Despite significant modifications at TPC Craig Ranch, the elite players of the PGA Tour have consistently challenged the course at the 2026 CJ Cup Byron Nelson. This aggressive play culminated on Friday with Si Woo Kim’s round of 60, propelling him to a five-stroke advantage.
Kim has enjoyed an exceptional 2026 season and is recognized for his highly assertive style on the PGA Tour; this blend of strong performance and a bold approach to pin placements on a forgiving and accessible course set the stage for an extraordinary Friday. He began with remarkable momentum, securing six birdies on the front nine to complete it in 30 strokes, making the elusive 59 a definite possibility given the low scores already recorded in the second round.
Nevertheless, sustaining such impressive momentum after the halfway point remains a significant challenge in golf, yet Kim maintained his relentless pace. He secured an additional five birdies across his initial six holes on the back nine, placing him at 11-under through 15 holes on the par-71 course, requiring only one more birdie over his last three holes to achieve an exceptional feat.
Following an excellent tee shot and a precise approach, his birdie attempt narrowly missed to the left, leaving him at 11-under, but the 132-yard par-3 17th presented a prime chance for the required birdie. Perhaps due to an adrenaline surge, his pitching wedge shot soared beyond the green into the backstop, landing just at the fringe of the fairway cut above the putting surface. This set up a downhill, right-to-left breaking putt, which he holed flawlessly with ideal speed, bringing him to 12-under for the round with a single hole remaining.
Following that birdie, Kim required only a par on the final hole to record the 16th sub-60 score in PGA Tour history, and another birdie would equal Jim Furyk’s record for the lowest round ever on Tour. Regrettably for Kim, this outcome did not materialize. After hitting his drive perfectly down the fairway, he faced 200 yards to the hole and selected a 6-iron; similar to his shot on the 17th, he over-hit it slightly, pulling it long and left, resulting in a difficult recovery shot.
His chip shot was struck too cleanly, causing it to check up and halt before reaching the slope, and his par putt then drifted past the hole on the low side, leading to his only bogey of the round and a score of 60. Although an 11-under performance is hardly cause for dissatisfaction, Kim will likely believe he squandered an opportunity to secure a more significant place in PGA Tour history. Nevertheless, he will carry a five-stroke advantage into the weekend, standing at 18-under, as he pursues his fifth professional victory—and his first since 2023.
Kim’s cumulative score of 134 (comprising rounds of 64 and 60) equals the second-lowest 36-hole total ever recorded in PGA Tour history, surpassed only by Justin Thomas’s 133 at the 2017 Sony Open—and it matches Scottie Scheffler’s achievement from the previous year for the lowest score at this specific tournament.
Despite Kim establishing a significant lead, the caliber of players pursuing him, especially Scottie Scheffler, indicates that he cannot simply cruise to a win this weekend in his adopted state of Texas. Meteorological conditions are expected to influence play; Saturday’s third-round tee times have been advanced, with competitors starting in groups of three from dual tees because of anticipated adverse weather in the afternoon. Kim will therefore contend with the conditions, his own game, and formidable opponents to secure his fifth career title.
Players to watch this weekend
T2. Scottie Scheffler, Sungjae Im, Wyndham Clark, Kensei Hirata (-13)
T6. Jordan Spieth, Keith Mitchell, Tony Finau, Tom Hoge, Jackson Suber Tyler Duncan (-12)
T12. Taylor Moore, Zach Bouchou, Chan Kim, Seamus Power (-11)
T16. Brooks Koepka and six others (-10)
It would be challenging to envision a more compelling leaderboard heading into the final rounds of the Byron Nelson. Nearly every prominent competitor participating in the event remains a strong contender following the first two rounds.
Scheffler and Kim frequently practice together in Dallas and appeared quite comfortable playing alongside each other (with Brooks Koepka) during the initial two rounds. Scheffler seemed to benefit from Kim’s exceptional performance on Friday, igniting his own game on the back nine with three birdies and an eagle over a four-hole span from the 11th to the 14th, which propelled him to a tie for second place with a round of 63. Scheffler will dedicate the weekend to ending his series of second-place finishes, having placed runner-up in three of his last four tournaments, but he will require an extraordinary effort over the weekend to overcome Kim’s lead.
Sungjae Im and Jordan Spieth mirrored the strong performances of Kim and Scheffler in the earlier group, with Im concluding his round spectacularly by achieving a hole-in-one on the 7th and then an eagle on the 9th, having begun his play on the back nine.
This late surge brought Im to the clubhouse with a 10-under 61, surpassing Spieth’s 9-under 62 from the identical pairing. Both players ascended into the top 10 with their second-round performances and approach the weekend aiming to end prolonged periods without a win. Im has not secured a PGA Tour victory since 2021, and Spieth is still seeking his initial win since claiming his 13th career triumph in 2022. While both have shown improved form recently, they have also encountered difficulties in consistently delivering four strong rounds necessary to genuinely compete for a title.
Koepka commanded attention following the first round. Despite inexplicably achieving an 8-under score while missing 11 fairways in his opening round, his fortune did not hold on Friday, and he observed Kim and Scheffler rapidly overtake him on the standings. His 2-under 69 still secured him a spot within the top 20, but he now trails Kim by eight strokes and Scheffler by three as the weekend commences. Although the rough poses little challenge this week, Koepka landed in an excessive number of fairway bunkers and faced unfavorable positions, preventing him from matching the tempo of his playing partners.
A parallel competition unfolds
The cut line this week did not include many well-known players from the field—though, remarkably, a 6-under cut is quite impressive—however, the compelling narrative beyond those at the forefront pursuing Kim centers on Blades Brown, who celebrated his 19th birthday on Thursday, as he endeavors to secure special temporary exempt status this week. Brown has demonstrated strong golf throughout the current year, and following a top-10 performance at Myrtle Beach two weeks prior, he gained entry into this event. He requires a finish of solo 21st or higher to obtain exemption for the remainder of the season, granting him unlimited sponsor exemptions. This represents a significant opportunity for a burgeoning player, and after two rounds, Brown stands tied for 38th at 8-under for the tournament. He will need to accumulate numerous birdies as the weekend progresses if he aims to ascend into the top 20 and achieve this status.
Current betting odds and selections for the 2026 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Si Woo Kim (2/3)
- Scottie Scheffler (13/5)
- Jordan Spieth (20-1)
- Sungjae Im (25-1)
- Wyndham Clark (25-1)
- Keith Mitchell (33-1)
Kim’s advantages this week stem from his exceptionally assertive approach to securing birdies on a course that encourages and rewards such tactics. He also displays comfort playing alongside Scheffler (and Spieth), which is beneficial considering he might well be grouped with the World No. 1 in the final pairing on Sunday. The drawback, however, is that Scheffler also enjoys playing with Kim; they tend to motivate each other, and typically in such scenarios, Scottie ultimately gains the upper hand. At this juncture, even with a five-stroke disadvantage, my wager would favor Scheffler—who, despite being in second place heading into the weekend, now has less favorable odds than at the tournament’s commencement. While my instincts lean towards Spieth or Kim, my rational assessment points to Scheffler.
