For the roughly three dozen golfers who competed at the PGA Championship and are committed to THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson this week, they’re poised for another crash course. No, TPC Craig Ranch won’t be as challenging as Aronimink Golf Club was, but it was overhauled since the last time the tournament was contested, so what was once known now is new.

The good news is that many are either natives to the Dallas-Fort Worth area and/or live in the vicinity of the host course in McKinney, Texas, north of the metroplex, so it wouldn’t have been a hassle to kick the tires at some point after the project concluded.

What was renovated, what the field of 147 should expect from it and more are chronicled below.

It probably would require less time and space to detail what hasn’t changed at TPC Craig Ranch since Scottie Scheffler went wire-to-wire en route to an eight-stroke romp last year. And no, the course wasn’t “Scottie-proofed,” although it very much is a neutral field in his title defense.

World Golf Hall of Famer, 21-time PGA TOUR winner and longtime Dallas-area resident Lanny Wadkins directed a previously planned effort to essentially redo Tom Weiskopf's original design of 2004. Although never truly constructed for top-shelf TOUR golf, TPC Craig Ranch hosted a pair of Korn Ferry Tour Championships presented by Virginia’s Richmond Region (in 2008 and 2012) before it assumed its role as the host of THE CJ CUP in 2021. Scoring always was low, but Scheffler’s 31-under 253 a year ago validated the decision to elevate the challenge while retaining the fun and playability for its members.

What was a blanket of overseeded ryegrass across the property now is carefully selected strains for the varieties of lies. Fairways now consist of zoysia grass, while the primary rough has transitioned to TifTuf Bermudagrass. It’s technically a hybrid Bermuda that is more resilient to extensive play as well as the uncompromising summers in the Lone Star State. A bonus is its vibrant color also capable of withstanding the elements. In previous years, the rough would be allowed to reach four inches. This year, blades of even three inches will be difficult to find, and it’s unlikely to be as penal due to the timing of the tournament in the spring.

All greens and their surrounding areas also have been redone, so the targets themselves serve as the most important new material to study. In addition to reshaped bunkers and new hazards in spots, Triple Seven bentgrass covers all dance floors. Because wind is omnipresent in these parts, the new surfaces shouldn’t exceed 11½ feet as measured by the Stimpmeter. That’s one variable that has not changed.

One of Wadkins’ expectations was for a longer test overall, and his work could allow for it, but at 7,385 yards, TPC Craig Ranch actually is 184 yards shorter than its max yardage a year ago. Interestingly, that was 155 yards longer than the 2024 edition because of new tees already installed on five holes per Wadkins’ two-year sequence. It remains a par 71 (with two of the three par 5s on the outward side), but the pars at the par-5 12th and par-4 18th holes were converted from a par 4 and a par 5, respectively.

Irrigation and drainage also went under the knife prior to the 2025 edition of THE CJ CUP. The latter could be eye-tested in real time what with the weather on the way. Then again, it’d be a surprise if that wasn’t the case in north Texas. Inclement conditions are all but guaranteed at some point during the tournament, if not every day as we go. Breezes would pick up as the energy encroaches. One benefit is that it’s not going to be oppressively hot as daytime highs are forecast to rise only into the lower 80s, and that’s not until Friday.

Put it all together, and ball-strikers are projected to spring off the blocks until the field logs some experience on the new greens, but that skill set also will be benefited by Wadkins’ strategic placement of new bunkers beside fairways ahead of the unfamiliar greens complexes. Scoring likely will rise relative to previous editions, but it won’t feel as punishing for the cohort that made the trip from Aronimink.

ROB BOLTON’S SCHEDULE

PGATOUR.com’s Rob Bolton previews and recaps every tournament. Refer to the timing of his contributions below. He’s also active as @RobBoltonGolf on X, where you can connect with him.

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