past two starts, which is a great sign for TPC Craig Ranch, as four of the five winners at this par 71 have finished the tournament top-15 in both SG APP and SGP. Bezuidenhout knows TPC Craig Ranch well, too. In his two starts at this track, Bezuidenhout has finished T-12 and T-23.
The 32-year-old’s lowest round at TPC Craig Ranch is an 8-under 64 and Bezuidenhout ranks eighth among this field in strokes gained per round at the Texas venue. In fact, at all courses in the Lone Star State, Bezuidenhout ranks seventh in strokes gained per round.
Bezuidenhout has yet to win on the PGA TOUR, but he is a three-time winner on the DP World TOUR and him contending for his first PGA TOUR title this week is a possibility.
On DraftKings Sportsbook, Bezuidenhout carries +7800 odds to win the CJ CUP Byron Nelson.
Past One and Done Tournament Results
The Sony Open: J.J. Spaun (T40)
The American Express: Si Woo Kim (T6)
The Farmers Insurance Open: Will Zalatoris (MC)
WM Phoenix Open: Maverick McNealy (T13)
AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am: Justin Rose (T37)
The Genesis Invitational: Hideki Matsuyama (T28)
Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches: Shane Lowry (T2)
Arnold Palmer Invitational: Rory McIlroy (WD)
THE PLAYERS Championship: Collin Morikawa (WD)
Valspar Championship: Jacob Bridgeman (T14)
Texas Children’s Houston Open: Sam Burns (T21)
Valero Texas Open: Russell Henley (MC)
The Masters: Jon Rahm (T38)
RBC Heritage: Jordan Spieth (T33rd)
Cadillac Championship: Cameron Young (first)
Truist Championship: Ludvig Aberg (T8)
PGA Championship: Scottie Scheffler (T14)
