The FedEx Cup Playoffs are fast approaching, with only 70 golfers qualified this year, down from 125 last year. With big dollar signs in their eyes, those 70 golfers will descend on Memphis, Tennessee, to compete on a no-cut 72-hole golf course in a bid to advance to next week's 50-player BMW Championship.
PGA DFS has been very good to us with these limited field events. We went into these tournaments with the knowledge that all six registered golfers would be able to play four rounds. Leverage is a relative term this week, as there is more value chalk to spend on the board. Weakening the favorites? Hardly. This event traditionally favors the best golfers in the world (or at least the hottest golfers). At the very least, the projected registrations are about even at the top. I will focus on single entry tournaments and cash games, maximizing some 3-max entry contests for volatility.
PGA DFS & Picks: FedEx St. Jude Championship (2024)
(Salary prices provided by DraftKings)
TPC Southwind in Memphis is a brave course through Bermuda. The course itself is tour average length, just over 7,200 yards. The par 70 course is well protected with water hazards and tough Bermuda rough. Bermuda greens are responsive but are notoriously fast to putt, especially if you run along the grain. Lucas Glover had a breakout year in 2023, winning St. Jude with incredible ball striking and an unbearably hot putter.
While it's not uncommon for a long shot to win, the event is usually dominated by golfers who have a firm grasp on their entire golf bag (i.e. the favorites). Missing the fairway is a big penalty as it removes any real chance for a birdie. A good drive and closeness on the approach (general ball striking) is paramount. Good putting, or a recent good run of putting, completes solid tee-to-green play and can quickly set you apart from the other players. Let's dive right in and take a look from a riverboat on the majestic Mississippi River.
High cost (over $9,000)
Choke Play: Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, Hideki Matsuyama Choke Fade: Rory McIlroy, Collin Morikawa, Russell Henley Leverage Play: Ludwig Oberg, Patrick Cantlay, Viktor Hovland
Mid-range ($7,600 – $8,900)
Choke Play: Sahith Teegala, Justin Thomas, Aaron Lai Choke Fade: Tom Kim, Tony Finau, Sungjae Lim, Shane Lowry, Adam Scott, Brian Harman Leverage Play: Sam Burns, Wyndham Clark, Ben Ang
Great value (under $7,500)
Chalk Plays: Davis Thompson, Max Glaserman, Ben Griffin Chalk Fade: Sepp Straka, Alex Noren, Eric Cole, Brendon Todd Leverage Plays: Max Homa, Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Akshay Bhatia, Tom Hoge, Nick Taylor
If you need more guidance on your one-and-done picks for the rest of the season, PoolGenius has the most intuitive one-and-done tool available: Now that the company has entered the golf pool world, here are some of the key features available in their Golf One-and-Done Picks tool.
Customized pick advice Track past picks and view data for multiple entries Weekly pick grades Season planner tool
Check out PoolGenius Golf Pool Picks »
