THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson Might Be Over Already

Scottie Scheffler was the overwhelming favorite coming into the week at TPC Craig Ranch and he showed exactly why through his first nine holes on Thursday.

The World No. 1 made a couple ho-hum pars to start his day before he went on a scoring rampage.

On the third, he stuck his 161-yard approach to five feet and buried the putt. 1 under. On the par-3 fourth, he hit it to four feet. 2 under. On the par-5 fifth, he nearly hit the green in two and chipped it to two feet. 3 under. On the short par-4 sixth, he hit a 49-yard approach to tap-in range. 4 under. After a par at the seventh, Scheffler made the 500-yard par-4 eighth look like child’s play, draining a 16-foot birdie putt. 5 under.

Then, for good measure, he hit his second on the par-5 ninth to four feet. Big bird. 7 under.

A front-nine 29 to start your tournament is about as good as it gets. So, yeah, this thing might be over.

Surprisingly, Scheffler is still looking for his first win of the season. But with many big names taking this week off with a signature event and major championship next up on the schedule, there isn’t a lot of star power in McKinney, Texas, for the local boy to worry about.

If the ball-striking continues, the field should get the white flag ready.

Update: The man shot a bogey-free 10-under 61. Just a nice, easy stroll for the best player in the world. He'll enter the second round with a two-shot lead.