Check out all the best bets for the 2025 FedEx St. Jude Championship, kicking off the PGA Tour’s playoffs this Thursday.
Check out all the best bets for the 2025 FedEx St. Jude Championship, kicking off the PGA Tour’s playoffs this Thursday.
The FedExCup Playoffs begin this week with the St. Jude Championship in Memphis, Tennessee, with the 69-player field set to battle for 2,000 FedExCup points and a share of the US$20 million purse. Only the top 50 after this event will advance to the BMW Championship at Caves Valley, adding extra urgency to an already elite playoff atmosphere.
TPC Southwind is a classic risk-reward test on the PGA Tour, demanding accuracy off the tee and sharp iron play into its small, contoured Bermuda greens. Water comes into play on 11 holes — including the signature island-green par-three 11th — and mistakes here are brutally punished. The par-70 layout measures 7,288 yards and consistently ranks among the tougher non-major venues, with winning scores usually in the mid-teens under par.
The four-day forecast is hot and humid, with highs around 91–94°F (33–34°C) and light winds at 4–6mph (7–10kph). Thursday will be sunny and calm, Friday partly cloudy, and the weekend mostly sunny with feels-like temps up to 97–99°F (36–37°C). Dry conditions mean firm, fast play and no thunderstorms are expected, favoring players used to heat and humidity.
World No.1 Scottie Scheffler comes into the event as the +280 favorite with the top online sportsbooks and is chasing his second straight FedExCup title after a four-win 2025 season. Defending champion Hideki Matsuyama returns seeking to become the first back-to-back winner at Southwind since Daniel Berger in 2016–17, and Seppa Straka is one to watch as well.
In-form names like Viktor Hovland, Xander Schauffele, and Matt Fitzpatrick also feature, while Cameron Young arrives fresh off his breakthrough win at the Wyndham. Notably absent is Rory McIlroy, who has opted to skip the first playoff leg.
Location: Memphis, Tennessee
Par/Yardage: Par 70 / 7,288 yards
Architect: Ron Prichard (1988; recent renovation 2024–25)
Key features:
More odds available at
Hovland’s elite ball-striking and strong history at Southwind (runner-up in 2024, T13 in 2023) make him one of the week’s most appealing value plays. He thrives on courses demanding precise mid-iron play and recently posted top-15 finishes at both the US Open and Scottish Open. At +2700 with , he’s primed for a playoff breakthrough.
Straka made the playoff at Southwind in 2022, so he knows his way around the track, and his approach numbers this season rank inside the top 10 on the PGA Tour. With two wins already in 2025 and refreshed after skipping post-Open events, Straka offers top-10 upside at +280 with .
The defending champion loves TPC Southwind’s layout, boasting four top-20s in his last five visits. While his season form has been steady rather than spectacular, Matsuyama’s short game and his liking for Bermuda surfaces keep him in contention. Back him for a safe top-20 finish at -105.26 with .