The PGA Tour playoffs kick off with the FedEx St Jude Championship from the classic TPC Southwind course with Justin Rose set to defend his title. All 70 competitors will be jockeying for one of the Top 30 positions at East Lake and the Tour Championship in two weeks time.
Key Stats/Skill Set Required
- GIR
- Strokes Gained: Tee To Green
- Ball Striking
- Scrambling
- Bogey Avoidance
- Driving Distance
- Putting Average
- Par 4 Scoring
Form from the tee is not critical at TPC Southwind but Ball Striking is important and distance is a help. It is a second-shot course though and a bang-on approach game is the best guide. Avoiding trouble and putting well are important.
Key Correlation Courses/Tournaments
- Sony Open
- RSM Classic
- Charles Schwab Classic
There is nobody on the planet playing better gold right now than Matt Fitzpatrick. He has won three times since the end of March and posted another three Top 5s. He finished Top 22 in the first three majors of the year before missing his first cut since 2025 in the Open Championship. He has a nice record at TPC Southwind with three Top 6s from seven starts. He ranks 2nd in Strokes Gained: Tee To Green, 3rd in Ball Striking, 5th in GIR, 6th in Par 4 Scoring and 10th in Bogey Avoidance. Stunning price this week.
Bomber who won The Players Championship in March and backed it up with a third in The Masters and a win in the Cadillac Championship before his form tailed off a touch. Cameron Young rediscovered it at the Open Championship where he finished runner-up. He finished fifth here last year. Ranks Top 12 in Strokes Gained: Tee To Green, Ball Striking, Scrambling, Bogey Avoidance and Par 4 Scoring. Strong profile.
Patrick Cantlay is well under the radar these days but he remains in the Data Golf Top 12 and he has posted eight Top 17 finishes in his last 12 starts – and seven from nine in non-majors. He loves it here with Top 12 finishes at his last three starts. Ranks 6th in Par 4 Scoring, 8th in Bogey Avoidance, 9th in Strokes Gained: Tee To Green and 10th in Scrambling
Michael Thorbjornsen finally broke through for a long overdue win at the Rocket Classic and now he has gotten over the hump a strong run would not surprise. He is all class and can compete at this level. He ranks 7th in Scrambling, 7th in Bogey Avoidance and 12th in Ball Striking. Strong form on the correlation courses too with back-to-back Top 8s at the RSM Classic and a T-16 at the Charles Schwab this year.
Tom Kim has hit a rich vein of form of late and can carry that into a big Fedex Playoffs. Kim won the Scottish Open but also finished third in the US Open and fifth in the Wyndham. His approach game numbers have been off the charts. He ranks 4th in Scrambling and 4th in Bogey Avoidance to go with 12th in Strokes Gained: Tee To Green.