PGA First Look: St. Jude Classic

by Derek Farnsworth (Notorious) Last Updated 2016-06-10 12:00:43

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

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The Memorial Recap

DirtMcGirt

Good ole’ Dirt McGirt outlasted the field at The Memorial to claim his first PGA Tour victory. He had been knocking on the door for a while with five runner-up finishes in his career. It was really nice to see him win, both as a fan of golf and from a DFS perspective. Not only was he featured in the Expert Picks last week, but he was ranked as the second best play under $7,000 in the Expert Consensus Rankings. If you are thinking about joining the Incentives for PGA, I highly recommend it. We have a lot of great content already and plan to add even more in the near future.

As for other notables last week at The Memorial, it was very surprising to see Dustin Johnson and Matt Kuchar falter down the stretch. Both players were in great spots to walk away with the hardware, yet both made mistakes that they just weren’t able to overcome. We saw a strong finish from Rory McIlroy after giving us a cut scare after his poor round on Thursday. Jason Day also played well, although he fell back on the Sunday. Jordan Spieth really fell apart on the weekend and just doesn’t seem to have his tee to green game right now. While he can win any event with his putter, he may not be able to afford to spray his drives next week at the U.S. Open.

Course Preview

tpcsouth

The PGA Tour head to Memphis, Tennessee this week for the St. Jude Classic. This event typically features a field that is, shall I say, lacking in strength. The reasoning is solely thanks to the schedule. This tournament is the week before the U.S. Open and many golfers choose to get an extra week of practice rather than teeing it up at the St. Jude. We only have three of the top 20 golfers in the field (Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, and Phil Mickelson). While this isn’t the best field, we still have fantasy golf this week, so we certainly can’t complain.

The St. Jude Classic is held at the TPC Southwind. This course is a Par 70 that measures right around 7,200 yards. The course isn’t particularly long and it features some very tight fairways. In fact, these are some of the toughest fairways to hit on the PGA Tour. This course features a ton of water hazards, so be prepared to tilt your golfers all week. Even the accurate players are going to have trouble keeping the ball out of the water at times. If you like to narrow your golfers down by green type, the TPC Southwind features Bermuda greens.

Ideally, we would like to target the golfers that are going to be accurate off the tee, but that’s going to be hard to predict this week. Not only are the fairways tough for everyone to hit, but the big bombers will be hitting less than driver on a lot of the holes. Rather than hoping for my golfers to hit the fairway, I’m going to focus on the ones that can hit greens from off of the fairway. Additionally, strokes gained tee to green, strokes gained putting, strokes gained on approach shots, and par four scoring should come into play this week.

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

Recent Winners of this Event: Fabian Gomez (2015), Ben Crane (2014), Harris English (2013), Dustin Johnson (2012), Harrison Frazar (2011)

Withdrawals: Brendan Steele, Luke Donald, Spencer Levin, and Patrick Rodgers.

Key Statistics

1) Strokes Gained Tee to Green
2) Strokes Gained Putting
3) Strokes Gained Approaches
4) Par 4 Scoring
5) GIR from Other than Fairway

Salaries, Odds, and Course History (2011-2015)

Golfer	Salary	S-Rank	Odds	O-Rank	+ / –	OWGR	Cuts	2015	2014	2013	2012	2011
Dustin Johnson	$12,800	1	7	1	0	6	3/3	500	24	10	1	500
Phil Mickelson	$11,300	2	13	3	-1	20	4/4	3	11	2	500	500
Brooks Koepka	$11,100	3	13	2	1	17	2/2	3	19	500	500	500
Ryan Palmer	$10,800	4	18	4	0	62	4/6	22	32	4	3	500
Gary Woodland	$10,400	5	22	5	0	64	2/3	500	500	18	500	500
Daniel Berger	$10,100	6	27	7	-1	46	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Harris English	$9,900	7	23	6	1	50	2/3	45	72	1	500	500
Colt Knost	$9,700	8	36	8	0	102	2/4	12	500	150	500	15
Charles Howell III	$9,400	9	39	9	0	83	5/8	121	28	39	27	3
Kyle Reifers	$9,200	10	45	10	0	109	0/2	121	500	500	90	500
Wesley Bryan	$9,000	11	66	17	-6	206	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Russell Henley	$8,500	12	59	13	-1	93	1/2	500	117	27	500	500
David Hearn	$8,400	13	63	16	-3	128	4/5	45	72	18	42	47
Jon Curran	$8,300	14	72	21	-7	89	1/1	53	500	500	500	500
Graeme McDowell	$8,200	15	56	11	4	75	2/4	135	24	500	125	500
Francesco Molinari	$8,100	16	58	12	4	81	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Boo Weekley	$8,000	17	67	18	-1	145	7/8	8	46	27	27	32
Tom Hoge	$7,900	18	87	29	-11	237	1/1	12	500	500	500	500
Chad Campbell	$7,800	19	61	15	4	159	7/7	8	46	75	3	32
Jamie Donaldson	$7,800	19	80	24	-5	65	0/1	139	500	500	500	500
Martin Piller	$7,700	21	83	27	-6	178	0/1	500	500	500	500	136
Matt Jones	$7,700	21	77	22	-1	82	1/4	3	500	97	106	500
Retief Goosen	$7,600	23	60	14	9	141	4/6	76	32	500	500	3
David Toms	$7,600	23	97	32	-9	181	5/8	62	72	56	135	105
Ben Martin	$7,600	23	71	19	4	122	1/2	500	13	500	500	128
Steve Stricker	$7,500	26	80	25	1	253	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Harold Varner III	$7,500	26	86	28	-2	196	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Thomas Aiken	$7,500	26	108	41	-15	149	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Will Wilcox	$7,400	29	79	23	6	151	2/2	12	19	500	500	500
Hudson Swafford	$7,400	29	94	30	-1	234	1/2	29	117	500	500	500
Cameron Tringale	$7,300	31	83	26	5	104	3/5	76	32	51	500	8
Jason Bohn	$7,300	31	107	39	-8	90	4/6	29	24	18	90	136
Jerry Kelly	$7,300	31	125	46	-15	175	4/5	76	65	56	500	32
Bobby Wyatt	$7,300	31	129	47	-16	443	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Tim Wilkinson	$7,200	35	98	33	2	358	2/5	45	32	500	500	500
Bud Cauley	$7,200	35	71	20	15	336	0/1	500	500	78	500	500
Seung-Yul Noh	$7,200	35	102	35	0	251	2/3	3	500	78	7	500
Fabian Gomez	$7,200	35	104	36	-1	68	2/3	1	500	97	500	15
Scott Stallings	$7,100	39	99	34	5	250	3/5	76	32	2	77	25
Scott Brown	$7,100	39	104	36	3	148	2/3	12	500	39	150	500
Troy Merritt	$7,100	39	116	44	-5	94	2/3	76	2	500	500	500
Richard Sterne	$7,100	39	144	53	-14	396	0/1	96	500	500	500	500
Freddie Jacobson	$7,000	43	111	42	1	113	6/7	500	60	87	27	32
Ben Crane	$7,000	43	107	38	5	387	6/6	37	1	18	500	73
Robert Garrigus	$7,000	43	97	31	12	341	3/5	144	500	500	42	84
Michael Thompson	$7,000	43	133	49	-6	361	1/3	3	98	500	500	117
Camilo Villegas	$6,900	47	115	43	4	252	7/8	18	11	10	77	3
Si Woo Kim	$6,900	47	136	50	-3	146	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Padraig Harrington	$6,900	47	156	54	-7	161	6/8	107	65	10	13	52
Vaughn Taylor	$6,900	47	169	61	-14	117	5/6	18	500	66	141	500
Ernie Els	$6,900	47	165	59	-12	270	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Zac Blair	$6,800	52	130	48	4	156	1/1	58	500	500	500	500
George McNeill	$6,800	52	138	51	1	195	4/5	29	28	78	38	47
Cameron Percy	$6,800	52	188	70	-18	418	3/4	18	500	97	500	38
Michael Kim	$6,800	52	212	78	-26	352	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Cameron Smith	$6,800	52	185	68	-16	132	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Alex Cejka	$6,700	57	107	40	17	133	3/3	22	500	500	500	500
Lee McCoy	$6,700	57	117	45	12	430	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Shawn Stefani	$6,700	57	162	58	-1	288	2/3	96	63	7	500	500
Chad Collins	$6,700	57	187	69	-12	265	2/4	45	72	500	500	500
Robby Shelton	$6,700	57	177	64	-7	883	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Luke List	$6,600	62	169	60	2	298	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Will MacKenzie	$6,600	62	173	62	0	346	2/6	76	126	500	119	60
Whee Kim	$6,600	62	215	80	-18	321	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Steve Marino	$6,600	62	204	77	-15	248	1/3	500	28	142	500	84
Blayne Barber	$6,600	62	221	86	-24	254	0/1	96	500	500	500	500
Hiroshi Iwata	$6,600	62	219	85	-23	140	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Aaron Baddeley	$6,500	68	156	54	14	273	1/3	75	500	121	500	500
Kyle Stanley	$6,500	68	173	62	6	295	2/3	62	72	500	49	500
Justin Hicks	$6,500	68	142	52	16	598	1/2	500	500	7	500	105
Andrew Loupe	$6,500	68	196	73	-5	155	0/2	116	126	500	500	500
Ken Duke	$6,500	68	179	65	3	246	3/4	29	500	87	7	500
Henrik Norlander	$6,500	68	229	88	-20	360	0/1	500	500	78	500	500
Greg Owen	$6,400	74	183	66	8	207	3/5	2	60	87	11	500
Scott Pinckney	$6,400	74	200	75	-1	266	0/1	132	500	500	500	500
Brendon De Jonge	$6,400	74	229	88	-14	278	3/5	37	500	39	34	84
Luke Guthrie	$6,400	74	235	90	-16	410	3/4	76	43	51	19	500
Tyler Aldridge	$6,400	74	237	91	-17	292	0/1	500	500	500	500	500
Derek Ernst	$6,400	74	300	109	-35	608	0/2	96	500	130	500	500
Matthew NeSmith	$6,400	74	298	108	-34		0/1	500	500	142	500	500
Martin Laird	$6,300	81	160	57	24	220	3/5	58	60	500	24	500
Justin Leonard	$6,300	81	194	72	9	482	3/7	89	69	39	106	500
J.J. Henry	$6,300	81	288	103	-22	271	4/6	89	13	51	59	500
Brice Garnett	$6,300	81	315	112	-31	484	0/2	76	89	500	500	500
Alex Prugh	$6,300	81	346	120	-39	593	1/2	40	72	500	500	500
Andres Gonzales	$6,300	81	335	116	-35	472	2/2	500	500	71	500	38
Tom Gillis	$6,300	81	362	125	-44	471	2/3	53	500	51	500	149
Johnson Wagner	$6,200	88	157	56	32	214	2/4	135	142	500	500	56
John Merrick	$6,200	88	215	80	8	565	7/7	40	63	63	2	11
Bronson Burgoon	$6,200	88	202	76	12	291	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Sung Kang	$6,200	88	215	80	8	184	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Chesson Hadley	$6,200	88	198	74	14	245	1/2	139	13	500	500	500
Stewart Cink	$6,100	93	215	80	13	226	2/2	37	53	500	500	500
Mark Wilson	$6,100	93	212	78	15	409	2/3	69	107	18	500	500
Morgan Hoffmann	$6,100	93	192	71	22	185	0/2	500	98	135	500	500
Brendon Todd	$6,100	93	312	111	-18	194	2/3	500	500	18	100	500
Carlos Ortiz	$6,100	93	288	103	-10	414	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Erik Compton	$6,100	93	308	110	-17	412	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Brian Stuard	$6,000	99	215	80	19	154	1/2	74	500	500	500	500
Carl Pettersson	$6,000	99	262	96	3	311	3/4	40	3	500	500	8
Arjun Atwal	$6,000	99	289	105	-6	587	3/3	40	500	66	19	500
Steven Bowditch	$6,000	99	335	116	-17	121	2/5	22	117	147	68	84
Brian Gay	$6,000	99	337	118	-19		4/7	500	126	39	119	117
Miguel Angel Carballo	$6,000	99	381	130	-31	585	1/2	500	53	500	100	500
Ted Purdy	$6,000	99	444	136	-37		0/4	500	500	500	119	500
Jason Gore	$5,900	106	183	66	40	186	2/4	29	500	500	500	141
Jeff Overton	$5,900	106	240	92	14	404	5/6	89	53	75	13	500
Mark Hubbard	$5,900	106	246	93	13	378	1/1	45	500	500	500	500
D.A. Points	$5,900	106	315	112	-6	808	1/2	500	500	135	500	500
Rod Pampling	$5,900	106	342	119	-13	322	1/4	89	500	142	500	22
Joe Affrunti	$5,900	106	369	128	-22	854	1/1	500	500	47	500	500
D.J. Trahan	$5,900	106	392	133	-27	932	3/6	107	500	66	150	15
Billy Hurley III	$5,800	113	269	98	15	569	1/2	18	500	500	125	500
Dawie Van der Walt	$5,800	113	285	101	12	281	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Wes Roach	$5,800	113	281	99	14	431	0/1	500	89	500	500	500
Derek Fathauer	$5,800	113	285	101	12	279	1/2	96	500	500	500	500
Andres Romero	$5,800	113	281	99	14	363	0/3	76	72	500	500	500
Steve Flesch	$5,800	113	317	114	-1	1109	2/4	500	500	56	100	64
John Rollins	$5,800	113	354	121	-8		5/6	58	50	6	125	25
Andrew Landry	$5,800	113	377	129	-16	614	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Wes Homan	$5,800	113	455	137	-24		0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Stuart Appleby	$5,700	122	225	87	35	351	4/5	500	53	39	49	500
Tyrone Van Aswegen	$5,700	122	262	96	26	326	1/2	29	72	500	500	500
Steve Wheatcroft	$5,700	122	254	95	27	397	0/3	121	500	500	77	500
Kelly Kraft	$5,700	122	358	123	-1	419	0/1	500	500	500	106	500
Rob Oppenheim	$5,700	122	381	130	-8	439	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Sam Saunders	$5,700	122	358	123	-1	303	0/2	135	500	500	500	84
Darron Stiles	$5,700	122	512	140	-18	627	0/2	500	500	147	500	500
Lucas Lee	$5,700	122	600	145	-23	485	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Scott Langley	$5,600	130	246	93	37	398	0/2	500	98	97	500	500
Brian Davis	$5,600	130	354	121	9	592	3/4	58	500	35	500	38
Tim Herron	$5,600	130	362	125	5	534	3/7	500	126	135	100	3
Abraham Ancer	$5,600	130	419	134	-4	496	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
D.H. Lee	$5,600	130	546	141	-11	435	0/1	500	500	135	500	500
Hayden Springer	$5,600	130	381	132	-2		0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Frank Lickliter II	$5,600	130	662	147	-17		2/5	500	500	500	106	81
Brett Stegmaier	$5,500	137	292	107	30	289	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Rhein Gibson	$5,500	137	331	115	22	372	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Marc Turnesa	$5,500	137	362	125	12	1013	3/4	500	500	500	77	52
Dicky Pride	$5,500	137	431	135	2	459	4/8	121	136	130	125	66
Michael Bradley	$5,500	137	504	138	-1	1164	2/6	116	500	150	500	84
Shaun Micheel	$5,500	137	792	150	-13		3/7	76	500	97	38	56
Richard Lee	$5,500	137	654	146	-9		0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Loren Personett	$5,500	137	985	151	-14		0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Peter Malnati	$5,400	145	290	106	39	180	1/1	500	19	500	500	500
Robert Allenby	$5,400	145	738	148	-3	949	6/7	64	117	10	7	13
Trevor Immelman	$5,400	145	550	142	3		1/4	107	89	97	500	500
Billy Mayfair	$5,400	145	558	144	1		2/4	96	500	27	500	84
Frederick Janneck	$5,400	145	506	139	6		0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Philip Barbaree	$5,400	145	550	142	3		0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Cameron Beckman	$5,400	145	777	149	-4		2/6	500	500	121	61	128

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