Taylor Pendrith earns first ever PGA Tour win at CJ Cup Byron Nelson

By: Jack Hirsh on May 5, 2024.
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Taylor Pendrith becomes the inaugural Canadian to win the CJ Cup Byron Nelson Tournament. By Tim Heitman/Getty Images
Taylor Pendrith had plenty of opportunities to seize control of the CJ Cup Byron Nelson tournament at TPC Craig Ranch’s drivable par-4 14th, as well as miss an easy mid-range birdie putt on par-3 15th hole. Unfortunately he failed to capitalize on these chances.

Ben Kohles held an early lead on Sunday but succumbed when Ben Kohles birdied 16 and 17 to pass him going into the par-5 18th hole.

Pendrith needed a seven-footer for par on the 17th hole after Kohles made an incredible 20-foot shot that looped around and into the cup before landing safely in its target.

Kohles then chipped his ball onto the par-5 18th in two shots before chunking a pitch from short of the green and missing his par putt to drop back down to 22 under par.

Pendrith only needed one make on his three-footer for birdie in order to win the CJ Cup Byron Nelson by one stroke.

Pendrith earned his card on the Korn Ferry Tour three seasons prior and won on that circuit five years ago before signing onto PGA Tour Canada last season. This victory marks Pendrith’s debut PGA Tour victory since making that transition.

Pendrith made quite an impression as he played his inaugural season as a professional golfer in 2022, holding both an outright 54-hole lead at both the Bermuda Championship and Rocket Mortgage Classic, both leading him to top-5 finishes and ultimately leading him into an appearance at both events as a whole, plus nine top-25 results leading him into BMW Championship play-off and International Presidents Cup Team selections.

Pendrith struggled at Quail Hollow, losing all four matches as Team USA once more won the Presidents Cup. While he managed four top-10s during 2023’s campaign he missed 12 cuts – more than double what had occurred during his rookie year.

At TPC Craig Ranch in 2024, his season had also been marred by uncertainty as he’d missed more cuts than made, though in those five missed cuts only once did he finish outside the top 11.

He made an excellent start this week outside Dallas, starting the weekend tied for fifth before carding a third-round 63 to become the lead by one stroke.

There is something comforting in knowing you have done everything possible to protect the people closest to you from danger or distress.
2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson money: What each player earned By: Jack Hirsh
On Sunday, he began the day by successfully playing his approach shot for birdie at No. 1, leading him into an excellent opening hole birdie before successfully hitting a bunker shot on No. 6 that kept one stroke ahead of Kohles’ scorecard.

Kohles, who holds onto his Korn Ferry Tour Player of the Year title for another year, briefly held onto a solo lead on No. 8, until Pendrith shared it once more on No. 9. That duo exchanged positions until Kohles posted consecutive birdies at 16 and 17.

Pendrith launched his approach off of the front of 17th green and settled near its edge in rough, near a front bunker – severely impacting his stance and preferred lies which had been implemented due to heavy overnight rainfall. Unfortunately for Pendrith though, none of his ball had touched fairway thus denying any relief; eventually his ball did make contact and Pendrith watched as his putt encircled it fully before dropping into place.

On 18, Canadian’s second iron shot from 40 feet away found the green after Kohles’ hybrid was short in the rough, giving Pendrith victory by five shots. But Kohles suffered similar difficulty from their previous hole’s difficult stance as Pendrith and chunked both their third shot as well as their par attempt from five feet out for himself; ultimately giving Pendrith victory by one.

Mackenzie Hughes was among those present when Pendrith won his latest tournament and one of his fellow Canadian winners was among those first to congratulate him when they arrived on 18 green.

Watch it now at:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SMB9qT94b4

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Jack Hirsh.
Golf.com Editor
Jack Hirsh is an assistant editor for GOLF magazine. Originally hailing from Pennsylvania, Jack graduated in 2020 with degrees in broadcast journalism and political science from Penn State. After serving as captain on his high school golf team for three years – becoming head coach subsequently – and occasionally competing in local amateurs tournaments; Jack previously spent two years working at an Oregon TV station as Multimedia Journalist/reporter but also producing anchoring and even weather reporting duties before coming onboard at GOLF magazine as Multimedia Journalist/reporter before coming onboard at GOLF magazine before eventually coming onboard at GOLF magazine as Jack Hirsh@golfcom