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The CJ Cup Byron Nelson: PGA Best Weekend Picks (2024)

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Jake Knapp has seized a one-stroke lead over the field entering Round 3 at The CJ Cup Byron Nelson. TPC Craig Ranch has been a birdie fest and some familiar names are lurking near the top of the leaderboard, like Keith Mitchell, Si Woo Kim, Aaron Rai, and Taylor Pendrith.

In this article, we’ll highlight several golfers with the profile to make a run, qualifying them for a PGA best weekend pick, while also recommending the number of units to wager to turn a profit. Follow me on X @Matt_MacKay_ for more free plays and PGA Tour best bets throughout the weekend.

The CJ Cup Byron Nelson: Best Weekend Picks

These plays are 0.5ou and 0.75u, or 0.5% and 0.75% of your betting bankroll. Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.

Keith Mitchell (+1000)

Keith Mitchell has gone 5-under-par and 6-under-par to start the weekend T5 on the leaderboard. Ranked 11th strokes gained on approach and sixth strokes gained off-the-tee, Mitchell will need to keep up his frenzied pace to stay in contention.

The putter has not been an asset in 2024 but Mitchell has been knocking in several birdie putts from seven to eight feet out, so at 10-1, he could wind up seizing his second PGA Tour win, ending a five-year drought like Jason Day did a year ago. Mitchell is three strokes off the lead, so a 0.75 unit wager is warranted.

Si Woo Kim (+1800)

Last year, Si Woo Kim wound up losing the outright win by one strokes at 22-under-par to Jason Day. The South Korean golfer went 3-under-par on Thursday but doubled his production during Friday’s round, going 6-under-par to climb up 40 spots on the leaderboard to T13.

Ranked 28th strokes gained around the green, 29th approaching the green, and 11th off-the-tee, Kim is clearly comfortable navigating TPC Craig Ranch. Plus, he has four career wins, which helps us justify placing a 0.75 unit wager on him at his current 18-1 odds in the outright winner market.

Adam Schenk (+3500)

Adam Schenk is also T13 on the leaderboard following a solid 4-under-par outing in Round 2. He went 5-under-par in Round 1, so if the Indiana native can stay in this range, he’ll likely be in contention on Sunday. Despite never winning on the PGA Tour, Schenk has a pair of runner-up finishes and seven top-five finishes, showcasing his ability to stick around and contend near the top.

He’s ranked 3oth strokes gained off-the-tee, helping Schenk avoid errant lies that set him up to sink birdies and save par. Let’s stake a 0.50 unit wager on Schenk to seize his first outright win this weekend, as he’s currently five strokes off the lead.

K.H. Lee (+4000)

K.H. Lee won this event in 2021 and 2022 before regressing to a T50 finish in 2023. The 32-year-old South Korean has a pair of top-ten finishes in 2024, ranking highest for strokes gained around the green (45th) and 43rd in three-putt avoidance. He’s also ranked 28th in one-putt percentage and performs well on par 3 and par 5 holes.

Finally, he’s 13th in bounce back, so he’s a resilient golfer who can overcome a bad hole. A 0.50 unit wager at 40-1 odds makes sense for the back-to-back winner to get hot and make a run over the weekend.

Maverick McNealy (+8000)

We’re finishing in the 80-1 odds range within the outright winner market and recommending Maverick McNealy. McNealy has two top-ten finishes in 2024 and is also seeking his first outright win on the PGA Tour. He’s gone 67-67 entering the weekend, sitting six strokes off the lead.

McNealy ranks 32nd or better in strokes gained off-the-tee, around the green, and putting. His approach shots are the weak point, which can be scary to invest since it’s so important for a golfer’s success. However, McNealy has managed to stay at 4-under-par in both rounds, so if he can get to 5 or 6-under-par on Saturday, he’ll be in contention for his first outright win. Let’s take advantage of McNealy’s lucrative 80-1 odds value for our final outright 0.50 unit outright bet.

Make sure to check out our other best bets for Saturday:

Matthew MacKay is a featured writer for FantasyPros and BettingPros. For more from Matthew, check out his archive and follow him @Matt_MacKay_.

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