2024 FedEx St. Jude Championship Preview & Picks

The Playoffs begin this week at the FedEx St. Jude Championship at TPC Southwind, where the top 70 players in the standings will compete over the next three weeks to reach the season-ending TOUR Championship.

The action kicks off in Memphis, Tennessee, before moving to the BMW Championship at Castle Pines Golf Club in Colorado. Only the top 50 in the FedExCup standings will advance to the second Playoffs event, and just the top 30 will secure a spot in the season finale at the newly restored East Lake Golf Club near Atlanta.

Tournament Information:

• Dates: August 15th – August 18th, 2024
• Location: Memphis, Tennessee, United States
• Course: TPC Southwind
• Course Type: Parkland
• Par: 70 (4x 3’s / 12x 4’s / 2x 5’s)
• Length: 7,243 yards
• Format: 72-hole stroke play
• Greens: Champion bermudagrass .090”
• Fairways: Zeon zoysiagrass .375”
• Rough: 419 bermudagrass 3”
• Bunkers: 75
• Water Hazard(s): 11 (In-Play on 11 Holes)
• Average Green Size: 4,300 sq. ft.
• Purse/ Winner: $20,000,000 /$3,600,000
• FedEx Cup Points: 2,000
• Field: 70 Players
• Cut: No Cut
• Playoff Format: 18, 18, 11, 12, 18
• Course Scoring Average:
  • 2023: 68.64 (-1.36), Rank 37 of 50
  • 2022: 69.16 (-0.84), Rank 30 of 50
  • 2021: 69.05 (-0.95), Rank 32 of 51 

Social Media:

• FedEx St. Jude Championship – (@FedExChamp)
• TPC Southwind – (@tpcsouthwind)

Course Architect:

• Course Architect: Ron Prichard (1988)
• Recent Renovations:
• PGA Tour re-design (2004)
• Bunker redesign (2020)

Comparable Courses & Greens:

• Comparable Courses:
  • East Lake Golf Club – TOUR Championship – RESULTS
  • TPC Sawgrass – THE PLAYERS Championship – RESULTS
  • Pebble Beach – AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am – RESULTS
  • PGA National – Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches – RESULTS

• Comparable Location (Memphis, Tennessee):
  • Quail Hollow Club – Charlotte, North Carolina – Wells Fargo Championship
  • Keene Trace Golf Club – Nicholasville, Kentucky – ISCO Championship

• Comparable Yardage (7,243 Yards):
  • TPC Sawgrass (Stadium Course)- 7,256 Yards – THE PLAYERS Championship
  • Torrey Pines Golf Course (North Course) – 7,258 Yards – Farmers Insurance Open

• Comparable Average Green Size (4,300 sq. ft.):
  • Albany – 4,500 sq. ft. – Hero World Challenge

• Comparable Greens (Champion bermudagrass .090”):
  • The Country Club of Jackson – Champion bermudagrass .110” – Sanderson Farms Championship
  • Sedgefield Country Club – Champion bermudagrass .120” – Wyndham Championship

TV Information (all times ET):

• Round 1: Thursday, August 15th, 2024
  • ESPN+ – 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM
  • Golf Channel – 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM
• Round 2: Friday, August 16th, 2024
  • ESPN+ – 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM
  • Golf Channel – 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM
• Round 3: Saturday, August 17th, 2024
  • ESPN+ – 8:00 AM – 1:00 PM
  • Golf Channel – 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
  • NBC – 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM
• Round 4: Sunday, August 18th, 2024
  • ESPN+ – 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM
  • Golf Channel – 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM
  • NBC – 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM

Weather:

FedEx Cup Playoff Format:

The FedEx Cup is a season-long points competition that culminated with the FedExCup Playoffs. The FedExCup Playoffs is a series of three events that determine the FedExCup Champion.

The top 70 players in the season-long standings qualify for the first of three events (The FedEx St. Jude Championship). This is the only event of the three to have a cut after 36 holes. After this week’s event, only the top 50 players will qualify for the next event, the BMW Championship. Following that tournament, the final event of the playoffs takes place, the TOUR Championship.

In the TOUR Championship, only the top 30 players qualify and the points leader in the FedExCup will start the event at 10-under par. The No. 2 player will start at 8 under. The No. 3 player starts at 7 under; the No. 4 player starts at 6 under; the No. 5 player starts at 5 under. Players 6-10 start at 4 under; players 11-15 start at 3 under; players 16-20 start at 2 under; players 21-25 start at 1 under; and players 26-30 start at even par.

Course/ Tournament History:

TPC Southwind has hosted a PGA Tour event every year since 1989. This course has some rare bragging rights as it’s one of the only courses to host three different PGA Tour events. From 1989-2018, the FedEx St. Jude Classic was held here. In 2019, the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational replaced that event and was relocated from Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio. Up until 2021, TPC Southwind has hosted that event.

TPC Southwind’s first major renovation took place in 2004 with the main goal of “modernizing” the course. The course was lengthened out adding 11 new tees, and 15 new bunkers while enlarging three ponds and adding some additional foliage. The greens were also changed from bentgrass to Champion bermudagrass.

In 2020, the course underwent a minor renovation with every bunker being re-contoured in some sort. Some were also added making the course a little more difficult.

The FedEx St. Jude Championship replaced the Northern Trust as the first stop in the FedEx Cup Playoffs in 2022. This will be the third time that a FedExCup Playoff event has been held at this course.

Tournament Records:

• 72-Hole Record (Event):
  • 254, Dustin Johnson (2020 – TPC Boston)
• 18-Hole Record (Event):
  • 59, Scottie Scheffler (Round 2, 2020 – TPC Boston)

Course Records:

• 72-Hole Record (Course):
  • 258 John Cook (1996 FedEx St. Jude Classic)
• 18-Hole Record (Course):
  • 61, Tom Lewis (Round 3, 2020), Bob Estes (Round 1, 2001), Jay Delsing (Round 4, 1993)

Course Guide/ Scorecard:

Originally crafted by Ron Prichard in 1988, TPC Southwind features a Par 70 layout, comprising four Par 3s, twelve Par 4s, and two Par 5s.

The four Par 3’s (No. 4, No. 8, No. 11, & No. 14) at TPC Southwind range between 162 yards and 205 yards. Last year, all of the Par 3’s had a scoring average under par except for No. 14 (+0.093).

No. 11, 162 Yards, Par 3: A smaller version of the famous 17th island green at TPC Sawgrass, but with its own uniqueness. This signature hole requires a short iron over water to a green with a small pot bunker that guards the front edge.

No. 14, 205 Yards, Par 3: The signature par 3 14th plays from an elevated tee with a full carry over water to a severely undulating green. A very difficult hole set among a natural amphitheater, making for great viewing down the stretch.

There are twelve Par 4s at TPC Southwind. No. 15 is the shortest Par 4 listed at 395 yards with the longest being No. 17, playing 505 yards. In terms of scoring average, the toughest Par 4 on the course last year was No. 5 (+0.146).

No. 9, 457 Yards, Par 4: A long dogleg to the right, slightly downhill with the second shot over a lake that is front of the green. The player needs a lot of length to get in position for the approach to the green. Ideal drive is past the large tree on the right of the fairway to ensure an open shot to the green.

No. 18, 453 Yards, Par 4: An excellent finishing hole that places a great demand off the tee. This dogleg left has water that comes into play on the first two shots, as well as fairway bunkers on the right. Spectator mounds surround the medium-sized green.

There are two Par 5’s at TPC Southwind, No. 3 & No. 16. They both played under par last year, with the easiest hole on the course being No. 16 with a scoring average of 4.372.

No. 3, 579 Yards, Par 5: The first par 5 hole plays downhill with a lake along the right side of the fairway and green.

No. 16, 530 Yards, Par 5: The par 5 16th has an uphill tee shot with a slight dogleg left. Depending on the drive, there is a good opportunity to hit the green in two, but there is a large bunker complex surrounding the front and sides and a steep collection area long.

Featured/ Signature Hole(s): 9, 11, 14, 18

Key Statistics:

Per DataGolf, this is the favored skillset at TPC Southwind.

• Strokes Gained: Off the Tee
  • Success this week will hinge on players’ ability to position themselves effectively off the tee. While the course’s considerable length underscores the significance of distance, precision holds equal importance.
  • Leaders in this category in the last 24 Rounds:
    • Rory McIlroy
    • Min Woo Lee
    • Jhonattan Vegas
    • Scottie Scheffler
    • Viktor Hovland
    • Ludvig Aberg
    • Collin Morikawa
    • Tom Kim
    • Xander Schauffele
    • Jordan Spieth

• Strokes Gained: Approach
  • Having a strong iron game will be important this week if players want to succeed at TPC Southwind.
  • Leaders in this category in the last 24 Rounds:
    • Scottie Scheffler
    • Tony Finau
    • Xander Schauffele
    • Ben Griffin
    • Collin Morikawa
    • Corey Conners
    • Tom Hoge
    • Brian Harman
    • Rory McIlroy
    • Sepp Straka

• Strokes Gained: Putting (Bermudagrass)
  • The Greens at TPC Southwind are Champion bermudagrass .090”.
  • Leaders in this category in the last 24 Rounds:
    • Denny McCarthy
    • Nick Taylor
    • Russell Henley
    • Ben Griffin
    • Sahith Theegala
    • Thomas Detry
    • Xander Schauffele
    • Harris English
    • Max Greyserman
    • Billy Horschel

• Par 3 Scoring: 150-175 Yards (x2)
  • Two of the four Par 3’s at TPC Southwind range between 150-175 Yards.
  • Leaders in Par 3 Scoring: 150-175 Yards in the last 24 Rounds:
    • Collin Morikawa
    • Xander Schauffele
    • Scottie Scheffler
    • Corey Conners
    • Eric Cole
    • Wyndham Clark
    • Erik van Rooyen
    • Hideki Matsuyama
    • Mackenzie Hughes
    • Brian Harman

• Par 4 Scoring: 450-500 Yards (x6)
  • Six of the twelve Par 4’s at TPC Southwind range between 450-500 Yards.
  • Leaders in Par 4 Scoring: 450-500 Yards in the last 24 Rounds:
    • Scottie Scheffler
    • Xander Schauffele
    • Rory McIlroy
    • Aaron Rai
    • Collin Morikawa
    • Keegan Bradley
    • Alex Noren
    • Ludvig Aberg
    • Nick Taylor
    • Max Greyserman

• Scrambling Gained
  • A player’s ability to recover and save par after missing the green in regulation will be crucial this week. The ability to recover from these situations and save par can make the difference between maintaining a competitive score and falling behind. High scrambling percentages contribute directly to lower scores.
  • Leaders in this category in the last 24 Rounds:
    • Hideki Matsuyama
    • Billy Horschel
    • Xander Schauffele
    • Rory McIlroy
    • Mackenzie Hughes
    • Keegan Bradley
    • Brian Harman
    • Sam Burns
    • Christiaan Bezuidenhout
    • Max Homa

• Proximity Gained: 125-175 Yards
  • Most approach shots on at TPC Southwind come from the 125-175 yard range at a volume much higher than the PGA Tour average.

• Leaders in Proximity Gained: 125-150 Yards in the last 24 Rounds:
  • Tom Hoge
  • Shane Lowry
  • Sungjae Im
  • Tom Kim
  • Akshay Bhatia
  • Russell Henley
  • Ludvig Aberg
  • Scottie Scheffler
  • Corey Conners
  • Tommy Fleetwood

• Leaders in Proximity Gained: 150-175 Yards in the last 24 Rounds:
  • Scottie Scheffler
  • Seamus Power
  • Matt Fitzpatrick
  • Nick Dunlap
  • Brian Harman
  • Ben Griffin
  • Stephan Jaeger
  • Rory McIlroy
  • Tony Finau
  • Sepp Straka

• Comparable Courses and Event History
  • Looking at the Data Golf Course History Tool, prior experience at TPC Southwind has proven to be slightly advantageous.

The Field:

This year’s FedEx St. Jude Championship will feature a total of 70 competitors.

• Here is the current basis of qualification for each entrant this week:
  • Top 70 Players in the FedEx Cup Standings

• Previous Winners in the Field (Event):
  • Will Zalatoris (’22)

• Debutants in the Field (Event):
  • Akshay Bhatia, Austin Eckroat, Davis Thompson, Jake Knapp, Ludvig Aberg, Matthieu Pavon, Max Greyserman, Nick Dunlap

• Notable Withdraws/ Changes:
  • None

The Odds:

Here are the current favorites for this week’s event:

Tournament Props:

Playoff:

• Will There Be a Playoff at the Open Championship? (Yes +350 / No -500)

The FedEx St. Jude Championship has ended in a playoff each of the last two editions.

Hole-in-One:

• Will There Be A Hole-in-One at the Open Championship? (Yes +100 / No -135)

Last year at the FedEx St. Jude Championship, there was one hole in made on No. 11 by Sam Burns. In 2022, Viktor Hovland made a hole in one on No. 2.

Recent Horses for Courses (TPC Southwind):

Recent Donkeys for Courses (TPC Southwind):

Previous Winners Scores and Prices (Event):

• 2023: Lucas Glover (-15) – FedEx St. Jude Championship – TPC Southwind
  • Price: 70-1

• 2022: Will Zalatoris (-15) – FedEx St. Jude Championship – TPC Southwind
  • Price: 28-1

• 2021: Tony Finau (-20) – THE NORTHERN TRUST – Liberty National
  • Price: 60-1

• 2020: Dustin Johnson (-30) – THE NORTHERN TRUST – TPC Boston
  • Price: 20-1

• 2022: Patrick Reed (-16) – THE NORTHERN TRUST – Liberty National
  • Price: 55-1

Previous Winners Incoming Form (Last 5 Starts):

• 2023: Lucas Glover (-15) – FedEx St. Jude Championship – TPC Southwind
  • WON – Wyndham Championship (PGA)
  • MC – 3M Open (PGA)
  • 5 – Barbasol Championship (PGA)
  • T6 – John Deere Classic (PGA)
  • T4 – Rocket Mortgage Classic (PGA)

• 2022: Will Zalatoris (-15) – FedEx St. Jude Championship – TPC Southwind
  • T21 – Wyndham Championship (PGA)
  • T20 – Rocket Mortgage Classic (PGA)
  • T28 – The Open Championship (MAJ)
  • MC – Genesis Scottish Open (PGA)
  • T2 – U.S. Open (MAJ)

• 2021: Tony Finau (-20) – THE NORTHERN TRUST – Liberty National
  • T34 – WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational (PGA)
  • T28 – 3M Open (PGA)
  • T15 – The Open Championship (MAJ)
  • MC – Travelers Championship (PGA)
  • MC – U.S. Open (MAJ)

• 2020: Dustin Johnson (-30) – THE NORTHERN TRUST – TPC Boston
  • T2 – PGA Championship (PGA)
  • T12 – WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational (PGA)
  • WD – 3M Open (PGA)
  • MC – the Memorial Tournament (PGA)
  • WON – Travelers Championship (PGA)

• 2022: Patrick Reed (-16) – THE NORTHERN TRUST – Liberty National
  • T22 – Wyndham Championship (PGA)
  • T12 – WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational (PGA)
  • 10 – The Open Championship (MAJ)
  • T23 – 3M Open (PGA)
  • T5 – Rocket Mortgage Classic (PGA)

Picks:

Outrights:

• Hideki Matsuyama (+2800) – FanDuel
  • Risk 0.29 to win 8.12 Units

• Tom Kim (+3300) – BetMGM
  • Risk 0.25 to win 8.25 Units

• Sungjae Im (+4000) – FanDuel
  • Risk 0.20 to win 8.00 Units

• Sahith Theegala (+4500) – FanDuel
  • Risk 0.18 to win 8.10 Units

Total Risk on Outrights: 0.92 Units

Top 20:

• Billy Horschel (+115) – BetMGM
  • Risk 1.00 to win 1.15 Units

• Adam Scott (+140) – BetMGM
  • Risk 1.00 to win 1.40 Units

Total Risk on Top 20s: 2.00 Units

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Total Risk on the FedEx St. Jude Championship: 2.92 Units 

Best of luck, and as always you can find me on Twitter @GatorBetting and Instagram @Gator_Sports_Betting. Any feedback whether positive or negative is always encouraged.