Story perspectives

Scheffler Defends $10.3M CJ Cup in Texas

5/20/2026

Summary

Story summary

Scottie Scheffler will defend his 2026 CJ Cup Byron Nelson title in McKinney, Texas, Thursday, May 21 at 8 a.m. ET.
The $25 million redesign of the TPC Craig Ranch course added grasses and set a $10.3 million purse with a $1.854 million top prize.
Scheffler is the odds favorite at +155, with three OWGR players—Scheffler, Si Woo Kim and Jordan Spieth—in the field.
Rain Thursday–weekend should soften the course and trigger a cut to the top-65 after two rounds.

History

Historical Context

The Byron Nelson Championship began in 1944 when Byron Nelson won the inaugural Texas event with a 275 (-13) score, four strokes ahead of Vic Ghezzi. The following year he captured the sole 1945 PGA Championship—then the only major—earning $5,000 in war bonds and completing an unmatched run of 11 straight victories, a record that still defines the tournament’s legacy.

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Story summary

Scottie Scheffler will defend his 2026 CJ Cup Byron Nelson title in McKinney, Texas, Thursday, May 21 at 8 a.m. ET.
The $25 million redesign of the TPC Craig Ranch course added grasses and set a $10.3 million purse with a $1.854 million top prize.
Scheffler is the odds favorite at +155, with three OWGR players—Scheffler, Si Woo Kim and Jordan Spieth—in the field.
Rain Thursday–weekend should soften the course and trigger a cut to the top-65 after two rounds.

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