Jordan Spieth says the unusual lack of Texas wind and softer May conditions help explain why scores have plunged at TPC Craig Ranch since its $25 million renovation. After Scottie Scheffler posted a record 31-under through four rounds at the CJ Cup Byron Nelso
Dallas’s TPC Craig Ranch has been reshaped with a $25 million renovation, but the greens and fairways aren’t the only thing changing this week.
Scottie Scheffler set a scoring record of 31-under through four rounds at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson, and the tournament began again at the newly renovated course. Through just 36 holes, though, the scoring numbers are showing a different kind of threat—one that has the lead moving fast.
On Friday, Si-Woo Kim fired an 11-under, 60 to reach 18-under for the tournament and build a five-shot lead heading into the weekend.
The second round brought even more low scores. A total of nine golfers posted nine-under or better on Friday, setting the tone for how quickly players were moving through the revised layout.
Texas native Jordan Spieth, sitting at 13-under and six shots behind Kim, tried to explain how so many golfers are going so low—pointing less to the renovation itself and more to the wind patterns over Dallas.
Spieth said the issue is the weather: “I think the problem right now is that this is like the first time in the history of Dallas, Texas, that you’ll have four or five days of very little east wind and soft conditions in May.”
He contrasted this week’s conditions with what players typically expect earlier in the week, describing what makes the current run feel different.
“You get your normal what we had on Monday out here, that’s how it’s designed. I think it would show that it’s significantly harder, but also fair,” Spieth said. “I think it’s awesome. I think the tour’s done a good job with the tee boxes on the par 3s because there’s obviously a design element to it where it’s not just like you’re supposed to play the back of every box to every pin.”.
In other words, Spieth sees the course design as capable of testing players when the conditions match the intent—while also acknowledging that this week’s softer setup and unusually light east wind have made it much easier to post numbers.
With nine golfers already turning in rounds of nine-under or better in the second round, and Kim taking control after his 60, the renovation didn’t just change TPC Craig Ranch—it helped set a stage where weather, not just equipment, could decide how low the tournament goes.
Jordan Spieth Si-Woo Kim TPC Craig Ranch renovation $25 million renovation CJ Cup Byron Nelson Dallas golf east wind low scores PGA Tour
Soft conditions + no wind = basically cheating lol
Wait so the $25M reno doesn’t matter? Seems like it’s just the weather giving everyone lucky breaks. I swear every article is like “greens changed” and then it’s actually wind. Either way 31-under is wild.
I mean east wind is good right? If there’s “very little east wind” then doesn’t that make it easier to hit it farther, so of course scores drop. Kinda confirms what everyone was saying about Dallas having random weather. Renovation could’ve just been cosmetic.
This is why I don’t trust “new course” stats. If it’s soft in May and the wind is weird, then yeah guys go low. Also they keep talking about tee boxes on par 3s but that doesn’t sound like something that would matter when the weather’s doing the heavy lifting. I was expecting it to be harder just because they spent $25 million but nope, it’s the sky doing the work.