The Course Report
TPC Craig Ranch
About TPC Craig Ranch
The course is challening as it has ranked among some of the top private courses in the U.S. The course is desinged to utlize the topography of the land, as it winds through rolling hills, mature trees and players follow Rowlett Creek to add a touch a majesty. The last time we saw competitive golf here at TPC Craig Ranch was in 2012 at the Web.com Tour Championship and before that at the 2008 Nationwide Tour Championship. Needless to say, but you are not going to find any strokes gained data out there on this brand new venue for the Bryon Nelson Championship.
I have read that this is one of the more difficult courses in Texas, and I have no doubt that it quite possibly be one…for the recreational golfer. The fact is that the fairways seem quite generous when looking at video streams, hole analysis and course layout. While accuracy off the tee is always a must here, the main detriment is not the course but the surrounding trees that could potentional lead to trouble on approach. In truth, the course is going to leave little to be desired in terms of difficulty. On the scorecard, longer players could potentionally find some easy holes as 4 par-4’s are 430 yards or less. The 330-yard driveable 14th is going to be one fans will be lining up to see some eagle opportunities. This is the signature hole of the entire course simply because of the spectacle of driving a par-4 green. Now depending on the height of the trees, players might even be able to cut angles by simply going over the sprawling hardwood. Tornadoes ripped through the area a few years ago, and rumor has it that the course lost nearly 30% of its hardwood.
This course will not be impossible for Tour Pro’s to navigate, and when you consider that next week is the PGA Championship, we just aren’t going to find a monster of a course right before a major. I just don’t find this course to be that intimidating when you often find that the practice facility is more highly regarded than the course itself. Anticipate higher scoring when you consider the talent in this event.
Architect: Tom Weiskopf
Greens: Bentgrass Greens
Stimpmeter: First Tournamnet Played Here
Length: 7,468 – Par 72
Water Hazards: Rowlett Creek runs Throughout
Weather Forecast
Past Winners
Kang won his first PGA Tour event scoring a 67 in the final round a 23-under total for the tournament.
He entered Sunday with a three-stroke lead, and he dominated the back-9.
*Played at Trinity Forest
Aaron Wise shot a 6-under on Sunday to shoot 23 under. Leishman was hot on his tail, but couldn’t score low enough to catch Wise.
Wise dominated off-the-tee to secrue his win, as he was first in the field. In winning, he became the second youngest winner since Tiger Woods.
*Played at Trinity Forest
Horschel beat Jason Day with a par on the first extra hole. This was Horschel’s fourth career win, as he picked up his first win in nearly three years.
Up to this point Horschel had been struggling. He had miss the cut in the last three starts, but luck was on his side. Day, who is very consistent on the putting green, ended up 3-putting the extra hole.
*Played at TPC Las Colinas
Garcia was anything but accurate on Sunday, but still somehow managed to scroe a 2-under 68. It was plenty to force a plaoff and match with Brooks Kopeka who shot a brutal 2-over 37 on the back 9.
On the first playoff hole, Koepka pulled his drive into the water, and that was enough for Garcia to win the tournament as he tied Seve Ballesteros for most wins by a Spanish-born player.
*Played at TPC Las Colinas
There was no doubt that Rory was walking away the winner in 2015. He even opened the tournament with 3/1 odds on favorite.
McIIroy smashed. Literally. He set the new course record. He broke the birdie record for the tournament, pouring in 26 for the weekend.
Holmes captured his second PGA Tour win, and his first since 2008.
No stranger to Quail Hollow, Holmes outlasted Mickelson and McIIroy with his 54-hole lead as neither could capitalize on scoring opportunities. Homles nailed back-to-back birdies to start the back 9 and never looked back.
Ernst’s win was certianly one of the best Cinderella stories many have ever heard on the PGA Tour.
22- years old and ranked near the bottom of the OWGR rankings, Ernst won in what was only his 9th career start. What made it more special was his win against a solid David Lynn in a playoff with a par on the first hole.
Rickie Fowler outduled McIIroy and D.A. Points to win his first PGA Tour event, and to what many considered at the time would be a career filled with multiple majors.
Fowler started Sunday 3-strokes behind the leader, but found ways to overcome adversity while others succumbed to pressure. The key mishap was McIIroy’s bogey on the 17th hole which allowed Fowler the opporutnity win his first PGA touranment.