MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Will Zalatoris kisses the trophy on the 18th green after the final round of the FedEx St. Jude Championship at TPC Southwind on August 14, 2022. | Photo by Ben Jared/PGA TOUR via Getty Images
The first round of the FedEx Cup Playoffs are here and the Playing Through staff has made their picks for the FedEx St. Jude Championship.
TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tennessee, will host the FedEx St. Jude Championship this week, the first event for the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup Playoffs.
Only the top 70 players in the final FedEx Cup standings qualified for this event.
Will Zalatoris won the 2022 edition, but a season-ending back injury will keep him sidelined this time around.
With that in mind, the Playing Through staff has selected their winners for the season’s first playoff event.
Playing Through has done an admirable job in making their picks so far this season, as they accurately picked the winners of the PGA Championship and the Memorial Tournament. The team has also had numerous picks finish in the top 10.
They look to keep the momentum going in Memphis:
Kendall Capps – Editor
I am taking Tommy Fleetwood to win for the first time on American soil this week. He is due for a victory. He has finished in the top 10 in four of his last five tournaments, including a tie for fifth at the U.S. Open and a 10th-place finish at The Open in his native England.
In 2019, Fleetwood finished fourth at TPC Southwind. That was before this tournament was the first event in the FedEx Cup Playoffs.
Nevertheless, the Englishman ranks in the top 30 on the PGA Tour in numerous statistical categories. He ranks seventh on tour in strokes gained overall and strokes gained: around-the-green.
Fleetwood gets the job done in Memphis, putting him in a great position to win the FedEx Cup.
Photo by Peter Byrne/PA Images via Getty Images
HOYLAKE, England — Tommy Fleetwood makes his way to the 18th green during day the final round of The Open at Royal Liverpool on July 23, 2023.
Jack Milko – Staff Writer
Jon Rahm enters the playoffs ranked number one in the standings. He will also enter next week’s BMW Championship ranked number one, as he will win the FedEx St. Jude Championship this week.
The Spaniard last played at The Open, where he tied for second. His 8-under 63 in the third round proved to be the round of the tournament, as his game looked sharp at Hoylake.
He has won four times this season, although he has not won since April when he won The Masters.
Since then, Rahm has finished in the top 20 in five of his last seven events. He has blistered the ball all year, ranking second in strokes gained overall on the PGA Tour. He will continue stripping it around TPC Southwind, a course he loves, en route to his fifth victory of the 2023 season.
Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images
AUGUSTA, Ga. — Jon Rahm celebrates on the 18th green after winning the 2023 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 9, 2023.
Savannah Richardson – Staff Writer
Brian Harman will go back-to-back and win this week after his dominant victory at The Open.
Harman tied for third at the FedEx St. Jude Championship last year, carding four rounds in the 60s. He ranked fourth in strokes gained approaching the green and tied for third in strokes gained overall. He struggled a little bit with the flat stick, hence why he did not win, but his most recent performance at Hoylake proved that he is now one of the best putters in the world.
The former Georgia Bulldog now has his eyes set on the FedEx Cup as he arrives in Memphis with a boatload of confidence.
His hot streak continues in the Tennessee summer heat with another victory, putting him atop the FedEx Cup standings.
Photo by Ben Jared/PGA TOUR via Getty Images
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Brian Harman talks with the media prior to FedEx St. Jude Championship at TPC Southwind on August 8, 2023.
Luke Robitaille – Producer
I am going with Keegan Bradley to win his third event of the 2022-23 season at the FedEx St. Jude Championship.
Bradley has had a bounce-back year, as his victory at the ZOZO Championship in October marked his first win since the 2018 BMW Championship.
He then won the Travelers Championship in record fashion, leaning on the New England crowd to bring him to victory.
Overall, the 2011 PGA Champion ranks 17th in total strokes gained and second in total driving efficiency on the PGA Tour this season. He has hit the ball really well.
Bradley may have missed the cut last year at this event, but his strong play will again put him back in the winner’s circle.
Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images
HOYLAKE, England — Keegan Bradley plays his second shot on the 16th hole during the second round of The 151st Open at Royal Liverpool Golf Club on July 21, 2023.
Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko for more golf coverage. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough too.
