Welcome to the playoffs. We’re in wannabe Cairo this week for the St. Jude Championship, the first of three events that decide who walks out of East Lake with the trophy and $25 million (and a nice distraction from the dumpster fire that is the Browns). The stakes are high, and so are the points, so let's get into it.
TPC Southwind sits on the outskirts of Memphis, about 25 miles east of the Bass Pro Pyramid. As a TPC course, it's purpose-built to provide drama and entertainment as the world’s best battle it out for the chance to advance to the BMW next week.
There’s plenty of water here, making the course a lot like TPC Twin Cities in that regard. With an island green on 11 that mimics Sawgrass and a finishing hole that features water down the entire left side, accuracy is key on this layout designed by Ron Prichard, who borrowed several principles from Donald Ross. Slopes and undulations have never been more back.
Winning scores in this event’s three years as a playoff stop have hung around -16, and expect something similar this week. Scores are out there, but you have to pick your spots wisely, or you might just end up wet.
Normal FedEx Cup events (like the Wyndham last week) give the winner 500 points. You can pick up 2000 with a win this week. That boost means you’re not as safe as you think (unless you’re Scottie).
With 70 players in the field and only the top 50 in the points list advancing to the BMW, players will have to fight tooth and nail to stay alive in the postseason, especially with how tight the margins are. The gap between 50th-ranked Min Woo Lee and 51st-ranked J.T. Poston is less than two points. Nonexistent.
There’s also the Ryder Cup side of things to consider, specifically on the American front (Team Europe is much more settled). The top six in the standings autoqualify, and both Justin Thomas in seventh and Collin Morikawa in eighth are virtually locks for captain’s picks. That leaves four spots and six reasonable options by my count to fill them. Those names (ordered by Ryder Cup points) are Ben Griffin, Keegan Bradley, Patrick Cantlay, Cam Young, Sam Burns, and Chris Gotterup.
I think Keegan should pick himself, and I don’t see a world where Cantlay gets left out. That leaves four guys for two spots, and I think it’ll come down to form. Griffin and Young would probably have the inside track right now, but if Burns remembers how to putt, I wouldn’t hesitate to take him over Griffin with his match-play pedigree and experience playing for Team USA.
If you disagree, you’re wrong. I’m the one writing about golf here. If Jack’s the one disagreeing, he’s definitely wrong because he still doesn’t know ball.
Here are some guys to keep an eye on this week, from all over the playoff picture.
This week feels less like “will Scottie win?” and more like “how much will Scottie win by?” He’s a special player. As long as he doesn’t find a way to get arrested again.
Vibes: 11/10
Everyone’s favorite Aussie (behind Steve Irwin) needs a big week to make sure we see him again next week. His wedges are the stuff of legend, but poor accuracy could spell doom for Dr. Chipinski.
Vibes: 6/10
It’s not unreasonable to say the only guy in better form than Fitzy right now is Scottie Scheffler. He’s playing great golf, just in time for the playoffs.
Vibes: 10/10
Burns hasn’t putted well in his last few starts, and he’ll need that to change to be a real threat both this week and for a Ryder Cup spot. It’s definitely possible for the guy who was ranked first in putting for most of the season.
Vibes: Putting Lessons/10
A guy who may be in direct competition with Burns for the last Ryder Cup spot, Griffin’s coming off a nuclear putting week and looks to keep that momentum going in his best season on Tour.
Vibes: 8/10
English is a steady player with solid iron play, good accuracy, and a strong putter. Exactly what you want this week. He’s a virtual lock for the Ryder Cup, and this is a good chance for him to keep building momentum and contend for a win as it approaches.
For all the beef I have with the playoff format, there’s no denying it provides drama. We should be in for an entertaining week in Memphis as we see the best players on Tour tee it up (except Rory, he’s on vacation), and the race for those coveted 50 tickets to Baltimore should deliver excitement out the wazoo. Enjoy the week, and I’ll see you next time for the BMW Championship.
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