PGA First Look: FedEx St. Jude Classic

by Derek Farnsworth (Notorious) Last Updated 2018-06-07 12:22:17

The PGA First Look is complete with a course preview, odds, salaries, Official World Golf Rankings, and course history.

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Event Preview

The PGA Tour stops in Memphis for the St. Jude Classic before we get the second major of the year. I’d like to say it’s business as usual for us DFS players, but we have to be careful with our roster construction. The week before majors is always difficult to predict because we don’t know the motivation of each golfer. Over the years, there have been countless withdrawals at this event. Most notably, Dustin Johnson withdrew in 2015 (who was the clear favorite) after only nine holes. With Monday qualifiers for the U.S. Open, we could see a number of golfers withdraw before the tournament starts. Just keep your ear to the ground as we get closer to lineup lock and make sure to adjust your lineups accordingly.

This will be the last year that the FedEx St. Jude Classic is held at TPC Southwind. Starting in 2019, the course will host a WGC event. This is one of the toughest stops on tour each and every year. It is the longest full-field Par 70 that the golfers will see all year. It measures 7,244 yards and with most Par 70s, there are only two par fives to take advantage of. Eight of the par fours measure at least 445 yards, so looking at par four efficiency from 450+ yards isn’t a bad idea. The course itself was build to bring all types of golfers into play. There are a few tree-lined holes, a few that have links-style fescue, and water comes into play on ten holes. Speaking of water, there have been more golf balls hit into the water here than at any other course over the last 15 seasons.

In addition to the water, there are 80 bunkers on the property. It’s easy to see why this is one of the most difficult courses on tour. Playing from the Zoysiagrass fairways is critical for scoring this week, but we can’t rely solely on driving accuracy. These fairways are hard for everyone to hit. I’ve read a number of interviews where golfers say that being aggressive off the tee is needed to make birdies here. There are also quite a few holes where golfers will be forced to club down off the tee. For all of these reasons, I’m not favoring the bombers or the plodders. This week is more about iron play and putting on these tricky Bermuda greens. Birdie or better percentage is always important for fantasy scoring and bogey avoidance has had a strong correlation with success at this course every year.

Update: The following golfers have already withdrawn from this week’s tournament:

Keegan Bradley
Ollie Scheiderjans
Russell Knox
Adam Scott
Patrick Rodgers
Lucas Glover
Patton Kizzire

Cut Rule: Top 70 and ties move on after the first two rounds. The MDF rule is in effect if more than 78 golfers make the initial cut.

Recent Winners of this Event:Daniel Berger (2017 & 2016), Fabian Gomez (2015), Ben Crane (2014), Harris English (2013)

Key Statistics (In Order of Importance)

1) Strokes Gained Approach
2) Birdie or Better %
3) Par 4 Scoring
4) Bogey Avoidance
5) Strokes Gained Putting (Emphasis on Bermuda)

Hole by Hole Breakdown

Salaries, Odds, and Course History (2013-2017)

Golfer	DK Salary	FD Salary	FDRFT Salary	OWGR	Odds	DK Odds	FD Odds	FDRFT Odds	Cuts	2017	2016	2015	2014	2013
Dustin Johnson	$11,700	$12,900	$18,400	2	6	0%	0%	0%	3/3	500	5	500	24	10
Brooks Koepka	$11,100	$12,400	$17,700	9	10	0%	0%	0%	4/4	37	2	3	19	500
Phil Mickelson	$10,600	$12,100	$16,900	20	14	-33%	0%	-33%	5/5	9	2	3	11	2
Henrik Stenson	$10,400	$12,200	$16,700	15	14	25%	0%	25%	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Daniel Berger	$10,000	$11,800	$16,000	41	25	-20%	-20%	-20%	2/2	1	1	500	500	500
Billy Horschel	$9,700	$10,600	$15,700	86	26	-33%	20%	-33%	4/4	4	500	8	6	10
Adam Scott	$9,600	$11,400	$15,600	64	25	0%	0%	0%	1/1	10	500	500	500	500
Charl Schwartzel	$9,400	$9,500	$15,400	44	27	-13%	59%	0%	1/1	2	500	500	500	500
Tony Finau	$9,300	$11,700	$15,500	37	24	44%	17%	38%	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Byeong-Hun An	$9,200	$10,400	$15,300	56	28	0%	9%	0%	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Keegan Bradley	$9,000	$10,100	$14,900	69	38	-18%	13%	0%	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Joaquin Niemann	$8,900	$10,200	$15,100	223	33	8%	21%	0%	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Steve Stricker	$8,800	$9,800	$14,800	139	40	-8%	22%	0%	1/1	500	2	500	500	500
Russell Knox	$8,700	$9,700	$14,200	137	53	-29%	10%	0%	3/4	37	500	8	89	74
Charles Howell	$8,600	$11,000	$14,700	60	44	-13%	-113%	-13%	3/4	500	26	121	28	39
Peter Uihlein	$8,500	$9,900	$15,000	48	35	25%	29%	0%	1/1	78	500	500	500	500
Kiradech Aphibarnrat	$8,400	$9,600	$14,300	31	43	6%	24%	6%	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Luke List	$8,300	$10,300	$14,600	52	42	17%	-25%	6%	2/2	18	50	500	500	500
Ryan Palmer	$8,200	$9,100	$13,200	127	84	-53%	0%	3%	5/5	80	68	22	32	4
Harris English	$8,100	$8,500	$13,500	213	74	-20%	43%	-4%	4/5	10	26	45	72	1
Chris Kirk	$8,000	$9,800	$13,500	130	70	-5%	-22%	4%	1/1	72	500	500	500	500
J.B. Holmes	$8,000	$10,000	$13,600	118	72	-10%	-44%	-5%	1/2	52	500	500	98	500
Patrick Rodgers	$7,900	$8,900	$13,300	124	85	-30%	12%	-7%	1/2	97	500	29	500	500
Kevin Chappell	$7,800	$10,300	$14,100	54	57	21%	-58%	0%	2/2	4	500	22	500	500
Kevin Tway	$7,800	$9,200	$13,000	154	88	-38%	-22%	0%	1/2	31	500	500	136	500
Andrew Putnam	$7,700	$8,900	$12,500	273	117	-58%	-21%	-11%	0/1	500	500	149	500	500
Ollie Schniederjans	$7,700	$9,300	$13,300	96	86	-19%	-24%	-11%	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Braden Thornberry	$7,700	$8,600	$12,700	942	100	-31%	15%	0%	1/1	4	500	500	500	500
Chez Reavie	$7,600	$9,200	$14,000	57	65	31%	26%	0%	3/3	4	500	12	500	27
Shane Lowry	$7,600	$9,100	$13,800	84	65	28%	28%	0%	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Brandt Snedeker	$7,600	$10,700	$13,400	92	77	14%	-178%	0%	0/1	500	500	500	500	87
Corey Conners	$7,600	$9,300	$12,500	333	115	-38%	-60%	-8%	0/1	500	500	121	500	500
Lucas Glover	$7,600	$8,100	$12,200	105	118	-48%	23%	4%	1/1	500	500	53	500	500
Brian Gay	$7,500	$8,200	$12,600	145	102	-3%	31%	0%	2/4	108	6	500	126	39
Cheng-Tsung Pan	$7,500	$8,600	$12,400	186	108	-12%	5%	5%	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Shawn Stefani	$7,500	$8,000	$12,200	371	128	-38%	24%	-4%	3/5	108	9	96	63	7
Johnson Wagner	$7,500	$8,400	$11,800	352	172	-94%	-50%	-20%	1/4	108	32	135	142	500
Trey Mullinax	$7,500	$7,800	$12,400	187	120	-35%	39%	-15%	1/1	18	500	500	500	500
Ben Crane	$7,400	$9,100	$13,200	301	83	28%	3%	7%	5/5	10	41	37	1	18
Troy Merritt	$7,400	$8,200	$11,900	374	154	-33%	-2%	-2%	2/4	97	68	76	2	500
Scott Piercy	$7,400	$9,400	$13,400	170	80	31%	-17%	-8%	0/1	97	500	500	500	500
Sam Ryder	$7,400	$7,900	$11,700	262	174	-74%	3%	-5%	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Grayson Murray	$7,400	$9,000	$12,600	117	104	8%	-13%	-3%	1/1	18	500	500	500	500
Tom Hoge	$7,300	$8,200	$12,500	175	106	16%	27%	0%	2/3	108	34	12	500	500
Bronson Burgoon	$7,300	$7,800	$11,800	394	155	-20%	29%	4%	1/1	500	18	500	500	500
Keith Mitchell	$7,300	$9,400	$13,400	135	77	41%	-13%	-4%	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Danny Lee	$7,300	$8,400	$13,100	136	87	27%	27%	0%	2/2	47	500	500	32	500
Harold Varner	$7,300	$8,100	$11,800	162	156	-23%	4%	2%	1/2	108	16	500	500	500
Michael Thompson	$7,300	$8,400	$11,800	302	174	-52%	-52%	-22%	2/4	60	127	3	98	500
Austin Cook	$7,200	$9,000	$12,200	114	109	22%	-22%	13%	2/2	500	500	22	13	500
Seamus Power	$7,200	$7,600	$11,800	345	159	-14%	39%	-4%	1/1	27	500	500	500	500
Cameron Percy	$7,200	$7,300	$11,700	509	171	-28%	42%	2%	2/4	108	41	18	500	97
Fabian Gomez	$7,200	$7,700	$11,500	648	207	-62%	2%	-5%	2/4	18	74	1	500	97
Lanto Griffin	$7,200	$7,500	$11,400	314	206	-60%	20%	-1%	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Robert Streb	$7,200	$7,700	$11,300	264	225	-68%	-1%	-4%	3/3	31	500	500	46	39
Padraig Harrington	$7,200	$7,300	$11,600	238	185	-44%	35%	0%	2/4	500	148	107	65	10
Joel Dahmen	$7,100	$8,700	$12,300	380	117	26%	-11%	2%	1/1	18	500	500	500	500
Vaughn Taylor	$7,100	$8,700	$11,900	243	138	14%	-29%	4%	3/3	500	41	18	500	66
James Hahn	$7,100	$8,300	$12,300	81	118	25%	9%	0%	1/2	500	500	500	6	78
Tyrone Van Aswegen	$7,100	$8,300	$11,900	284	157	4%	-17%	-8%	3/4	31	18	29	72	500
William McGirt	$7,100	$8,100	$11,700	168	164	-5%	-7%	8%	1/4	132	500	116	32	87
Wesley Bryan	$7,100	$8,300	$11,800	121	169	-9%	-32%	-13%	1/1	500	58	500	500	500
Kelly Kraft	$7,100	$7,500	$11,200	173	232	-54%	12%	-1%	0/1	500	148	500	500	500
Daniel Summerhays	$7,100	$7,600	$11,500	348	201	-37%	16%	-1%	0/1	108	500	500	500	500
Sung Kang	$7,100	$7,700	$11,200	131	232	-54%	-6%	-1%	1/2	80	118	500	500	500
JT Poston	$7,000	$8,500	$12,100	328	157	17%	-31%	-12%	0/1	122	500	500	500	500
Patton Kizzire	$7,000	$8,200	$11,300	65	203	-20%	-55%	2%	0/1	108	500	500	500	500
Benjamin Silverman	$7,000	$7,700	$11,600	234	191	-12%	11%	-3%	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Ben Martin	$7,000	$8,000	$11,800	244	169	6%	0%	-13%	2/3	60	91	500	13	500
Martin Flores	$7,000	$7,500	$10,700	332	294	-67%	-10%	1%	3/4	72	500	76	65	47
Chad Campbell	$7,000	$7,800	$11,700	318	175	-5%	8%	-6%	5/5	10	34	8	46	75
Richy Werenski	$7,000	$8,000	$11,200	304	244	-48%	-58%	-13%	0/1	132	500	500	500	500
Scott Brown	$7,000	$7,000	$11,100	163	238	-42%	28%	2%	3/3	52	500	12	500	39
Ethan Tracy	$7,000	$7,600	$11,200	506	241	-45%	-3%	-10%	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Martin Piller	$7,000	$7,400	$11,000	252	266	-53%	5%	-1%	0/1	500	127	500	500	500
Derek Fathauer	$7,000	$7,600	$10,900	290	288	-64%	-16%	-3%	1/3	24	91	96	500	500
Dawson Armstrong	$7,000	$7,600	$10,800		288	-64%	-16%	-1%	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
John Huh	$6,900	$8,800	$11,800	199	165	22%	-69%	-11%	1/1	67	500	500	500	500
Abraham Ancer	$6,900	$8,800	$12,000	195	142	36%	-39%	0%	1/1	500	18	500	500	500
Matt Jones	$6,900	$8,300	$12,400	292	118	42%	4%	-13%	3/4	18	26	3	500	97
Retief Goosen	$6,900	$7,400	$11,700	372	188	6%	31%	-12%	3/4	47	12	76	32	500
Scottie Scheffler	$6,900	$8,000	$11,200		234	-15%	-45%	-3%	0/1	500	500	500	134	500
Aaron Baddeley	$6,900	$8,200	$11,000	246	256	-28%	-96%	0%	1/3	500	74	75	500	121
Denny McCarthy	$6,900	$8,000	$11,600	437	197	3%	-23%	-6%	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
David Lingmerth	$6,900	$7,900	$12,200	220	135	38%	31%	-7%	1/1	500	500	500	69	500
Tom Lovelady	$6,900	$7,800	$11,700	299	182	10%	7%	-8%	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Talor Gooch	$6,900	$7,500	$11,600	216	191	5%	26%	-3%	0/1	500	500	500	117	500
Brandon Harkins	$6,900	$7,700	$11,300	237	238	-21%	-13%	-16%	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
George McNeill	$6,900	$7,200	$10,500	1068	303	-44%	3%	9%	2/5	97	74	29	28	78
Brett Stegmaier	$6,900	$7,100	$10,700	857	313	-49%	6%	-5%	1/2	97	9	500	500	500
Adam Schenk	$6,900	$7,000	$11,000	351	276	-37%	18%	-7%	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Nate Lashley	$6,800	$7,800	$11,900	327	152	45%	32%	0%	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Sam Saunders	$6,800	$8,000	$11,800	188	162	37%	6%	-5%	1/3	108	34	135	500	500
Stewart Cink	$6,800	$8,100	$11,700	181	171	30%	-14%	2%	4/4	10	65	37	53	500
Scott Stallings	$6,800	$7,800	$11,300	151	199	16%	-3%	5%	4/5	37	41	76	32	2
Nicholas Lindheim	$6,800	$7,900	$11,800	285	163	36%	16%	-7%	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Ryan Blaum	$6,800	$7,900	$11,200	309	229	8%	-21%	2%	0/1	122	500	500	500	500
Hunter Mahan	$6,800	$8,000	$11,200	616	235	1%	-47%	-5%	1/1	82	500	500	500	500
John Peterson	$6,800	$8,000	$11,200	738	247	-8%	-60%	-14%	2/2	82	500	500	19	500
Tyler Duncan	$6,800	$7,400	$11,100	413	237	-1%	12%	3%	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Dominic Bozzelli	$6,800	$7,700	$11,300	279	231	5%	-5%	-7%	1/1	10	500	500	500	500
Cody Gribble	$6,800	$7,700	$11,200	386	235	1%	-10%	-5%	0/2	137	500	500	500	135
Nick Taylor	$6,800	$7,700	$11,000	250	269	-12%	-24%	-3%	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Conrad Shindler	$6,800	$7,200	$10,800	434	272	-14%	9%	2%	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Rick Lamb	$6,800	$7,000	$10,600	631	329	-28%	10%	-4%	1/1	71	500	500	500	500
Brian Stuard	$6,700	$8,100	$11,300	248	224	22%	-48%	-2%	3/3	82	73	74	500	500
Robert Garrigus	$6,700	$7,700	$11,100	254	243	8%	-17%	-1%	1/3	97	50	144	500	500
Brice Garnett	$6,700	$8,100	$11,600	123	182	34%	-25%	3%	0/3	500	127	76	89	500
Zac Blair	$6,700	$7,700	$10,700	493	306	-8%	-37%	-3%	3/3	52	65	58	500	500
John Merrick	$6,700	$7,000	$10,600		380	-18%	5%	-10%	4/5	141	18	40	63	63
Blayne Barber	$6,700	$7,400	$10,600	443	344	-13%	-13%	-5%	0/3	141	74	96	500	500
Steve Wheatcroft	$6,700	$7,200	$10,600	792	350	-14%	-4%	-6%	2/3	10	41	121	500	500
J.J. Henry	$6,700	$7,100	$10,300	474	391	-20%	-3%	-1%	2/5	122	109	89	13	51
Bob Estes	$6,700	$7,000	$10,300		397	-21%	2%	-2%	1/2	87	500	500	500	63
Greg Chalmers	$6,700	$7,500	$10,600	533	331	-12%	-19%	-4%	0/1	500	500	89	500	500
Dou Zecheng	$6,700	$7,100	$10,200	566	503	-33%	-15%	-8%	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Jonathan Randolph	$6,700	$7,000	$10,300	360	378	-17%	5%	2%	1/2	86	500	132	500	500
Kyle Thompson	$6,700	$7,000	$10,200	483	453	-25%	-1%	-1%	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Grant Hirschman	$6,700	$7,300	$10,200		453	-25%	-19%	-1%	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Matt Every	$6,600	$7,300	$11,400	607	209	32%	26%	-4%	2/2	27	500	500	3	500
Ricky Barnes	$6,600	$7,800	$10,600	470	353	-2%	-63%	-7%	0/3	141	500	500	72	130
Mac Hughes	$6,600	$7,500	$10,600	242	315	3%	-17%	-3%	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Stephan Jaeger	$6,600	$7,600	$11,100	227	230	28%	8%	10%	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Matt Atkins	$6,600	$7,100	$10,200	512	459	-13%	-10%	-3%	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Billy Hurley	$6,600	$7,100	$10,200	467	474	-14%	-11%	-5%	2/2	500	52	18	500	500
Brendon De Jonge	$6,600	$7,200	$10,200		525	-19%	-23%	-9%	2/4	122	109	37	500	39
Jon Curran	$6,600	$7,000	$10,200	1114	488	-15%	-5%	-5%	2/2	500	26	53	500	500
Troy Matteson	$6,600	$7,000	$10,200		506	-18%	-8%	-8%	0/3	500	500	116	98	121
D.A. Points	$6,600	$7,000	$10,200	408	500	-17%	-7%	-7%	1/3	137	18	500	500	135
David Berganio	$6,600	$7,000	$10,100		656	-26%	-15%	-3%	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Smylie Kaufman	$6,600	$7,000	$10,100	399	550	-21%	-11%	1%	0/1	122	500	500	500	500
Jonathan Byrd	$6,500	$7,200	$10,800	340	303	15%	3%	-5%	1/3	500	500	89	136	10
Eric Axley	$6,500	$7,400	$10,600	382	301	16%	-5%	3%	2/3	500	58	45	89	500
David Hearn	$6,500	$7,800	$11,000	428	269	22%	-37%	-3%	4/5	10	41	45	72	18
Rob Oppenheim	$6,500	$7,000	$10,500	303	371	7%	6%	0%	1/1	500	41	500	500	500
Cameron Tringale	$6,500	$7,200	$10,900	413	275	20%	9%	-1%	3/5	37	141	76	32	51
Peter Malnati	$6,500	$7,900	$10,800	651	268	23%	-46%	5%	2/3	72	91	500	19	500
Will Claxton	$6,500	$7,000	$10,200		384	5%	4%	4%	0/1	500	500	500	500	78
Michael Kim	$6,500	$7,100	$10,600	454	312	13%	7%	-1%	1/1	500	16	500	500	500
Roberto Diaz	$6,500	$7,300	$10,300	592	416	2%	-17%	-3%	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Ken Duke	$6,500	$7,000	$10,300		400	2%	2%	-2%	2/4	122	9	29	500	87
Andrew Yun	$6,500	$7,200	$10,200	549	456	-2%	-16%	-2%	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Dicky Pride	$6,400	$7,000	$10,200	862	488	3%	-5%	-5%	0/5	97	74	121	136	130
Will MacKenzie	$6,400	$7,600	$10,200	932	438	8%	-41%	0%	2/4	52	52	76	126	500
Xin-Jun Zhang	$6,400	$7,000	$10,200	353	473	5%	-4%	-4%	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Casey Wittenberg	$6,400	$7,100	$10,100	780	562	-2%	-19%	0%	0/1	500	500	500	500	87
Zachary Olsen	$6,400	$7,000	$10,200		619	-4%	-14%	-14%	0/1	500	500	500	126	500
Tommy Gainey	$6,400	$7,100	$10,400		526	-1%	-17%	-15%	2/3	500	500	69	32	121
Brian Davis	$6,400	$7,000	$10,100		650	-5%	-15%	-3%	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Daniel Chopra	$6,400	$7,000	$10,000	972	600	-3%	-13%	2%	0/1	500	500	500	139	500
John Daly	$6,400	$7,000	$10,100		591	-3%	-12%	-1%	2/2	500	500	500	71	77
Johan Kok	$6,400	$7,000	$10,000		1038	-6%	-16%	-1%	0/0	500	500	500	500	500

Color Coding
Course history in BLUE indicates a top ten finish.
Course history in GREEN indicates a top 25 finish.
Course history in YELLOW indicates a made cut with a finish outside of the top 25.
Course history in RED indicates a missed cut.

Legend