The WGC - FedEx St. Jude Invitational is the third WGC of the year. Here are your five things to know.
The third WGC of the year
This week’s World Golf Championships event is the third on the European Tour’s schedule this season. Earlier this year, Collin Morikawa won the WGC-Workday Championship at The Concession 2021, while Billy Horschel captured the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play.
However, this week’s event will also be its last as a WGC. The regular tournament was elevated to WGC status in 2019, but from next season it will become the first event of the FedExCup Play-offs on the PGA TOUR.
🏴 Hero Open (St, Andrews, Scotland)
— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) August 3, 2021
🇺🇸 WGC - FedEx St. Jude (Memphis, USA)
Two events this week on the European Tour 👊 pic.twitter.com/LBVezDMGsk
From the Olympics to Memphis
From Tokyo to Memphis, Gold Medal winner Xander Schauffele is just one of a host of players making their way back from the Olympic Games to compete at TPC Southwind this week.
He’s the only medal winner in the field this week, but will be joined by Rory McIlroy, Collin Morikawa, Hideki Matsuyama and Paul Casey, who were all involved in the seven-man play-off for the Bronze Medal eventually won by C.T. Pan.
Also making their way from Japan are the likes of Tommy Fleetwood, Patrick Reed, Viktor Hovland, Shane Lowry, Garrick Higgo, Justin Thomas, Si Woo Kim, Abraham Ancer, Joaquinn Niemann, Cameron Smith, Marc Leishman, Carlos Ortiz, Sungjae Im and Corey Conners.
Strong field
48 of the top 50 in the Official World Golf Rankings are teeing up in Tennessee this week, including nine of the World’s top ten.
The two players not contending this week are World Number One Jon Rahm and South African’s Christiaan Bezuidenhout.
Thomas defends
Justin Thomas went into the final round of last year’s tournament four shots behind the leader and went on to win by three. It was an impressive fightback, and the American has returned to defend his title following a tie for 22nd at The Olympics.
He’ll be fending off a strong challenge from the world’s best, which includes Brooks Koepka. The American won in 2019, finished second last season, and is only one of two players who has finished inside the top 10 on the last two occasions at TPC Southwind. The other? Matthew Fitzpatrick, who was the recent runner up at the abrdn Scottish Open.
TPC Southwind
The WGC-FedEx St Jude Invitational takes place in Memphis for a third consecutive year at TPC Southwind, which became the tournament’s new home in 2019.
The course which is a 7,233 yard par 70, was originally designed by Ron Prichard in consultation with Fuzzy Zoeller and Huburt Green. Later updated in 2004 (with the help of Loren Roberts), TPC Southwind’s test comes in the form of undulating fairways, ten water hazards and 94 bunkers – all of which has been renovated last year. It is also 44 yards shorter than last year, due to the change of yardage at the par three 13th hole.
Last year, Tom Lewis equalled the course record of 61 during his third round, matching the feat previously achieved Jay Delsing (1993) Bob Estes (2001)
