The Top 70 players in the PGA Tour standings tee up in the FedEx Cup playoffs series opener, The St. Jude Championship on Thursday and we select 4 players to take on the bookmakers.
The FedEx Cup playoffs series has been reduced to 3 events and only 50 players from this field will take place in the BMW Championship following which 30 players will contest the season ending Tour Championship at East Lake.
THE COURSE
TPC Southwind is a par 70 course in Memphis, Tennessee and it is unlikely to be the birdie fest we have become accustomed to in recent weeks with winning scores generally in the -13 to -16 region.
Length off the tee is an asset, but more important at TPC Southwind is your ability to hit the greens in regulation and should you miss them, your ability to scramble.
MARKET LEADERS
Scottie Scheffler has been a picture of consistency this season and his 23rd place finish in The Open Championship last time out came after a run of three 3rd places and a 4th place in his previous 4 starts. His course form is not particularly impressive and he missed the cut last year although did finish Top 15 the two prior years. His putter just doesn’t convince me at the moment and at current prices I am happy to take him on.
Rory McIlroy’s best place finish at the St. Jude is 4th back in 2019 and he missed the cut last year. He has been consistent of late with 6 consecutive Top 10 finishes including a victory in his penultimate start, the Scottish Open and a 6th place in The Open Championship the week after that. McIlroy is 17/2 and Jon Rahm is the other player quoted at single figures. Rahm was runner-up in The Open Championship and he has a Top 5 and a Top 10 here in 3 starts.
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BETTING – Click here to bet
Scottie Scheffler 13/2
Rory McIlroy 17/2
Jon Rahm 17/2
Patrick Cantlay 16/1
Xander Schauffele 18/1
20/1 and better the balance, all prices correct at the time of writing but are subject to change
SELECTIONS:
I am looking to take on the top 3 in the betting this week
Brian Harman each way at 40/1
We were on Harman at 125/1 in The Open Championship and he was seriously impressive as he maintained his large lead over the final two rounds. Harman doesn’t strike you as the type of player that would let that victory go to his head and I think he will be keen to come out and prove to the doubting public that he has what it takes to be a multiple winner. Harman was 3rd place here in 2022 so he has a liking for the course as well.
Matt Fitzpatrick each way at 33/1
After a steady run earlier in the season Fitzpatrick has been a bit off the last few weeks and he could only finish 41st in The Open Championship. It is his course form that tempts me into backing him though as he has 3 Top 10’s (including 2 Top 5’s) in the last 4 years.
Lucas Glover each way at 80/1
Glover was superb last week in winning The Wyndham Championship by 2 shots and the 2009 US Open Champion is certainly approaching his best form and prior to his missing the cut the week before, he had 3 consecutive finishes from 4th to 6th place. Glover finished tie 3rd at this course last year and I just think the 80/1 is too big.
Sepp Straka each way at 40/1
Straka has only made one appearance at this course and it was runner-up finish in 2022. Straka missed the cut in his last start, but was perhaps suffering something of a hangover from The Open Championship where he finished tie for 2nd and his start before that was a victory. I am expecting Straka to be back to his best this week.
