“Don’t worry.” Those were the words Lanny Wadkins mentioned when he was told that TPC Craig Ranch could not keep allowing players to reach 30-under par every year. Scottie Scheffler had just ripped the course apart at the 2025 CJ Cup Byron Nelson, whose purse stands at $10.3 million this year, winning at an absurd 31-under with rounds of 61, 63, 66 and 63. And suddenly the golf world had a looming question: has the course become too easy for the modern PGA Tour players? Of course, Wadkins got to work, but whether what he promised was delivered, is now under question. 

The redesign started almost immediately after that. The fairways were tightened, the bunkers were moved, waste areas were added, and the greens were rebuilt using 777 bentgrass. The 18th hole was even changed from par-5 into a par-4. And Wadkins had the goal to bring the winning scores back down somewhere closer to 12-to-15-under par. But then, Saturday’s pin sheet dropped online.

The moment PGA Tour Communications released the Round 3 hole locations on May 23, the reactions started almost immediately. Well, it is because despite the renovations, after two rounds in 2026, Si Woo Kim leads at 18 under, having shot a 60. And this makes things look rather bad, because on paper Wadkins did do everything in power.

Wadkins for once made the course tougher; he even explained that modern power forced him to rethink the bunker placement. Some bunkers now begin around 315 to 320 yards because otherwise players would simply fly right over them without ever noticing. The redesign was also meant to change just how intimidating the course looked from the tee.

“So we did four waste bunkers on holes 3, 5, 10, and 16; so when the plantings that we did with the native grasses and the Texas sage and stuff grow in, it’s going to make it look a lot more intimate and really have a lot more character.”

Scheffler said before the week started that the new greens have more slope, some pin positions are aggressive, and the course now requires more thought. But the scoring still tells a very different story. Through two rounds, five-under par was not even enough to survive the cut, while 11-under was outside the top 10.

As for the reason, well, the soft condition may have simply allowed players to keep attacking flags aggressively. For now, this means the same uncomfortable question is back again: Can this golf course actually defend itself against the modern PGA Tour player? Fans think otherwise.

Golf fans react to the CJ CUP Byron Nelson setup at TPC Craig Ranch

The criticism came quickly. Two users gave their verdict on the venue and setup, both blunt and to the point.

“wtfc, the course sucks.”

The second needed only four words more:

“It’s another pitch n putt pga tour venue n setup. Unwatchable.”

At TPC Craig Ranch, the average winning score over the last five years is 25.6 under par. Kim is on track to beat Scheffler’s record.

Then came the institutional criticism. Commenters blamed Tour leadership and course selection, not the players. One gave specifics:

“What a joke for a pro tourney, can you set it up a little harder, maybe some rough or a harder course, every year -25-30 wins it. The PGA Tour is run by f***ing idiots.”

Another pointed to a pattern: the Tour prefers comfort over competition.

“PGA always has to make the players feel so ‘good’ by playing at mini-golf courses.”

The Byron Nelson already faces questions about its future on the PGA Tour. Organizers are under pressure, and aggressive setups are a hard sell as they try to keep the event relevant.

Not every reply read as a verdict. One fan approached the pin sheet as a tactical question rather than a grievance:

“Hole locations can make or break a round. I’m curious how the wind will affect these pin positions today, feels like a chess match out there.”

Another landed on simple resignation:

“If anyone was hoping to see this course toughen up, it won’t be tomorrow with these locations.”

The renovation raised the ceiling, but officials chose not to use it. They now have a tougher course, and Saturday’s pin sheet showed how they plan on using it.