CJ Cup Byron Nelson 2026: DFS and Betting Preview

May 20, 2026

Aaron Rai is the only human that could make two gloves and iron covers be acceptable. What a finish by him in an all around incredible PGA Championship.

Frank also faired well with Ludvig Aberg finishing T4.

Tournament Overview

The PGA Tour heads to McKinney, Texas, for the 2026 CJ Cup Byron Nelson at a renovated TPC Craig Ranch. This event is unique in two ways:

First, it is one of two PGA Tour events named after an individual player.

Second, the CJ Group which held the CJ Cup in South Korea prior to COVID took over as the sponsor for the long standing event The Byron Nelson in 2024. It is a joined event now only held in the US and how the name The CJ Cup Byron Nelson came about.  

This is a birdie-fest opportunity in a weaker field post-major, with a $10.3 million purse and 500 FedExCup points on the line. Defending champion Scottie Scheffler returns after his dominant 2025 wire-to-wire victory by eight strokes.

⛳Course Breakdown: TPC Craig Ranch

·       Yardage: 7,385

·       Par: 71

·       Original Tom Weiskopf design (2004); $22+ million renovation by Lanny Wadkins (completed post-2025)

·       Fairways: Zoysiagrass (narrower/tighter post-renovation)

·       Rough: Bermudagrass

·       Greens: Creeping Bentgrass (reshaped, smaller complexes, new pin positions)

Key Features: Rolling hills, mature woods, Rowlett Creek in play on multiple holes. Post-renovation changes include repositioned/deeper bunkers, added water/native areas/waste bunkers, tighter fairways, lengthened holes, and strategic enhancements (e.g., biarritz-style par-3 4th). The 18th is now a more demanding finishing hole.

This layout rewards precise ball-strikers who excel off the tee and on approaches, especially from distance. Birdies are plentiful (historically one of the easier scoring venues), but the redesign adds teeth—narrower landing areas, more penal bunkers/greens, and strategic risk-reward demand accuracy over pure bombing. Players who gain on approach, manage par-5s well, and putt competently on bentgrass thrive. Scramblers or inconsistent drivers will struggle against the tighter setup. Expect low scores but fewer sub-20 under totals than pre-renovation.

✅What Type of Golfer Wins Here?

·       Elite Strokes Gained: Approach and proximity from 150-200+ yards.

·       Strong drivers with accuracy (narrow Zoysia fairways punish misses).

·       Good par-5 scorers and scramblers around bent greens.

·       Experience on Texas/Bermuda-rough tracks helps; recent form and course history (e.g., past Craig Ranch performers) matter.

·       Bombers with iron play (Scheffler, Koepka types) or precise technicians who putt well have the edge. Pure putter-dependent or short-game-only players fade.

Event History

The Byron Nelson (now CJ Cup branded) dates back to 1944, honoring the legendary Byron Nelson. It has a rich history with winners like Jack Nicklaus (twice), Tom Watson (four times, three straight), Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Sergio Garcia, and Jason Day.

Recent winners at TPC Craig Ranch (or recent editions):

• 2025: Scottie Scheffler (-31, by 8)

• 2024: Taylor Pendrith (-23)

• 2023: Jason Day (-23)

• 2022: K.H. Lee (-26)

• 2021: K.H. Lee (-25)

• 
  

Low winning scores are the norm—expect another birdie barrage, tempered slightly by the redesign.

💰The Purse

The CJ Cup Byron Nelson offers a mid-tier purse at $10,300,000. It isn’t a surprise that the field is weaker this week as the top ranked golfers have finished a stretch of 2 majors and 3 signature events with purses of $20,000,000+.

☁️Weather Forecast

·        Typical late-May Texas conditions with potential for pop-up storms:

·        Thursday (R1): High ~76-80°F, 40-80% rain chance (possible delays), winds 5-12 mph.

·        Friday (R2): High ~81°F, 30-40% rain chance, winds 10-15 mph.

·        Weekend: Highs mid-80s, lower rain chances, lighter winds.

·        Softer conditions early from any rain could aid scoring; wind won't dominate but watch for gusts. Firming up later favors precise iron players.

Our Favorite Golfers This Week (DraftKings pricing and odds)

Top Picks T15 or better (Without Scottie Scheffler)

In a very weak field the top picks are going to be chalk. It’s a birdie fest and all 3 of these guys are more than capable of making a ton of them.

Jordan Spieth ($9,800 DK; +1750 to win)

Spieth has a strong track record at TPC Craig Ranch, with multiple top-10 finishes including a runner-up and a recent fourth-place result. As a local, he knows the wide fairways, big greens, and birdie opportunities intimately. He’s shown signs of life with strong tee-to-green play in recent starts, and this birdie-fest setup (one of the easiest on Tour, with winning scores often around 20-25 under) plays to his scrambling and short-game wizardry. Expect him to feast on the par 5s and post a low enough score for a top-15.

Brooks Koepka ($9,600 DK; +2500 to win)

Koepka’s elite ball-striking shines on easier courses—he ranks near the top in SG: Approach and proximity from key distances recently. He’s been driving it well and leads the field in birdie-or-better percentage in stretches despite poor putting. A new Scotty Cameron putter could stabilize the flat stick just enough in a putting contest on these large, receptive greens. In a weak field post-PGA, his ceiling is high for a comfortable top-15.

Si Woo Kim ($9,900 DK; +1275 to win)

Kim has outstanding course history here (runner-up in 2023, plus multiple top-15s) and plays regularly in the Dallas area with Scheffler and Spieth. He leads the Tour in proximity and ranks elite in driving accuracy and tee-to-green metrics. This layout rewards his pinpoint iron play and birdie-making ability on a track with high birdie rates and minimal penalty for minor mistakes. He’s a model of consistency for top-15 contention.

Fade - Outside of top 15

Wyndham Clark ($8,800 DK; +4800 to win)

Clark has been inconsistent this season, with limited top-15s outside of one strong Houston showing. His game can be streaky, and while he has power, he hasn’t consistently converted opportunities on birdie-friendly tracks like this. Recent form and putting woes make it tough to see him sustaining four rounds low enough against a field full of scorers.

Stephan Jaeger ($7,700 DK; +7200 to win)

Jaeger has made cuts here but lacks the elite approach or consistent birdie volume needed to climb leaderboards on a course where top players separate via irons and par-5 scoring. His recent PGA showing was solid, but this setup demands more firepower and hot-putting streaks that haven’t materialized reliably for him lately.

Michael Thorbjornsen ($9,000 DK; +4000 to win)

The young talent has shown flashes but remains volatile. He’s had strong moments off the tee but hasn’t put it all together for sustained contention in weaker fields. Early-season inconsistency and the jump in competition/pressure at this stage suggest he’ll hover around the cut line rather than contend for top 15.

Dark Horse - outright winner to top 15

Ryo Hisatsune ($ DK; +4700 to win)

Hisatsune has been a strong performer in 2026 with solid tee-to-green numbers and a prior 13th here. He gains off the tee and on approach, and easier birdie conditions should let his game flourish after a respectable PGA finish. Books sometimes undervalue him, making him a sneaky top-15 threat in this spot.

Sungjae Im ($ DK; +5600 to win)

Despite some iron play struggles recently, Im has multiple top-5s this year and the all-around skill set to go low. He’s a proven birdie-maker who can get hot with the putter on receptive greens. In a weaker field at a scorer’s paradise, his experience and occasional upside position him well for a bounce-back top-15.

Beau Hossler ($ DK; +9800 to win)

Hossler brings strong mid-tier value with local Texas ties as a former Longhorn and solid course history at TPC Craig Ranch: T17 (-18) in 2022, T52 (-10) in 2024, and T65 in 2025. Recent form is a highlight—he posted T3 at the Myrtle Beach Classic with a 64 in round 3, showing birdie-making ability in weak-field setups.

This birdie-friendly, par-5 scoring track suits his scrambling and par-5 prowess. At this price, he offers a playable floor with upside for top-25–30 contention in a post-PGA field. A reliable DFS piece if irons and putter align.

DFS using DK Pricing Picks by Tier

Again, we are embracing reasonable risk this weekend, you should too.

$10k+

It is obvious that Scottie Scheffler at $14,800 is the only pick in this tier. Our goal is to help you if you decide to spend that money on him how to construct the rest.

$9k+

Kim $9,900, Spieth $9,800, Koepka $9,600 and Hisatsune $9,300:

All have their write-ups above, along with why we like them this week. If you’re taking Scheffler, the value is below. In this weaker field, taking Scheffler or any of these guys leaves absolutely no room for error. Even if you took Scheffler and Hisatsune, your average spend would be $6,475 for the remaining four. We’re going to provide an extensive play breakdown under $7,000 for this purpose, but we can’t emphasize it enough: you will probably score better by imagining Scottie Scheffler doesn’t exist.

$8k+

Sungjae Im $8,700

Not being redundant the write up and reason why we like him is above

Max Greyserman $8,400

Greyserman has been trending up with a strong all-around Myrtle Beach showing and T14 at the PGA (gaining ball-striking and short game). He ranks well on easy/weak-field courses and offers excellent ownership leverage for strong ROI.

Eric Cole $8,100

Cole is a consistent ball-striker and par-5 specialist who thrives in birdie-heavy setups. His reliability and scoring ability provide safe floor with upside at this mid-range price.

$7k+

Tom Kim $7,800

Kim, a Dallas resident with course history, has quietly improved lately (strong approach gains recently). Great price for his talent level in a gettable field.

Beau Hossler $7,300

Not to be redundant, our reasons are above.

Chris Kirk $7,300

Kirk is a steady veteran option with limited recent course history here (no starts in the past five years) but strong all-around metrics for the layout, including SG: Tee-to-Green and around-the-green play. Recent results include T44 at the PGA Championship (gaining ball-striking) and T36 at Valero.

In a scorer’s paradise with receptive greens, his experience and consistency shine for steady under-par rounds. Low-ownership leverage at $7,300 makes him a safe floor play for top-30–40 potential and solid DFS ROI.

Seamus Power $7,300

Power has excellent course affinity with multiple top-20 finishes at TPC Craig Ranch historically, placing him among the better repeat performers. Recent form is mixed with some missed cuts, but he gains off the tee and on approach in spots.

The renovated track (with emphasis on precision) still rewards his par-5 scoring and Texas-area comfort. Priced attractively, he carries boom potential for multiple low rounds and a top-25–35 if the putter heats up on soft conditions.

Tony Finau $7,200

Finau’s length and iron play suit the layout well for birdie volume at a discount price. He is an extreme afterthought in this weak field coming off a T19 at the PGA Championship.

$6k+

Jeremy Paul $6,000

Paul is a deep value punt with boom-or-bust traits. Recent form includes T8 at the Puerto Rico Open but mostly missed cuts (e.g., Myrtle Beach, Valspar). He has shown scoring flashes in weaker fields and ranks decently in some ball-striking/around-the-green metrics.

At the absolute bottom of the salary scale in a high-birdie environment, he offers massive leverage for lineups. Look for a hot week with the putter or irons to deliver a surprise cut-making or better score, though volatility is high.

Harry Higgs $6,200

Higgs has struggled at this event historically (missed cuts in all four prior appearances, including 2025). Recent form is rough with multiple missed cuts in early 2026 events like Myrtle Beach and Puerto Rico.

His power and occasional scrambling can play on a birdie-fest track, but consistency is a major question mark. At this low price, he’s a high-risk/high-reward punt for DFS with ownership leverage if he finds putting magic, but expect a grind for any score.

Joe Highsmith $6,500

Highsmith is a young, rising talent with some pedigree (past strong moments at weaker events and a T42 at PLAYERS). Form has been up-and-down with mixed cuts and a recent PGA MC, but he shows ball-striking upside.

In a gettable field and birdie-heavy setup, his youth and scoring potential make him an intriguing low-owned punt. At $6,500, he can deliver strong ROI with a hot week, fitting well as a flexible build piece.

Cameron Champ $6,700

Champ’s elite distance off the tee remains his calling card and fits a course with reachable par 5s and wide fairways. Recent form has been inconsistent with missed cuts, but he has shown flashes of low scoring when everything clicks.

The power game suits this layout for birdie volume, especially if he avoids big mistakes. At this salary, he’s a classic bomber punt with massive ceiling in a weak field—ideal for stacking around safer mid-tier plays.

Our One-and-Done Picks

Collin – Eric Cole

Frank – Ryo Hisatsune

That’s it for this week. Check back next Wednesday for our Charles Schwab Challenge preview and follow us on our new X account @FTO_picks and @FTO_Fun

*This preview does not represent our final betting picks for this event. For our full set of picks, check our our Game Picks section!

**Odds accurate at time of posting.