Wyndham Clark tied a course record with an 11-under 60 on Sunday to win THE 2026 CJ CUP Byron Nelson by three strokes.
Si Woo Kim, who finished in second, also shot a 60 earlier in the week and took a two-stroke lead into the final day of the tournament.
It’s no surprise Scheffler is the betting favorite in THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson odds, but our top CJ CUP Byron Nelson predictions and golf picks look past the defending champion.
⛳ THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson: Key takeaways
- Outright winner: Wyndham Clark (+5000) won for the first time since the 2024 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
- The Top 3: Si Woo Kim (+1400) had the tournament in his hands, and nearly set a new course record on Friday before bogeying 18. Scottie Scheffler (+180) was the clear tournament favorite and was in a position to win on Sunday, but settled for third.
- Loosey goosey: TPC Craig Ranch wasn't particularly challenging for the top of the card, as Clark won with a -30 score, and there were four different rounds of -10 or better over the tournament.
- TPC Craig Ranch: The 7,569-yard Par 71 fetches a ton of birdies. Scheffler won at 31-under last year, and the winning score has been -23 or lower in the last seven editions
- Weather: On and off rain through the week will create soft scoring conditions, and there's also potential for thunderstorm delays.
📊 THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson odds and results
THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson ran at TPC Craig Ranch from Thursday, May 21, through Sunday, May 24, with 144 golfers in the field before a 36-hole cut to the Top 65 players and ties.
Odds courtesy of GolfOdds.
Check out the full CJ CUP Byron Nelson field.
Best bets card
- ❌ Outright: Jordan Spieth to win (+1500): Ranked second in strokes gained tee-to-green at Aronimink and third at the 2025 Byron Nelson
- ✅ Top 20: Brooks Koepka (+110): With a Top 20 in five of his past eight events while ranking third in this field in true strokes gained tee-to-green, this is a generous price
- ❌ Top 20: Austin Eckroat (+220): Two-time PGA Tour winner finished T2 here in 2024, and he heads to TPC Craig Ranch with three consecutive Top 20s while gaining true strokes across the board
Finishing position picks
Pick 1: Brooks Koepka Top 20 (+110)
This is a generous price. Brooks Koepka has carded a Top 20 in five of his past eight events while ranking third in this field in true strokes gained tee-to-green and second on approach. He just needs a few more putts to fall.
- Course Fit: Koepka has only played TPC Craig Ranch once competitively
- Recent Form: Elite tee-to-green play has been on full display
- Key Stat: 12th in adjusted scoring average in 2026
Risk: Putting woes have Koepka ranked 134th in three-putt avoidance.
Pick 2: Austin Eckroat Top 20 (+220)
The two-time PGA Tour winner finished T2 here in 2024, and he heads to TPC Craig Ranch with three consecutive Top 20s while gaining true strokes across the board, including ranking sixth in this field in tee-to-green play.
- Course Fit: T2 in 2024 reinforces Eckroat can contend at Craig Ranch
- Recent Form: Ball-striking spike aligns with three straight Top 20s
- Key Stat: Ranks 25th in bridie average this PGA Tour season
Risk: Eckroat missed the cut in this event last year.
CJ CUP Byron Nelson long shots
Here are Esten McLaren's best CJ CUP Byron Nelson long-shot predictions this week:
Best long-shot bet: Eric Cole (+5000 at BetMGM)
Eric Cole comes off a T6 finish in the Myrtle Beach Classic, with that following a T14 in the Valero Texas Open. The 118th-ranked golfer in the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) has been a victim of the PGA Tour schedule.
I believe he's in position for his first PGA Tour victory due to an average of 0.87 strokes gained: approach across his last 12 rounds that ranks second in this week's weaker field.
- Course fit: T5 finish in this event last year
- Recent form: Coming off his best two results since the fall swing
- Key stat: 28th on Tour in birdie-or-better percentage
Course breakdown: TPC Craig Ranch
TPC Craig Ranch in McKinney, Texas, was originally designed by major champion Tom Weiskopf and plays as a Par 71 at over 7,500 yards.
It's widely regarded as one of the biggest birdie-fests on the PGA Tour schedule. It has inviting fairways and huge greens that allow players to be aggressive and attack pins from any angle. With the famous Texas winds expected to be muted this week, the soft scoring conditions will likely lend another massive winning score.
- Easy access to these expansive, forgiving fairways means tee game is less critical
- Elite iron-play is required to pile up good birdie looks
- A hot putter also needed to cash in on those scoring chances and keep pace
Players to watch
- Scottie Scheffler: Putting cost the World No. 1 a shot at another major championship last week, but he ranked sixth in strokes gained putting during last year's runaway victory.
- Jordan Spieth: Ball-striking form is coming back, and the familiar Texas tracks have been great to him in the past.
Key stats & player profiles to target
- Strokes gained approach
- Birdie-or-better percentage
- Strokes gained putting
- Adjusted scoring average
Odds movement & market notes
Even at the short +175 odds, Scottie Scheffler has taken the highest ticket count and betting handle at BetMGM to win this week. Still, he isn’t the largest liability at the shop.
It’s Sungjae Im (+6000) listed as the largest liability for BetMGM, and he’s followed by Max Greyserman (+5000) and Matti Schmid (+8000).
While there haven’t been many notable moves in the odds ahead of Round 1 on Thursday, here are a handful that caught my eye:
- Jordan Spieth (+1600 to +1400)
- Ryo Hisatsune (+4500 to +4000)
- Max Greyserman (+6000 to +5000)
How to watch THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson & tee times
How to watch:
- Thursday-Friday: 2-6 p.m. ET (Golf Channel)
- Saturday-Sunday: 1-3 p.m. ET (Golf Channel), 3-6 p.m. ET (CBS)
Tee times:
THE CJ CUP Bryon Nelson betting FAQ
Who is the 2026 CJ CUP Bryon Nelson favorite?
World No. 1 and reigning CJ CUP Byron Nelson winner Scottie Scheffler (+175) is the betting favorite at BetMGM.
When is the 2026 CJ CUP Byron Nelson?
The 2026 CJ CUP Byron Nelson will be played from Thursday, May 21, to Sunday, May 24.
Where will the 2026 CJ CUP Byron Nelson be played?
The 2026 CJ CUP Byron Nelson will be played at TPC Craig Ranch in McKinney, Texas.
What are CJ CUP Byron Nelson FRL markets?
First Round Leader (FRL) markets center around which golfers will be in the lead following the first 18 holes of the tournament.
How do CJ CUP Byron Nelson matchup bets work?
When betting CJ CUP Byron Nelson matchups, you're selecting which golfer will score better between the two golfers listed in that specific market. There are 18-hole, single-round matchups, in addition to tournament-long, 72-hole matchups.
What is the CJ CUP Byron Nelson cut line?
The CJ CUP Byron Nelson features a cut to the Top 65 players and ties following the completion of Round 2.
Are CJ CUP Byron Nelson odds the same across all sportsbooks?
You'll see slight to significant variations in odds across sportsbooks for the CJ CUP Byron Nelson; it's always good practice to check multiple sports betting sites for the best odds.
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
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