At the revamped TPC Craig Ranch, Brooks Koepka showcased a throwback performance during the 2026 CJ CUP Byron Nelson on Thursday. Koepka, a five-time major winner, found his rhythm on the greens, posting an impressive 8-under 63. This effort placed him near the top of the leaderboard in Dallas, Texas, just behind Taylor Moore, who narrowly bested him with a 62 in the evening session.
“It was just a relaxed group,” Koepka remarked. “We were all feeding off each other, making it enjoyable. I felt at ease on the course.”
He continued, “I was finally comfortable with the putter. I’d been feeling good about it while practicing in my studio, and that confidence carried over here. Rick [Elliott] noticed the same thing, which boosted my confidence. I’m just pleased with how everything turned out today.”
While Koepka’s 63 wasn’t the day’s lowest, it was a standout in his group, which included local Si Woo Kim and world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler. Kim mirrored Koepka closely with a 64, joining a large contingent at 7 under, while Scheffler maintained his steady form, signing off with a 66 as he began his title defense.
“I felt like I was on the verge,” Scheffler commented. “I did some good things, just needed to get a bit closer with my irons and make a few more putts. Overall, it was a solid performance, just need to tighten a few things.”
Despite being on home turf, Scheffler couldn’t outshine Koepka, who racked up six birdies and an eagle. Koepka, entering the week ranked high in greens in regulation and strokes gained approach, continued to press on, and his putter was the difference-maker in Round 1, gaining over two strokes on the field with it.
“I feel like it’s a long ways away right now, but yeah, it would be great [to win],” Koepka said. “I think, when I won [The CJ Cup] the last time, I got back to No. 1 in the world. I think there’s such a huge difference right now of trying to get into signature events…on my way back, coming back to the Tour.
“It would be a big confidence boost for sure because I feel like I’ve been playing well, the results just haven’t been there, mainly because of the putter, but I feel like I’m knocking on the door, and I’m very, very close. I would love to have a chance come Sunday.”
Former U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark is among those tied with Scheffler at 5 under, as are PGA Tour rookies Johnny Keefer and Neal Shipley, and 19-year-old Blades Brown, who is hoping to earn special temporary membership on the PGA Tour by week’s end with a high enough finish.
Leaders
1. Taylor Moore (-9)
T2. Brooks Koepka, Jesper Svensson (-8)
For the second straight week, Koepka put a new putter in his golf bag, but unlike last week at the PGA Championship, he was met with quality results at TPC Craig Ranch. The lid was taken off the hole immediately for Koepka as he made an 18-footer for birdie on the par-4 11th, his second hole of the round. That was just the beginning.
Koepka rolled in additional par-breakers from 14 feet, 3 feet, 11 feet, 16 feet, 5 feet and 3 feet for his round. Hitting 14 greens in regulation in the process, Koepka’s performance was made even more impressive by the fact that he hit only three fairways. With preferred lies in effect, he did not have the luxury of cleaning his golf ball and placing it as much as he would have liked, but he will still be able to manage.
Contenders
T4. Emiliano Grillo, Keith Mitchell, Si Woo Kim, Stephan Jaeger, Michael Thorbjornsen, Tyler Duncan, Kensei Hirata (-7)
T11. Doug Ghim, Mackenzie Hughes, Hank Lebioda, Austin Eckroat, Lanto Griffin (-6)
The best player on the PGA Tour this season without a win may very well be Kim, who eyes another opportunity to enter the winner’s circle after an opening 64. That effort marked Kim’s 11th round of 66 or lower on the PGA Tour this year, which is second only to Scheffler’s 12.
Similar to Koepka, Kim’s putter is the club that has held him back. On Thursday, however, it proved to be an asset as he gained more than 1.50 strokes on the greens and an additional 1.30 strokes by holing a putt from just off the green on his opening hole for birdie. With a stat line that read 13 fairways and 16 greens in regulation, Kim can keep climbing to the top of this leaderboard so long as the putter allows him to.
“It was a good round, then I putted great,” Kim said. “Hitting was a little off, but I kind of still take it. Yeah, it was a good round. Green was a little tougher than I thought. But I putted really good today, so it was a good round.”
Game within the game
The magic number for Blades Brown this week is 21 as he needs a solo 21st finish or better to earn special temporary membership on the PGA Tour, which would allow him to accept unlimited sponsor exemptions to play in PGA Tour events this season.
Brown’s 66 puts him inside that cutoff point, and his play on both the Korn Ferry Tour — where he ranks No. 9 in the season-long race — and the PGA Tour suggests he won’t be going anywhere. So far in 2026, Brown has six top-25 finishes on the Korn Ferry Tour, including a couple of runner-up results.
On the PGA Tour, he has been even better, as he was in the final grouping with Scheffler and Kim at The American Express, where he finished T18. Brown also had the lead at the Puerto Rico Open over the weekend before a third-place finish, and most recently, finished T9 at the Myrtle Beach Classic.
2026 CJ Cup Byron Nelson updated odds and picks
Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook
- Scottie Scheffler: +260
- Si Woo Kim: 13/2
- Brooks Koepka: 7-1
- Taylor Moore: 13-1
- Michael Thorbjornsen: 15-1
- Keith Mitchell: 18-1
- Stephan Jaeger: 20-1
Clark played well on Thursday, and his price hasn’t moved much, as he is listed at 45-1, only a handful of strokes off the pace. He drove the ball much better than he had in recent weeks, and perhaps most importantly, he filled it up on the greens. We have seen over the course of his career that once he finds a comfort level with green complexes, he tends to run hot for the entire week. If that is the case, he should have a chance come Sunday.
