Defending champion Scottie Scheffler leads the field at the 2026 CJ Cup Byron Nelson, which started May 18 at TPC Craig Ranch in McKinney, Texas.
Scheffler returns after a dominant 31-under-par performance at the course in 2025.
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While several top-ranked global players are absent following the PGA Championship at Aronimink, the event features notable names such as Jordan Spieth and Brooks Koepka.
Key Contenders
South Korean golfer Si Woo Kim is positioned as a strong contender behind Scheffler.
Kim finished one stroke behind Jason Day at this venue in 2023 and has recorded top-15 finishes in the subsequent two years.
He ranks third on the PGA Tour in driving accuracy and first in proximity, though he has faced recent putting challenges.
Kim, Scheffler, and Spieth regularly practice together in the Dallas suburbs, making the local environment familiar.
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Japanese player Ryo Hisatsune, 23, makes his second appearance at TPC Craig Ranch after debuting with a 17-under-par performance.
Hisatsune has made 13 consecutive cuts and recorded four top-10 finishes this year.
Other competitors include Wyndham Clark, Tom Kim, and Eric Cole.
Clark secured three consecutive top-21 finishes before the PGA Championship, while Tom Kim finished sixth at Myrtle Beach two weeks ago.
Cole previously shot an opening-round 64 at TPC Craig Ranch to secure a fifth-place finish.
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Davis Thompson enters the tournament after three consecutive top-14 finishes over the past month and ranks sixth on Tour in scrambling.
