The fun isn’t over yet. After the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, the PGA Tour heads to Texas for the CJ Cup Byron Nelson at TPC Craig Ranch, featuring a strong field including world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, who returns to the event after missing last year and is looking to win for the first time in 2025. Other notable players include Jordan Spieth, who has had solid results at this course before, and Will Zalatoris, who has been steady in 2025 after withdrawing from the event last year.
Defending champion Taylor Pendrith aims to become the first golfer since K.H. Lee to go back-to-back, while Sungjae Im looks to build on his recent impressive results to win the $9.9M prize purse. Christo Lamprecht, the 2024 Byron Nelson Award recipient, will make his first TOUR start in 2025. While many great golfers are ready, some have surprisingly chosen to opt out. Here are those top 5 names:
1. Justin Thomas
After ending his three-year winless drought with a thrilling victory at the RBC Heritage, Justin Thomas is likely taking some time off before his next tournament appearance, which would explain his absence from the CJ Cup Byron Nelson. Thomas’s win, sealed with a 20-foot putt on the 18th hole in a playoff against Andrew Novak, has confirmed his game is back among the elite after a period of struggle that saw him miss the FedEx Cup Playoffs and get left off the Presidents Cup team. “I didn’t realize how much I missed winning,” Thomas said, reflecting on the significance of his victory and the joy it brought him, surrounded by his family and a packed grandstand.
2. Rory McIlroy
Rory McIlroy is taking a well-deserved break from golf, skipping the CJ Cup Byron Nelson after a solid performance at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, where he tied for 12th with Shane Lowry. McIlroy expressed his enthusiasm for a little downtime, saying, “Yeah, I’m looking forward to a couple of days off and then sort of kicking the feet up and trying to recharge the batteries a little bit.” With the Truist Championship at Philadelphia Cricket Club on the horizon, McIlroy is using this opportunity to reset and get some practice in, ensuring he’s refreshed and ready for his next tournament appearance.
3. Xander Schauffele
After a T18 finish at the RBC Heritage alongside Eric Cole, Xander Schauffele isn’t playing in the CJ Cup Byron Nelson, likely due to his recent participation in other tournaments or personal reasons, although the exact reason isn’t specified. What is known is that Schauffele has been actively competing and has made comments about fellow golfer Justin Thomas’s recent win at the RBC Heritage, noting that Thomas had been “trying too hard” before his victory.
4. Collin Morikawa
Collin Morikawa needs to bounce back, but that isn’t set to happen at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson. Yes, the golfer has opted out of the tournament after his recent disappointment at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, where he and partner Kurt Kitayama missed the cut by two shots, ending Morikawa’s 24-event cuts-made streak. Morikawa had shown promise earlier in the week with an 11-under 61 in the Four-ball format, but struggled in the Foursomes format, ultimately falling short. Meanwhile, other notable golfers like Wyndham Clark and Taylor Moore also missed the cut. With a history of strong performances, including three top-10 finishes this season, Morikawa will look to regroup and come back stronger in his next event.
5. Viktor Hovland
Viktor Hovland has decided not to play in the CJ Cup Byron Nelson after winning the Valspar Championship this year. He recently missed cuts at The Genesis Invitational, Arnold Palmer Invitational, and THE PLAYERS Championship, with finishes including T78 at The Genesis Invitational, T60 at Arnold Palmer Invitational, and T66 at THE PLAYERS Championship weren’t mentioned, but T78, T60, and T66 were the actual missed cuts positions for other players. Hovland finished T36 at Sentry, T22 at AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, T21 at the Masters, and T13 at RBC Heritage. Given his recent form, Hovland might be taking a break to recharge before returning to competition.
So, with these big names out of the field, who do you think is going to win the tournament this year? Let us know in the comment section below!
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