8 PGA Tour stars WD from $10million event (including major champ)

Fair to say it’s been an inauspicious start to this year’s CJ Cup Bryon Nelson.

The PGA Tour’s latest stop in Texas carries a $9.9million purse and is headlined by world No.1 Scottie Scheffler, three-time major champion Jordan Spieth and Tom Kim, among others.

But a deluge of rain and heavy winds meant the course at TPC Craig Ranch was evacuated on Wednesday, threatening the start of the tournament.

That, of course, leads to soft conditions for players teeing it up in Thursday’s opening round and expect to see some low scoring with preferred lies now in play.

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Yet more storms could yet hit the area during tournament week so you can also expect some weather delays throughout the four days of action.

Another blow for organisers, meanwhile, is the loss of several big hitters from the field.

The likes of Scheffler, Spieth and Kim will provide plenty of excitement for fans, but a total of eight players have withdrawn before the first ball was struck in anger.

Chief amongst them is Gary Woodland. The 2019 US Open champion has been nursing a sore back and has been replaced in the field by fellow American Cameron Champ.

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Will Zalatoris, Michael Kim, Nick Dunlap, Brandt Snedeker, Keith Mitchell, S.H. Kim, Joe Highsmith and Blades Brown were also late withdrawals.

Brown’s withdrawal was particularly intriguing, given the hotly-tipped 17-year-old turned down a chance to play on a sponsor’s invite in favour of a Korn Ferry Tour event as he looks to earn his full PGA Tour card through the demanding feeder circuit.

Scheffler, meanwhile, remains the big draw in his home state as the two-time Masters champion chases his first victory of the season.

Ben Parsons is the Senior Writer at bunkered and is the man to come to for all of the latest news, across both the professional and amateur games. Formerly of The Mirror and Press Association, he is a member at Halifax Golf Club and is a long-suffering fan of both Manchester United and the Wales rugby team.