The anticipation reaches a fever pitch as the 2024 PGA Tour postseason sets its sights on TPC Southwind for the third consecutive FedEx Cup Playoffs. The prestigious St. Jude Championship is set to host the top 70 players from the regular season, pitting the world's finest golfers against each other in a contest of skill, precision, and resilience.
Road to the BMW Championship
This year's competition is fiercer than ever. Only 50 of the 70 contenders will advance past the St. Jude Championship to the BMW Championship. Securing a spot in the top 50 by the end of the week ensures these elite golfers qualify for every signature event on the 2025 PGA Tour calendar, adding an extra layer of urgency to their performance.
Players like Jordan Spieth, Min Woo Lee, Justin Rose, Nick Dunlap, and Nick Taylor find themselves precariously positioned on the cusp of elimination. Viktor Hovland, sitting at No. 57 in the standings, faces his own set of challenges despite a commendable third-place finish at this year's PGA Championship. Unfortunately for Hovland, his rankings fall short in crucial areas, being 175th out of 176 players in statistics on approach and around the green.
Scottie Scheffler's Quest for Dominance
All eyes are on Scottie Scheffler as he seeks his eighth victory this season. His goal extends beyond just winning; Scheffler aims to stride into the Tour Championship with a commanding two-stroke lead for the third consecutive year. Alongside him, Xander Schauffele and Rory McIlroy have also made significant strides, each contributing to a combined ten PGA Tour victories in 2024.
However, some prominent names still seek their first win of the year. Notables like Collin Morikawa, Ludvig Åberg, Patrick Cantlay, Tony Finau, Sahith Theegala, Sungjae Im, Justin Thomas, and Brian Harman—all inside the top 20 of the FedEx Cup standings—remain winless despite their high rankings.
Notable Performances and Course Details
TPC Southwind presents its own set of challenges, playing to a par of 70 and stretching over 7,243 yards. The St. Jude Championship, scheduled from August 15-18, promises high stakes with a lucrative purse of $20 million.
Xander Schauffele's consistency has been impressive, with no finishes outside the top 25 since February's AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. Yet, his record at TPC Southwind includes only one top 20 finish, achieved back in 2020. Rory McIlroy, on the other hand, boasts four top-12 finishes in seven trips to TPC Southwind, including a T3 finish last year. McIlroy's form has been stellar, with four top-five results in his last six tournaments, setting high expectations for his performance this week.
Collin Morikawa has also shown promise at TPC Southwind, securing three top 20s in his four appearances. Meanwhile, Patrick Cantlay continues to solidify his standing with three consecutive top-25 finishes and notable top-five results at both the U.S. Open and the Travelers Championship.
Conclusion
As the action unfolds at TPC Southwind, the 2024 St. Jude Championship not only serves as a battleground for the present but as a threshold to future accolades and milestones. Each player's journey through these critical rounds will offer both triumphs and heartbreaks, painting a vivid tapestry of competition in the world of professional golf.