The 2024 postseason is upon us as the PGA Tour returns to TPC Southwind, setting the stage for the FedEx Cup Playoffs for the third consecutive year. The St. Jude Championship is the first stop, hosting the top 70 players from the regular season.
Narrowing the Field
The intensity of competition will see twenty players' aspirations come to a premature end, refining the field to 50 ahead of the BMW Championship. Achieving a spot inside the top 50 by the conclusion of the week ensures participation in every PGA Tour signature event for the 2025 season.
Among those hovering precariously are Jordan Spieth, Min Woo Lee, Justin Rose, Nick Dunlap, and Nick Taylor. Viktor Hovland finds himself at No. 57 in the standings, despite a commendable third-place finish at this year's PGA Championship.
Top Contenders and Their Struggles
Hovland's statistical struggles have been significant, ranking 175th out of 176 players in approach and around the green stats. Meanwhile, Scottie Scheffler seeks his eighth victory of the year, aiming to enter the Tour Championship with a two-stroke lead for the third consecutive season. Scheffler, alongside Xander Schauffele and Rory McIlroy, has secured ten PGA Tour victories in 2024.
Conversely, Collin Morikawa, Ludvig Åberg, Patrick Cantlay, Tony Finau, Sahith Theegala, Sungjae Im, Justin Thomas, and Brian Harman, each ranked within the top 20 of the FedEx Cup standings, have yet to claim a victory this year.
Course and Schedule
TPC Southwind, stretching 7,243 yards and playing to a par of 70, will host the St. Jude Championship from August 15-18. The stakes are high, with a lucrative purse of $20 million on the line.
Player Highlights and Expectations
Schauffele's consistency is noteworthy, with no finishes outside the top 25 since February's AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. However, his history at TPC Southwind reveals a single top-20 finish, dating back to 2020.
McIlroy's record at the course is more impressive, boasting four top-12 finishes in seven trips, including a T3 finish last year. His recent form is equally strong, with four top-five results in his last six tournaments.
Morikawa has shown solid performance at TPC Southwind, securing three top-20 finishes in four appearances. Cantlay enters with momentum, having achieved three consecutive top-25 finishes, supplemented by top-five results at both the U.S. Open and the Travelers Championship.
As the 2024 FedEx Cup Playoffs commence at TPC Southwind, the pressure mounts for those on the cusp of elimination, while the top contenders strive to assert their dominance and secure their futures in the upcoming season's premier events. The stage is set for a thrilling week of golf, rich with high stakes and elite competition.