K.H. Lee Seeks A Three-Peat At The AT&T Byron Nelson

In a week’s time, the best men’s professional golfers in the world will descend upon Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester, New York, for the 105th PGA Championship. This week, though, the PGA Tour is in McKinney, Texas, at TPC Craig Ranch for the AT&T Bryon Nelson. In a field that features multiple major championship winners, including World No. 2 Scottie Scheffler, it is 31-year-old South Korean K.H. Lee who has the opportunity to make history. With a win this week, Lee would become the first golfer since 2011, and just the 10th since World War II, to win the same PGA TOUR event in three consecutive years. Given the current odds being offered by sportsbooks, Lee is one of only four golfers that have at least a five percent chance to win.

The AT&T Byron Nelson

After nearly a month off, Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) No. 2 Scottie Scheffler makes his return to the course this week just a few miles north of where he currently resides. The 26-year-old American won four times last season on his way to earning 2022 PGA TOUR Player of the Year. This season, in 12 events played, Scheffler has registered two victories – defending his title at the WM Phoenix Open in February and The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass in March – to go along with his eight Top 10s. He has not finished outside the top 12 since a T45 finish at The CJ CUP in South Carolina in October. Other than Jon Rahm, no men’s golfer has had a better 2022-23 season than Scheffler, as evidenced by his No. 2 ranking in the FedExCup Playoff standings. Scheffler currently ranks first on Tour in strokes gained off the tee (1.029), strokes gained tee-to-green (2.270), and greens in regulation percentage (73.99%). Additionally, Scheffler has averaged nearly four shots under par (68.25) in eight competitive rounds at TPC Craig Ranch. Furthermore, with Dallas’ native son, Jordan Spieth, withdrawing earlier in the week due to a left wrist injury, Scheffler will be an even bigger fan favorite this week. At +450, oddsmakers are assigning nearly a one-in-five chance that Scheffler earns his third victory of the season in the final tune-up before the PGA Championship.

Despite Scheffler’s success this season, the biggest storyline this week has nothing to do with the 2022 Masters champion. Instead, it is K.H. Lee with the chance to make history. Last year, the 31-year-old South Korean set the course record (262) en route to defending his title, something only PGA Tour legends Sam Snead (1957-58), Jack Nicklaus (1970-71), and Tom Watson (1978-80) had previously achieved at the Byron Nelson. Lee also seeks to join Snead and Watson as the only men’s golfers ever to win the event at least three times. Perhaps most interestingly, though, with a win this week, Lee would become the first men’s golfer since Leonard Gallett in the 1930s to record his first three career PGA Tour victories in the same tournament. In addition to his successes at TPC Craig Ranch in recent years, Lee has played well so far on TOUR this season, registering five top 25s and three top 10s, including a T8 finish in last week’s Wells Fargo Championship. His solid and consistent performances have Lee currently ranked No. 44 in the OWGR and No. 54 in the FedExCup Playoff standings. At +1800, oddsmakers are assigning slightly better than a five percent chance that Lee will rewrite the history books in Texas this week.

Scheffler is the clear betting favorite this week with Tyrrell Hatton (+1400), Jason Day (+1800), and Lee rounding out the group assigned at least a five percent chance to win.

The previous two times I have written about Tyrrell Hatton this season were the week prior to the Masters Tournament and the week prior to The Players Championship, often referred to as the fifth major. Therefore, with another major on the horizon next week in the form of the PGA Championship, it must be time to write about the 31-year-old Englishman who, at +1400, has the second-best odds to win. In 11 PGA Tour events played this season, Hatton has registered six top 25s and four top 10s, including a runner-up finish at The Players Championship in March and a T3 finish at the Wells Fargo Championship last week. Currently ranked No. 17 in the OWGR and No. 27 in the FedExCup Playoff standings, Hatton ranks in the top 10 on TOUR in total strokes gained (1.960), strokes gained off the tee (.663), and strokes gained approach to green (.781). Despite having never played at TPC Craig Ranch Hatton’s strong performances, when healthy, in the week prior to major championships should be considered.