Back home, Scheffler, Spieth look to snap skid for local products in the Byron Nelson

It’s a ‘home game’ for Scottie Scheffler and Jordan Spieth, who aim to become the first homegrown Nelson winner since 2007.

Scottie Scheffler entered the large media tent, got introduced as the world’s No. 1-ranked golfer and began fielding questions, but thunderclaps interrupted his answers.

Rain pelted the temporary structure. It shook. The lights flickered.

“When do you think the pro-am is going to start back up?” Scheffler deadpanned.

Wednesday’s pro-am was a washout, but the forecast is promising for Thursday’s first round of the CJ Cup Byron Nelson.

Rain or shine at TPC Craig Ranch the next four days, North Texas golf fans well know Highland Park product Scheffler’s wit runs sauvignon blanc-dry.

His persona and star power were missed during last May’s Nelson, as he and wife, Meredith, awaited the birth of son Bennett, who entered the world three days later.

For that matter, this Nelson was supposed to be a reunion of North Texas’ PGA Tour Big Three, but for the third straight year that troika will be incomplete.

Shortly before noon Wednesday, the tour announced that Plano’s Will Zalatoris had withdrawn, with no reason cited.

Three-time major champion Jordan Spieth missed the 2023 Nelson with a wrist injury, and Zalatoris missed most of the ‘23 season because of back surgery.

Although the three often play together recreationally, frequently at Dallas National with Tony Romo as their fourth, Zalatoris told The Dallas Morning News during last month’s Masters how much he was looking forward to Nelson week.

“That’s such a fun home game for all of us,” he said. “It’s a riot.”

A Scheffler-Spieth-Zalatoris Nelson will have to wait until at least next May, but the return of top-ranked Scheffler is a huge boost to the tournament’s marquee appeal.

It’s no coincidence that Scott Alexander Scheffler and Jordan Alexander Spieth are part of Thursday’s and Friday’s feature group, teeing off at 12:33 with another Dallasite, Si Woo Kim, who, like Scheffler, plays out of Royal Oaks.

“It’s going to be a fun two days, especially [with] world No. 1 and former world No. 1; there’s a lot to learn from them,” said Kim, who also figures to be a fan favorite as a member of the title sponsor’s six-member Team CJ of South Korean-native players in the Nelson field.

“We’ll certainly have a good amount of people from Royal Oaks out here supporting Si Woo and me,” Scheffler said. “And we’ll have a lot of people from Dallas supporting all three of us. So it should be a lot of fun.”

This is the fifth year for the Nelson to be played at 7,569-yard, par-71 Craig Ranch.

The course has undergone Phase I of a $22 million face-lift overseen by 1973 Nelson champ and World Golf Hall of Famer Lanny Wadkins, the majority of which will commence three days after this Nelson concludes.

Phase 1 consisted of moving some tee boxes and overseeding with ryegrass to replace the bermuda rough and zoysia fairways. All of that grass will be bulldozed starting next week, but the short-term result for this year’s Nelson is thicker rough and tightened fairways.