Damien Kayat previews the 2021 CJ Cup taking place at the Summit Club in Las Vegas.
2021 US PGA Tour
The CJ Cup
The Summit Club, Nevada, Las Vegas
14th-17th October
Matthew Wolff came through solidly for me last week, once again highlighting why he’s such a perfect fit for TPC Summerlin. Unfortunately for Wolff, Sungjae Im was in demented form, shooting a closing round -9 to win by four shots. It’s so refreshing to see the talented South Korean performing at his best again. I bet he wishes that this was the inaugural staging of the CJ Cup. The CJ Cup started its life on the PGA Tour in South Korea, with the stunning Nine Bridges Golf Club hosting the first three editions. However, the pandemic has forced a major reshuffle of the event. Last year’s edition was staged at the Shadow Creek Golf Course in Las Vegas. The event returns to Sin City for its 2nd consecutive year, though this year’s event will see the PGA Tour debut of the Tom Fazio-designed Summit Club. This is a restricted field event with only 78 competitors and no halfway cut.
The Summit Club only opened as recently as 2017. But unlike last year’s Shadow Creek, Summit Club is a far more typical desert venue- more akin to TPC Summerlin. It has broad Bermuda fairways and fairly standard Bentgrass greens. If anything, perhaps the rough will be slightly more penal than Summerlin. But all in all, this looks like it should be swallowed up by most of the pros. Collin Morikawa is actually a member here and holds the current course record of 62. I’d wager a bet that 62 is going to be under threat this week. Look for players who stood out from last week’s field. I would also broaden my horizons to include guys who have performed well on similar desert venues. Ultimately, I would be honing in on brute force rather than accuracy. It makes quite the stark contrast to this week’s European Tour venue: Valderrama.
This could be a huge week for Dustin Johnson. Jon Rahm’s stumble last week has presented the Floridian with the opportunity to recapture his World Number One ranking. You always have to factor in Justin Thomas for these elite-filed, non-cut affairs. Xander Schauffele and Collin Morikawa are obvious frontrunners on what will be a ball-strikers paradise. Sungjae Im will be looking to make it a desert double while the red-hot Sam Burns continues to shine. Also, spare a thought for Rory McIlroy. Despite his poor current form, the Northern Irishman is a past desert master. And I haven’t even mentioned the likes of Koepka and Oosthuizen. This promises to be a wonderful feast of early-season PGA Tour action.
Past Winners
2020: Jason Kokrak (-20)
2019: Justin Thomas (-20)
2018: Brooks Koepka (-21)
2017: Justin Thomas (-9)
To Win Outright:
Dustin Johnson 12/1 | Justin Thomas 12/1 | Xander Schauffele 12/1 | Collin Morikawa 16/1 | Rory McIlroy 18/1
Value Bets
Marc Leishman- To Win 45/1 | To Place 19/2
You have to love the burly Aussie at this price. He has just endured a frustrating season. But he has come out of the gates hard in the early stages of this 2021/2022 campaign. He finished 4th at the Fortinet Championship and followed that up with a 3rd place finish at the Shriners. He is a big hitter who tends to thrive on these layouts. He will get the chance to get the wedge in hand and attack these pins. Leishman has a beautiful touch for such a big guy.
Aaron Wise- To Win 60/1 | To Place 13/1
This pick is a combination of good recent form and strong Vegas credentials. Remember, this will be the first time round for most of these players at the Summit Club. Wise finished in a tie for 8th last week. This was his 3rd top 15 in six starts at the Shriners. Wise is a Vegas resident who should feel comfortable in these surroundings. He ended the 2020/21 season with a 21st at the Northern Trust and a 17th at the BMW Championship. 22nd for Total Ball Striking last season, Wise looks like a decent outside bet in the place markets.
The Man to Beat- Sam Burns- To Win 28/1 | To Place 6/1
I just can’t ignore current sensation Sam Burns. He is in red-hot form and will look to bounce back after a disappointing final round at TPC Summerlin. He won the Sanderson Farms Championship and was once again in the mix at last week’s Shriners. But a final round of one-over-par seemed to indicate a hangover effect from his previous victory. But I think that he should be recharged and ready to go again for his 2nd tilt at a Vegas title. During this fledgling PGA Tour season, Burns currently sits 1st on the tour in Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green. This could prove a vital stat this week.
