THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson Round 1: Scottie Scheffler Fires a Bogey-Free 61 at Home

Scottie Scheffler came home to McKinney without a win in 2025 and spent Thursday afternoon making that drought look like a clerical error.

The world No. 1 shot a bogey-free 10-under 61 at TPC Craig Ranch to take a two-shot lead after the first round of THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson. Rico Hoey and Jhonattan Vegas each shot 63 to sit alone in the chase at 8 under. A crowd of six players, Cameron Champ, Stephan Jaeger, Michael Thorbjornsen, Eric Cole, Andrew Putnam and Patton Kizzire, are tied for fourth at 7 under after 64s.

Seven Holes, Seven Under

The round did not start with fireworks. Scheffler opened with two pars, the kind of quiet start that tells you nothing. Then the next seven holes went 7 under. Four straight birdies set the tone, and the exclamation point came at the par-5 9th, where Scheffler's second from 245 yards settled inside 5 feet. The eagle putt dropped and he turned in 29.

The back nine was calmer but never sloppy. A chip at the 11th stopped on the lip of the cup. A birdie at the 13th kept the number moving. At the par-3 17th, Scheffler hit a 9-iron at a tricky pin and left it inside 3 feet, and that birdie gave him sole possession of the lead. A 60 was briefly in play. He settled for his lowest round of the year, and per CBS Sports he led the field in strokes gained tee to green while ranking inside the top five off the tee and on approach.

It was a statement, but Scheffler did not frame it as one. Asked whether he was eager to end the winless start, Scheffler said, "I wouldn't say anxious or eager, anything like that," per the AP. His focus was on the hometown setting instead. "Jordan and I love playing here. This tournament has meant a lot to us over the years," he said.

Context for a Strange Spring

The numbers around Scheffler this season have been elite without the trophy to match. He arrived at TPC Craig Ranch with a solo fourth in his Masters title defense and four other top 10s on his 2025 résumé, plus 13 career PGA TOUR wins. He skipped this event a year ago for the birth of his son, Bennett. Coming back to his hometown event with a two-shot lead after 18 holes is about as comfortable a reentry as golf allows.

Hoey Finds a Gear

Hoey matched the lowest score of a young PGA TOUR career, and the shape of it was wild. The first eight holes of Hoey's round were all pars, which is not usually how 63s happen. Then an eagle at the par-5 18th lit the fuse, and the 29-year-old from the Philippines played the final 10 holes in 8 under, including five birdies in a row.

Hoey is still chasing a first TOUR win, with a T11 at the Texas Children's Houston Open as the best result of the season. "It's been up and down, but from the start of the last season and comparing it, I think I'm doing a way better job," Hoey said, per the AP.

Vegas, the Venezuelan veteran, matched that 63 without dropping a shot. In a week where the leader looks this sharp, a clean card is the minimum entry fee.

The Last Man In

The best story beyond the leader belonged to Champ. A three-time winner between 2019 and 2021, Champ had missed 35 of 55 cuts over the previous two years and was making only a fourth start of 2025. He got into the field as the final alternate when Gary Woodland withdrew, receiving the call roughly 18 hours before his tee time.

Champ made two bogeys early, then piled up nine birdies for a 64. "The last two years is probably the hardest I've ever worked," Champ said, per the AP, adding that the physical tools are there and the work now is getting back to the right mental state.

Cole, sharing Scheffler's half of the draw, ranked second in strokes gained tee to green on Thursday, according to CBS Sports, which makes him a name to keep an eye on as the tee times flip.

Locals and the Defending Champ

Jordan Spieth, playing alongside Scheffler and Si Woo Kim, posted a 2-under 69. Spieth bled strokes on the greens and bogeyed the 16th before finishing with a 12-foot birdie at the 17th and a two-putt birdie at the last. Kim shot 67 thanks to a chip-in eagle at the 18th. Defending champion Taylor Pendrith also opened with 67.

The course itself was a factor. Heavy rain soaked the area Wednesday, and players were allowed to lift, clean and place their ball in the fairways. Wayward drives found mud, and both Spieth and Danny Walker had to stop and clean their spikes after errant tee shots. Soft greens and preferred lies are an open invitation to go low. Ricky Castillo (65) and a pack of players at 6 under, including Mackenzie Hughes, Karl Vilips, Rasmus Højgaard and Sam Stevens, are within four.

What Friday Holds

Thursday answered one question: Scheffler's game is ready for a win. It did not answer whether anyone can stay with him on a course this receptive. Two shots is a cushion, not a moat, and there are dozens of players within six. Weather is the other wild card, and the tee time split could matter.

For now, the hometown kid has the lead, the crowd and a 61 on the card. Full scoring is on the official PGA TOUR leaderboard (opens in a new tab), and the TOUR's Round 1 recap (opens in a new tab) has more.

Sources: PGA TOUR (AP Round 1 story and leaderboard), CBS Sports, Golf Channel. More golf coverage on Undrafted.

Photo: PGA TOUR.