The onset of the 2024 postseason marks a thrilling chapter for the PGA Tour as it returns to the venerable TPC Southwind for the FedEx Cup Playoffs. This year’s St. Jude Championship, welcoming the top 70 players from the regular season, promises intense competition and high stakes.
High Stakes and Elite Contenders
The tournament is pivotal, with 20 of these elite contenders expected to see their journeys truncated, reducing the roster to a mere 50 ahead of the BMW Championship. Those who secure their place within the top 50 by the week’s end will earn spots in every PGA Tour signature event for the 2025 season. It's a high-wire act for golfers like Jordan Spieth, Min Woo Lee, Justin Rose, Nick Dunlap, and Nick Taylor, all of whom are teetering on the brink of elimination.
Viktor Hovland: A Mixed Season
Viktor Hovland, currently positioned at No. 57 in the standings, epitomizes the suspense of this playoff opener. Hovland’s season has seen its share of ups and downs, including a notable third-place finish at this year’s PGA Championship. However, his struggles are apparent in his rankings on approach and around the green, where he sits at a dismal 175th out of 176 players.
Scottie Scheffler's Dominance
In stark contrast, Scottie Scheffler enters the championship with an eye on his eighth victory of the year. Scheffler’s dominance is underscored by his ongoing quest to stride into the Tour Championship with a commanding two-stroke lead for the third consecutive season. Alongside Xander Schauffele and Rory McIlroy, Scheffler has amassed ten PGA Tour victories in 2024, underscoring an extraordinary season for these top golfers.
Consistency and Form
Rory McIlroy’s consistency has been a standout this year, with four top-five results in his last six tournaments. His track record at TPC Southwind further bolsters his credentials, having achieved four top-12 finishes in seven trips and a T3 finish last year.
Xander Schauffele also arrives with strong momentum, not having finished outside the top 25 since the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in February. Despite this remarkable consistency, his record at TPC Southwind remains modest, with only one top-20 finish dating back to 2020.
Patrick Cantlay's recent performances can’t be overlooked; he boasts three consecutive top-25 finishes and notable top-five results at the U.S. Open and the Travelers Championship.
Potential and Prowess
The spotlight also shines on players like Collin Morikawa, Ludvig Åberg, Patrick Cantlay, Tony Finau, Sahith Theegala, Sungjae Im, Justin Thomas, and Brian Harman, all securely within the top 20 of the FedEx Cup standings but yet to clinch a victory in 2024. Morikawa’s history with TPC Southwind is promising with three top-20 finishes in four appearances, suggesting that a breakthrough could be imminent.
The Course and Prize
As the golfers converge on TPC Southwind, they face a course that plays to a par of 70 and stretches over 7,243 yards. This challenging layout sets the stage for what is expected to be a riveting four days of competition from August 15-18. With a lucrative purse of $20 million at stake, the St. Jude Championship continues to be a compelling event on the PGA Tour calendar.
In this crucible of competition, every hole played and every stroke taken could alter the course of the season, offering a captivating spectacle for golf enthusiasts around the globe.