Who is playing in the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson? Field and top players

Dallas native Jordan Spieth is being heavily tipped for victory at the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson, which gets underway this week at TPC Craig Ranch in McKinney, Texas.

One hundred and fifty-six players are in the field for the tournament, which sees the PGA Tour return to individual stroke play after last weekend’s team event at TPC Louisiana, where Rory McIlory and Shane Lowry won the Zurich Classic of New Orleans.

Currently world No. 20, Spieth is the highest-ranked player at this year’s CJ Cup Byron Nelson, whose field includes the defending champion, Jason Day. Kyoung-houn Lee, the winner in 2021 and 2022, is also due to be involved, as is 2019 victor Kang Sung-hoon.

Will Scheffler play at CJ Cup Byron Nelson?

Spieth’s fellow Texan, world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, is again absent, after the 2024 Masters winner also sat out the Zurich Classic of New Orleans.

The 27-year-old has won four of the last five tournaments he has entered - most recently the RBC Heritage in South Carolina - but says his family “comes first” right now, with wife Meredith due to give birth at the end of April.

Speaking before his three-stroke triumph at the RBC Heritage in mid-April, Scheffler told reporters: “Up until when the baby comes, I’m going to play this week and then I’ll go home and basically just wait.”

Who are the Byron Nelson favourites? Betting odds

Spieth, who was the CJ Cup Byron Nelson’s runner-up in 2022, is valued by BetMGM as the +1600 joint-favourite to take the spoils at TPC Craig Ranch, alongside South Korea’s Si Woo Kim. Kim, who is a Texas resident, came second to Day 12 months ago.

Day is the third favourite at +2000, followed by Alex Noren (+2200), and Adam Scott and Sungjae Im (both +2500).

Together with Noren, Tom Hoge and Stephan Jaeger (both +2800) are among PGA Tour analyst Rob Bolton’s top three picks for victory in McKinney - although Bolton’s No. 1 tip was originally Will Zalatoris.

Another golfer who lives in Texas, Zalatoris withdrew from the tournament earlier this week, announcing that his troublesome back needs “rest and recovery”. The Californian-born 27-year-old underwent back surgery last year.

2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson: full field

CJ Cup Byron Nelson: when, how to watch

The 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson is scheduled to take place from Thursday 2 May to Sunday 5 May 2024. Viewers in the United States will be able to watch the event on CBS, the Golf Channel and ESPN+. You can also stream the tournament live on fuboTV, which offers new users of the service a free trial.

Watch the CJ Cup Byron Nelson live on fubo.

What is the prize purse at the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson?

The winner of this year’s CJ Cup Byron Nelson is set to take home $1.17m in prize money, according to the PGA Tour’s breakdown of the tournament purse. The runner-up is in line to pocket $1.04m, with $655,500 going to the third-placed finisher.

Who was Byron Nelson?

The PGA Tour tournament is named after five-time major winner Byron Nelson, who is widely viewed as one of the greatest players in the history of golf.

Born in Waxahachie, Texas, Nelson won the Masters in 1937 and 1942; the PGA Championship in 1940 and 1945; the US Open in 1939; and the Open Championship in 1937. Inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1974, Nelson died in September 2006. Soon after his death, he was awarded a Congressional Gold Medal.