McKINNEY, Texas – Among Byron Nelson’s claims to fame was his remarkable consistency.
In addition to winning a record 11 straight tournaments, Nelson also recorded 113 consecutive made cuts, a figure second only to Tiger Woods, who holds the record – likely never to be broken – of 142.
But Nelson’s streak is arguably more impressive as in Nelson’s day only the top 20 in a tournament were paid. So, Nelson finishing in the top 20 in 113 consecutive starts is another one of those marks that never will be touched.
The pros at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson can only marvel at Nelson’s consistency and strive to be like the great gentleman rancher. At TPC Craig Ranch, the annual birdie-fest is in full swing. Last year, the course yielded 2,021 birdies, the third most birdies of any course on Tour last season. With soft conditions and preferred lies in effect, Jake Knapp has raced to a 14-under 128 total through 36 holes to grab the lead. It took an aggregate of 6-under 136 to be among the 65 pros and one amateur — congrats to 16-year-old Kris Kim — to make the cut and earn a weekend tee time. It matched the lowest 36-hole cut in tournament history (2021) and was the lowest on Tour since the 2022 Butterfield Bermuda Championship. Yes, these guys are good. Defending champion Jason Day, for instance, canned this 35-foot par putt to make the cut but not everyone was so lucky.
Here’s a look at some of the notable players who left early from Big D.