The FedEx Cup playoffs begin this week with the FedEx St. Jude Championship at the famed TPC Southwind course in Memphis, Tennessee.
Tony Finau is the defending champion and he enters fresh off the back of consecutive victories at the 3M Open and Rocket Mortgage Classic. The American, now a four time winner on the PGA Tour, is joined by a strong field in Memphis that includes newly-crowned Champion Golfer of the Year, Cameron Smith.
The Australian is set to tee it up for the first time since his impressive bogey free final round 64 at St Andrews secured the Claret Jug.
Like Smith, Rory McIlroy will tee it up for the first time since the 150th Open Championship. The Northern Irishman looked poised to end an eight year Major drought until Smith produced one of the best back 9 performances in Open Championship history.
Although disappointed not to claim victory, McIlroy has the opportunity to become the first three-time winner of the FedEx Cup. A strong performance in Memphis could well be the catalyst to hunt down FedEx Cup points leader and World No.1 Scottie Scheffler.
Justin Thomas tasted success at TPC Southwind in 2020 and arrives at the FedEx St. Jude Championship looking for a repeat. The PGA Champion is joined by Hideki Matsuyama and Sam Burns, who both lost in a playoff when TPC Southwind hosted the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational. Both will be looking to add to their multiple-win seasons.
Joohyung Kim will make his FedEx Cup debut after taking full advantage of temporary special membership status. With his emphatic victory at the Wyndham Championship Kim, a South Korean native, became the youngest PGA Tour winner born outside the United States since Harry Cooper at the 1932 Galveston Open. The 20-year-old has climbed to 21st in the Official World Golf Ranking and cemented his place as one of golf's rising stars.
With just two days until the opening tee shot is hit, the field is ordinarily determined but the future of Taylor Gooch, Hudson Swafford and Matt Jones has not yet been decided. The trio were suspended by the PGA Tour for their involvement in the Greg Norman-fronted LIV Golf Series and have since filed temporary restraining orders against the PGA Tour in a bid to take part in the Playoffs. A ruling is expected imminently.
Once play is underway, all eyes will be on the iconic 11th hole at TPC Southwind. With a striking resemblance to the 17th at TPC Sawgrass, the par 3 is deceptively difficult and can measure as long as 160 yards. Only a small bunker offers any form of protection from the watery grave that guards the green.
Last year, Si Woo Kim recorded a 13 - the highest par 3 score in a non-Major since the PGA Tour retained statistics in 1983. Since 2003, TPC Southwind also boasts the record for the most balls in the water. Expect much more of the same this week!
Players will compete for a tournament-record purse of $15m, with $2.7m awarded to the winner.
2022 FEDEX ST. JUDE CHAMPIONSHIP FIELD
- Aaron Rai
- Aaron Wise
- Adam Hadwin
- Adam Long
- Adam Schenk
- Adam Scott
- Adam Svensson
- Alex Noren
- Alex Smalley
- Andrew Putnam
- Anirban Lahiri
- Beau Hossler
- Billy Horschel
- Brandon Wu
- Brendan Steele
- Brendon Todd
- Brian Harman
- C.T. Pan
- Callum Tarren
- Cam Davis
- Cameron Smith
- Cameron Tringale
- Cameron Young
- Chad Ramey
- Chesson Hadley
- Chez Reavie
- Chris Kirk
- Christiaan Bezuidenhout
- Collin Morikawa
- Corey Conners
- Daniel Berger
- Danny Lee
- David Lipsky
- Davis Riley
- Denny McCarthy
- Doug Ghim
- Dylan Frittelli
- Emiliano Grillo
- Gary Woodland
- Greyson Sigg
- Harold Varner III
- Hayden Buckley
- Hideki Matsuyama
- J.J. Spaun
- J.T. Poston
- James Hahn
- Jason Day
- Jhonattan Vegas
- Joaquin Niemann
- Joel Dahmen
- John Huh
- Jon Rahm
- Joohyung Kim
- Jordan Spieth
- Justin Rose
- Justin Thomas
- K.H. Lee
- Keegan Bradley
- Keith Mitchell
- Kevin Kisner
- Kevin Streelman
- Kevin Tway
- Kramer Hickok
- Kurt Kitayama
- Lanto Griffin
- Lee Hodges
- Lucas Glover
- Lucas Herbert
- Luke List
- Mackenzie Hughes
- Marc Leishman
- Mark Hubbard
- Martin Laird
- Matt Fitzpatrick
- Matt Kuchar
- Matthew NeSmith
- Matthias Schwab
- Maverick McNealy
- Max Homa
- Max McGreevy
- Michael Thompson
- Mito Pereira
- Nate Lashley
- Nick Taylor
- Nick Watney
- Patrick Cantlay
- Patrick Rodgers
- Patton Kizzire
- Peter Malnati
- Rickie Fowler
- Robert Streb
- Rory McIlroy
- Russell Henley
- Russell Knox
- Ryan Brehm
- Ryan Palmer
- Sahith Theegala
- Sam Burns
- Sam Ryder
- Scott Piercy
- Scott Stallings
- Scottie Scheffler
- Seamus Power
- Sebastián Muñoz
- Sepp Straka
- Shane Lowry
- Si Woo Kim
- Stephan Jaeger
- Stewart Cink
- Sungjae Im
- Taylor Moore
- Taylor Pendrith
- Tom Hoge
- Tommy Fleetwood
- Tony Finau
- Trey Mullinax
- Troy Merritt
- Tyler Duncan
- Tyrrell Hatton
- Viktor Hovland
- Vince Whaley
- Webb Simpson
- Will Zalatoris
- Wyndham Clark
- Xander Schauffele
WHERE IS THE FEDEX ST. JUDE CHAMPIONSHIP BEING PLAYED?
The FedEx St. Jude Championship is being held at TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tennessee.
The par-70 course was designed by Ron Pritchard and first opened its doors in 1988. PGA Tour winners Hubert Green and Fuzzy Zoeller have since made their impact in a consultant capacity.
Although this is the first time TPC Southwind has hosted a FedEx Cup Playoff event, it has been a regular on the PGA Tour circuit.
WHO WON THE 2021 FEDEX ST. JUDE CHAMPIONSHIP?
Tony Finau was victorious at the 2021 St. Jude Championship. Prior to a title sponsor change, the tournament was then referred as The Northern Trust.
The American posted a final round 65 to tie newly-crowned Open Champion Cameron Smith and overtake then-World No.1 Jon Rahm. The playoff was relatively short lived after Smith hit his tee shot out of bounds. A regulation par for Finau was enough to secure the title.
HOW MUCH IS THE PURSE FOR THE 2022 FEDEX ST. JUDE CHAMPIONSHIP?
Players will compete this week for a tournament-record purse of $15m, with $2.7m awarded to the winner.
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