RADIO
Aaron Rai Hoping his Putter Cooperates at TPC Southwind
Aaron Rai bounced back from back-to-back missed cuts with a T29 finish at the Wyndham Championship. He now turns to the FedEx St. Jude Championship, where he has four finishes of T26 or better in six trips to TPC Southwind. Historically, Rai has struggled on the greens here, losing more than 8.8 strokes putting over his last two appearances. His putting has not been much better this season, ranking 98th while losing -0.046 strokes per round. He has been strong in other key areas, ranking 23rd on approach (+0.448) and third in driving accuracy. He is also in the 66th percentile in proximity from 150-200 yards, a range that accounted for 41.8% of all approach shots here last year. Rai's precision gives him plenty of upside, but his putting could keep him from making a serious run at the top of the leaderboard.
Source: PGA Tour
Source: PGA Tour
Hideki Matsuyama Brings Elite Form to FedEx St. Jude Championship
Hideki Matsuyama has been in elite form recently, recording five straight results of T14 or better, including three straight top-seven finishes. He looks to keep it rolling at the FedEx St. Jude Championship, where he has three T17 or better finishes, including a win in 2024. Success at TPC Southwind relies on precision on approach and off the tee, areas that fit Matsuyama's game well. He ranks 28th on approach (+0.423 strokes per round), sixth around the green (+0.434), and 71st in driving accuracy. He has also been elite in key ranges, ranking 11th in proximity from 150-175 yards (25'10") and 18th from 175-200 yards (31'3"), areas that accounted for more than 41% of all approach shots here last year. Matsuyama is in great form and offers event-winning upside at $9,000 on DraftKings.
Source: PGA Tour
Source: PGA Tour
Justin Rose a Boom-or-Bust Option at TPC Southwind
Justin Rose has not teed it up since The Open Championship and has been the definition of boom-or-bust this season, recording seven top-25 finishes and six results of T65 or worse in 15 events. He now turns to the FedEx St. Jude Championship, where he won last year at TPC Southwind. Success here relies on precision over raw power, which plays to Rose's strengths. He ranks 19th on approach (+0.495 strokes per round), 66th in driving accuracy, and is in the 89th percentile in proximity from 150-200 yards, a range that accounted for 41.8% of all approach shots here last year. Rose has a history of elevating his game in big events, but at $8,000 on DraftKings, he remains a play-at-your-own-risk option.
Source: PGA Tour
Source: PGA Tour
Tom Kim Offers Strong Value at TPC Southwind
Tom Kim was just one shot off the lead heading into Sunday at the Wyndham Championship, but a double-bogey on the 11th ended his hopes of winning the event. He ultimately finished T5, his fifth top-20 finish in his last seven starts. He now turns to the FedEx St. Jude Championship, where he has results of T50, T24, and T13 in three trips to TPC Southwind. Kim ranks sixth on Tour in approach (+0.704 strokes per round) and 33rd in driving accuracy, two key areas at this course. The concern is his putting, where he ranks 90th (+0.009) and has lost strokes in three of his last five events. He also lost more than 5.2 strokes on the greens in his last appearance here in 2024. If the putter cooperates, Kim offers plenty of upside at just $7,900 on DraftKings.
Source: PGA Tour
Source: PGA Tour
Si Woo Kim Brings Elite Ball-Striking to TPC Southwind
Si Woo Kim was let down by his putting at the Rocket Classic, where he gained more than 5.7 strokes tee to green but lost over 2.9 strokes with the flat stick on his way to a T42 finish. He now looks to bounce back at the FedEx St. Jude Championship, where he has two finishes of T16 or better in his last four appearances at TPC Southwind. This course rewards precision over raw power, which fits Kim well. He ranks third on Tour in strokes gained on approach (+0.742 per round), 34th around the green (+0.220), and 10th in driving accuracy. He is also first in proximity from 150-175 yards (22'11"), a range that accounted for more than 23% of all approach shots here last year. The only concern is his putting, where he ranks 109th (-0.131). At $8,700 on DraftKings, Kim offers strong value in a field where his ball striking should give him a chance to contend.
Source: PGA Tour
Source: PGA Tour
Ryan Gerard Hoping to Rebound at TPC Southwind
Ryan Gerard missed the cut at the Wyndham Championship, but that came after a strong stretch that included finishes of T26, T9, and T8 in his three previous events. He now looks to get back on track at the FedEx St. Jude Championship, where he finished T44 in his lone appearance at TPC Southwind last year. The course requires precision, and Gerard ranks 27th on approach (+0.424 strokes per round), 26th in putting (+0.394), and 36th in driving accuracy. Last year at TPC Southwind, Gerard struggled off the tee and on the greens, losing more than 5.1 strokes combined in those areas. He enters the week 16th in the FedExCup standings, putting him in a comfortable position to advance deeper into the playoffs. At $7,400 on DraftKings, Gerard profiles as a boom-or-bust option given his recent volatility and struggles here last year.
Source: PGA Tour
Source: PGA Tour
Patrick Cantlay Building Toward Another Strong Playoff Run
Patrick Cantlay has quietly put together a strong season, recording nine top-25 finishes, including a T8 at the Rocket Classic where he gained more than 6.7 strokes on approach. He now turns to the FedEx St. Jude Championship, where he has been excellent over the last three years with finishes of second, T12, and T9. TPC Southwind rewards precision over raw power, and Cantlay ranks 21st on approach (+0.482 strokes per round), 35th around the green (+0.219), and 59th in driving accuracy. He has also been a neutral putter, ranking 93rd (-0.001). Cantlay has been in very solid form all year and looks well positioned for another strong finish in the first playoff event of the season.
Source: PGA Tour
Source: PGA Tour
Akshay Bhatia Looking to Bounce Back at TPC Southwind
Akshay Bhatia missed the cut at the Rocket Classic, losing more than 5.4 strokes off the tee for his fourth missed cut in his last seven events. He now looks to bounce back at the FedEx St. Jude Championship, where he has finished T12 and T6 in two appearances at TPC Southwind. The course is a test of approach and precision, two areas where Bhatia has some strengths. He ranks 35th on approach (+0.375 strokes per round) and second in putting (+0.664), but has struggled off the tee, losing -0.273 strokes per round and ranking 109th in driving accuracy. A strong start to the season vaulted Bhatia to 14th in the FedExCup standings, but his recent form and driving issues make him difficult to trust at the first playoff event.
Source: PGA Tour
Source: PGA Tour
Collin Morikawa Makes Excellent Case For Trusting Him at TPC Southwind
Though the season was derailed by injury and the subsequent rehabilitation that is still ongoing, Collin Morikawa had a fine regular season. This year included a Signature Event victory, as well as two top 10s and three top 5s, and he comes to Memphis this week looking like the bona fide player we've come to know. His three-event stretch, which included the US Open and Open Championship, saw him rounding into form nicely in multiple areas. During that time, the two-time major champion has averaged 0.98 strokes gained putting and 1.353 on approach. He's also found over 80% of his fairways. It's also worth noting that Morikawa has only finished outside the top 25 once in six career appearances. All of the intangibles of his game this year are fit for TPC Southwind, and it wouldn't be surprising to see him lifting the trophy come Sunday.
Source: Data Golf
Source: Data Golf
Justin Thomas Begins Push for Tour Championship This Week in Memphis
Coming off the bench late to begin the year after dealing with back surgery in the offseason, Justin Thomas finds himself in the top 40 on the FedEx Cup, going 14-for-15 on made cuts and finishing inside the top 25 in nine of them. He should make it to next week's event as well, barring the fact that he doesn't lay an egg at TPC Southwind. However, he still has some work to do to make it to East Lake. The approach play has suffered as of late, losing strokes or breaking even in four of his last seven starts. The positive thing is that he's finding more fairways than he's used to, which should really help him at a course that forces players to find the short grass to stay competitive. The 33-year-old isn't in dire straits yet, but he might as well be. If his iron play returns to some level of form, he'll be a decent--though underwhelming--DFS option, but may also be too expensive for many to pull the trigger.
Source: Data Golf
Source: Data Golf
Jordan Spieth Looking to Move Into top 50 on FedEx Cup in Memphis
The 30,000-foot view of Jordan Spieth's season isn't great for a player of his standards. He failed to finish inside the top 10 in any event, but nine finishes inside the top 25 have gotten him to 54th on the FedEx Cup points list. The problem has been a lack of consistency, as he's shown the ability to score from all areas at some point over his 21 regular-season starts. His 45th rank in strokes gained on approach (0.219) was his highest strokes-gained average among the four individual metrics. The three-time major winner has had some success at TPC Southwind before, finishing T6 in 2023 and T12 in 2019 and 2021. Still, the ceiling feels low when the game hasn't culminated in any regard, but adding him to a lineup doesn't cost as much as a primed Jordan Spieth would. No one is necessarily excited to play him, but he's certainly a bottom-barrel option.
Source: PGA Tour
Source: PGA Tour
Scottie Scheffler Headlining First Playoff Event in Memphis
Despite leading the FedEx Cup by a fairly wide margin, Scottie Scheffler is in the field this week in Memphis and hoping to build some momentum toward the Tour Championship. He's still in search of a second victory this season, but at this point, he's the heaviest of runner-up favorites. There isn't much to say about the world number one that most don't already know, though the statistical greatness hasn't produced trophies. He leads so many statistics throughout the bag, but missing short putts has become a painfully obvious pitfall. The good news is that many of his runner-up finishes have come in shootouts, where TPC Southwind has a history of being a little more guarded. Like every week, if reaching Scheffler's price tag is doable, he's an easy plug-and-play.
Source: PGA Tour
Source: PGA Tour
Jackson Koivun Sneaks His Way Into FedEx Cup Playoffs
It only took five starts for Jackson Koivun to make his way to 70th on the FedEx Cup points list, but he has a steep hill to climb if he hopes to make a deeper run past this week. He's mellowed out since his week in Detroit, finishing T31 and T29 in his last two starts due to poor putting. It's still too early to know exactly which parts of his game are PGA Tour-ready and which aren't, but it seems ball striking is at the forefront of his strengths. He's a young buck with plenty of power, but his over 70% greens and 75% fairways hit during this small window are really impressive. As long as the putter can find some stability, his ceiling is as high as anyone's. However, it's understandable to view him more cautiously this week in an elite field. Even with the potential already bestowed on this kid, people should consider the inexperience and understand the volatility in taking him in DFS.
Source: PGA Tour
Source: PGA Tour
Russell Henley Looks to Continue Incredible Consistency in Memphis
Even with one victory this season, there weren't many times Russell Henley made a legitimate run at a title outside of his podium finish at Augusta. But the ability to always find a way inside the top 25 shouldn't be overlooked, as he only found himself outside that position five times in 17 total starts. Ball striking has been spotty at times, but the putter is still an incredible weapon for the 37-year-old, averaging 1.443 strokes gained on the greens over his last three starts. He may be one of the shortest players in the field, but he's also arguably the most accurate. Henley is in a pretty comfortable spot at 15th in the FedEx Cup race. Given the quality of play he has routinely had this season, he'll make for a solid DFS start.
Source: Data Golf
Source: Data Golf
Tommy Fleetwood a Tremendous Course Horse at FedEx St. Jude Championship
Outside of the attention that a couple of names will have coming into this week in Memphis, Tommy Fleetwood makes a loud case for being the underlying favorite. He ended his regular season with six consecutive top 15 or better finishes, two of them being top fives. We haven't seen him since his emotional week in Southampton, but the quality of play displayed across the board is undeniable. During his six-event run, the 35-year-old hasn't averaged less than half a stroke in any strokes gained metric. He ended the regular season ranked fifth in strokes gained from tee to green (1.294). His time at TPC Southwind has been great, finishing T3 in two of the last three years. If he hasn't lost a step in the three weeks he's been off, we could see Fleetwood vying for a second PGA Tour victory.
Source: Data Golf
Source: Data Golf
