Tournament Preview

2026 FedEx St. Jude Championship Preview | TPC Southwind Course Success, Field Analysis & Player Profiles

By Chris BowenAugust 11, 20269 min read

With the regular season now complete, the PGA Tour moves into the FedExCup Playoffs this week for the FedEx St. Jude Championship at TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tennessee. The first of three playoff events, this week brings together the top 70 players in the FedExCup standings, with every shot carrying increased importance as players look to secure their position for the BMW Championship and ultimately the Tour Championship. Unlike a normal PGA Tour event, there is no need to worry about making the cut this week, with the entire field competing across 72 holes.

The FedEx St. Jude Championship has become one of the more demanding stops on the PGA Tour schedule, with TPC Southwind putting a premium on accuracy, approach play and avoiding big mistakes. With water hazards in play on a large portion of the course and some of the smallest greens players will see all season, this is a course where keeping the ball in the right positions is far more important than simply piling up birdies. There might be no cut, but a poor week on a traditionally challenging track will likely be the end of your season.

The Course

TPC Southwind is a Ron Prichard-designed course that has been a regular fixture on the PGA Tour since 1989. The course was also used as the host of the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational before becoming the opening event of the FedExCup Playoffs. This week, players will face a par 70 playing at 7,288 yards. Unlike some of the easier scoring venues we see throughout the summer, TPC Southwind provides a genuine test from tee to green. The fairways are relatively narrow, with strategically placed bunkers, trees and water hazards making accuracy off the tee extremely important.

While distance is still an advantage, this isn't a course where players can simply overpower the layout. Finding fairways allows players to attack the small Bermuda greens from the correct positions, while missing fairways can leave difficult approaches from the rough or awkward angles around the water. The 9th hole is particularly demanding, with a long approach required over water to one of the more difficult greens on the course. There are water hazards in play on 11 holes, meaning poor drives can quickly turn into dropped shots. The course also features several long par 4s, with the 9th, 10th, 13th and 17th all stretching beyond 450 yards.

The par 5s provide the best scoring opportunities, with both the 3rd and 16th offering players the chance to reach the green in two. However, both holes bring water and large bunker complexes into play, meaning aggressive decisions still come with plenty of risk. With only two par 5s this week, it is a risk that the vast majority will take. The closing stretch also provides plenty of opportunities for mistakes, with the 14th playing as a long par 3 over water and the 18th featuring water all the way down the left side.

One of the biggest changes heading into this year's event is the recent renovation of the golf course. TPC Southwind underwent an extensive renovation before last year's tournament, with all 18 green complexes and tee boxes rebuilt and resurfaced. The green surrounds were also converted to Zeon Zoysia, while the greens were expanded to provide additional hole locations. With the renovated surfaces now having another year to mature, previous course history should be treated slightly differently than it has in the past.

Scoring has generally been around the mid-teens under par in recent editions, with Justin Rose winning last year's event at 16-under, while Hideki Matsuyama won in 2024 at 17-under. That gives us a good indication of the type of scoring environment to expect this week. Players will get opportunities, but the course is capable of punishing mistakes quickly and you won't see someone dog-walk the course. While there is a debate from the viewing audience over the playoff format, the stakes are still high this week and a lot of players will feel that as they walk up to the tee box on Thursday.

The Field

Field: 70 Players
Cut: No Cut
FedExCup: 750 Points (Winner)
Purse: $20,000,000

The opening event of the FedExCup Playoffs brings together an elite field for the first time since the Open Championship, with Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy both in the field. The top 50 players after this week will advance to the BMW Championship, making the next four rounds particularly important for those sitting around the cut-off. Despite appearing in only 5 events after turning pro, Jackson Koivun, with a T29 on the weekend, grabbed the last spot in the playoffs. It will be a tall task for him to find his way into the BMW next week.

Course Success

Historically, the strongest players at TPC Southwind have been elite ball-strikers who can consistently find fairways and greens. Recent winners fit that profile, with strong approach play being a common theme among the players who have performed well here. With the combination of narrow fairways, small greens, water hazards and a number of demanding mid-to-long iron approaches, I want to put a significant emphasis on tee-to-green play this week. Putting can certainly separate players on Bermuda greens, but I don't want to overvalue recent putting form at a course where consistently giving yourself quality opportunities is the more important factor.

Here are the most important stats for me this week:

SG: Approach
SG: Tee to Green
Good Drive %
Proximity 150-200 Yards
Par 4 BoB %

Player Profiles

Viktor Hovland

Odds: 48, 48/1, +4800

It seems like all or nothing for Vik over the last two months, with three missed cuts at majors but, outside of that, a win at the Travelers and an outright third at the RBC Canadian Open. I was very bullish about him heading into The Open after a strong week in contention in Scotland leading into it, but he failed to see the weekend. I think the price point is fair here and it is something I want to get involved in with how he stacks up with this course fit. Par 4 scoring will be a key separator this week, and the proximity numbers on the key yardages are really good.