The PGA Tour returns to the Lone Star State this week for the 2023 AT&T Byron Nelson. Headlined by Dallas-native and world No. 2 Scottie Scheffler, the field is conducive for a momentum-building effort ahead of the 2023 PGA Championship at Oak Hill Country Club next week.
Scheffler returns to action after a three-week break from competition. Choosing to forgo the Wells Fargo Championship, Scheffler instead has eyes on raising a trophy in his backyard. A winner in Austin in 2022, the Texan would love nothing more than to claim a trophy in Dallas in preparation for the second major championship of the year.
Leading the world in total strokes gained over the last three months, Scheffler will need a cooperative putter if he is to contend not only this week but next. He is joined in the field by two-time defending champion K.H. Lee, who is the only player to have won at TPC Craig Ranch.
Lee’s Presidents Cup teammates Tom Kim and Si Woo Kim, both of whom call Dallas home, look to become the fifth multiple-time winner this season while former Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama hopes to get right after spending some time in Japan to treat his persistent neck injury. Tyrrell Hatton, Jason Day, Adam Scott and Taylor Montgomery are among those still looking for their first victories of the season despite flashing some quality play.
Event information
Event: 2023 AT&T Byron Nelson | Dates: May 11-14
Location: TPC Craig Ranch — McKinney, Texas
Par: 71 | Yardage: 7,468 | Purse: $9,500,000
2023 AT&T Byron Nelson field, odds
Odds via Caesars Sportsbook
- Scottie Scheffler (7/2): I love how Scheffler constructed his schedule as he is now rested and ready to race into the long summer. There is likely to be some rust after not playing on the PGA Tour for nearly a month, but the forgiving nature of TPC Craig Ranch is an ideal spot to return. Over the last three months, Scheffler is gaining north of three strokes per round on the field primarily through his ball striking. If he is to contend this week, Scheffler will need the putter to cooperate; the winning score is likely to be somewhere between 20 and 30 under.
- Tyrrell Hatton (12-1): The Englishman continues to thrive when conditions are at their most difficult. Putting together contention runs at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, Players Championship and Wells Fargo Championship, Hatton appears on the cusp of adding a second PGA Tour victory to his résumé. Hatton ranks 10th in the world in total strokes gained over the last three months but fell flat the week before the Masters at the Texas Open. I fear a similar outcome could be possible before a run at the PGA Championship.
- Jason Day (14-1): Similar to Scheffler, Day took a few weeks off before returning to action at Quail Hollow — the site of his last victory in 2018. Rust was evident, and a missed cut ensued. This marked Day’s first absence from the weekend in 2023 as he rattled off eight straight made cuts to begin the year. The Australian ranks seventh in the world in total strokes gained since the beginning of February but has yet to contend down the stretch of a stroke-play event.
- Tom Kim (16-1)
- K.H. Lee (18-1)
- Hideki Matsuyama (20-1): The former Masters champion continues to be a difficult puzzle to solve. He put together quality efforts at the Players Championship, Texas Open and the Masters, but was reportedly in his native country of Japan seeking medical advice over the last month. Matsuyama has indulged in speed training in order to keep up distance wise, and an annoying neck injury has been the result. He finished T3 in this tournament in 2022 thanks to a scorching final round and sneakily has some of the best PGA Championship history. It may be wise to keep an eye on him.
- Matt Kuchar (30-1)
- Adam Scott (35-1)
- Aaron Wise (40-1)
- Si Woo Kim (40-1)
- Taylor Montgomery (40-1): He was heralded by many as a potential Rookie of the Year, but Montgomery has fallen short of expectations in recent months. Montgomery claimed eight top-15 finishes in his first nine starts and has zero in his last 10. The reason his name is not on the first or second page of the leaderboard is rather apparent as his ball striking falls short of his peers. The Las Vegas resident can get by every now and then with a massive effort from his putter, as shown by his T17 at the Texas Open, but if the flat stick runs cold Montgomery will be prone for an early exit.
- Seamus Power (40-1)
- Stephan Jaeger (40-1)
2023 AT&T Byron Nelson expert picks
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