The regular season may be over, but the drama is just beginning. After 36 PGA Tour events, the FedEx Cup Playoffs have finally arrived at TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tennessee.
This year’s FedEx St. Jude Championship marks the first of three playoff events, with the top 70 players in the FedEx Cup standings teeing off in a no-cut format. Only the top 50 will advance to next week’s BMW Championship, and the top 30 will reach the Tour Championship at East Lake.
Interestingly, even before the first tee shot, Scottie Scheffler has already banked $18 million. $10 million for finishing No. 1 in the FedEx Cup regular-season standings and another $8 million from the Comcast Business Top 10 bonus.
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With Rory McIlroy opting out of Memphis, Scheffler enters as the overwhelming favorite, having won four events this season, including two majors, The Open and PGA Championship.
We also have Cameron Young arrive fresh off his breakthrough win at the Wyndham Championship, finally shedding the “best player without a win” label.
Xander Schauffele, on the other hand, is trending upward with back-to-back top-10s, while Hideki Matsuyama returns to defend his title at Southwind.
Betting Odds (Top 20 Favorites)
We could run through odds for every one of the 70 players teeing it up at TPC Southwind, but let’s be honest, that’s not where the story is. If past editions of the FedEx St. Jude Championship have taught us anything, it’s that the winner almost always comes from the top of the board.
That said, these 20 names might be where the real action lies.
| Player | Odds |
|---|---|
| Scottie Scheffler | +280 |
| Xander Schauffele | +1600 |
| Justin Thomas | +2200 |
| Tommy Fleetwood | +2500 |
| Ludvig Åberg | +2800 |
| Collin Morikawa | +3000 |
| Russell Henley | +3000 |
| Matt Fitzpatrick | +3250 |
| Patrick Cantlay | +3250 |
| Viktor Hovland | +3250 |
| Cameron Young | +3500 |
| Sam Burns | +3500 |
| Ben Griffin | +4000 |
| Corey Conners | +4000 |
| Harris English | +4500 |
| Hideki Matsuyama | +4500 |
| Keegan Bradley | +4500 |
| Aaron Rai | +5000 |
| Chris Gotterup | +5000 |
| Jordan Spieth | +5000 |
Predictions for FedEx St. Jude Championship
Top-10 finishes
If any PGA Tour player is peaking at the right time, it is Xander Schauffele. With back-to-back top-10s and a runner-up finish here last year, he’s a strong candidate to crack the top 10 again.
Matt Fitzpatrick, on the other hand, has four straight top-10s and thrives on precision layouts like Southwind. We also have Ludvig Åberg, fresh off a T-25 at The Open. I believe Åberg is another name to watch. His ball-striking is elite, and no doubt he’s trending upward.
Will Scottie Scheffler Make History Again?
It’s hard to bet against Scottie Scheffler. He leads the Tour in strokes gained tee-to-green (2.28 per round), scoring average and approach play. He finished fourth here last year and enters Memphis with 13 top-10s in 16 starts.
And, given that McIlroy is now out of the field, it won’t be wrong to say that Scheffler’s path is even clearer. If his putter shows up, the rest of the field may be playing for second.
Sleeper Pick to Win
If you are looking for a dark horse, Chris Gotterup (+5000) is your guy. The two-time winner is flying under the radar but has been red-hot. He won the Genesis Scottish Open, finished T-3 at The Open, and T-10 at the 3M Open.
If those stats weren’t enough, the 26-year-old pro’s strokes gained stats are surging, and he’s shown he can handle pressure. His aggressive style suits Southwind’s layout, and if the greens stay firm, he could sneak into contention.
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