The PGA Tour returns to individual competition this week with THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson at TPC Craig Ranch in McKinney, Texas. The tournament runs from Thursday, May 1 through Sunday, May 4, featuring a $9.9 million purse that has attracted world number one Scottie Scheffler despite many top players taking a break ahead of the PGA Championship in two weeks.
Scheffler enters the tournament as an overwhelming favorite with remarkably short odds of +300, reflecting his dominant position in golf today. The next closest competitor, Jordan Spieth, sits far behind at +2000, highlighting the significant gap between Scheffler and the field as he pursues his first victory of 2025.
TPC Craig Ranch presents one of the more forgiving challenges on the PGA Tour schedule, featuring wide fairways, large greens, and relatively few hazards. Success this week will likely come down to driving distance and putting performance across the four rounds.
Beyond Scheffler, several players enter with notable momentum. Sungjae Im (+2500) has rebounded from a mid-season slump with strong recent performances, including a T5 at the Masters and T11 at the RBC Heritage. The South Korean ranks 22nd in both Strokes Gained: Off the Tee and Birdie Average, while sitting an impressive 6th in putting average on tour.
According to detailed analytics from Statbet, Scheffler's probability of winning exceeds 30%, making him a legitimately good value even at such short odds. Their models show players like Im and Chan Kim offering potential value relative to their current market prices.
Veteran Zach Johnson could also be a surprise contender following his recent T8 finish at the Masters. Though not among the longest drivers, Johnson's excellent putting (ranked 11th on tour) could prove decisive on TPC Craig Ranch's generous layout.
The tournament returns to a familiar setting that has traditionally produced low scores. The course record of 262 (set by Webb Simpson in 2020) could potentially be challenged if conditions remain favorable throughout the weekend.
With many top players resting before the year's second major championship, this event presents an opportunity for several competitors to make their mark against a field headlined by golf's most dominant player seeking to add another trophy to his collection.
