FedEx St. Jude Championship: Odds, Favorites & Betting Preview

The 2026 FedEx St. Jude Championship begins the PGA playoffs with the top 70 players in the FedExCup standings heading to TPC Southwind in Memphis. The tournament runs from Thursday, August 13 through Sunday, August 16, with the top 50 players in the standings going on to the BMW Championship next week.

Scottie Scheffler enters as the clear betting favorite at +500 after finishing T3 here last year and fourth in 2024. Rory McIlroy is next at +1200, followed by Xander Schauffele at +1800 and Tommy Fleetwood at +2000. Several players in the +2200 range also have strong cases, including Collin Morikawa, Hideki Matsuyama, Cameron Young, Sam Burns and Matt Fitzpatrick.

The FedEx St. Jude Championship odds make Scheffler the player everyone is chasing, but this is not a tournament where the favorite can be taken for granted. Justin Rose won here last year, Matsuyama won in 2024, and three of the last four tournaments have required a playoff or were decided by a narrow margin. This FedEx St. Jude Championship preview looks at the course, recent winners, playoff pressure, outright odds and the golfers who offer the strongest betting value this week.

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What Is the FedEx St. Jude Championship?

The FedEx St. Jude Championship is the opening event of the FedExCup postseason and the first of three tournaments that determine the season champion. After the regular season ends, the top 70 players in the standings qualify for Memphis.

The First Event of the FedExCup Playoffs

The PGA playoffs begin at TPC Southwind, where every player starts the week with a chance to improve his position. The field is reduced after Memphis, with the top 50 in the standings moving on to the BMW Championship. From there, only the top 30 advance to the Tour Championship.

How Players Qualify for the Tournament

Players earn their places through FedExCup Regular Season points. The top 70 after the Wyndham Championship qualify for the FedEx St. Jude Championship, making the final regular-season event especially important for players near the cutoff.

Why the FedEx St. Jude Championship Matters

The answer to what is the FedEx St. Jude Championship goes beyond one tournament. This year's purse is $20 million, and the champion receives 750 FedExCup points. Justin Rose collected $3.6 million for winning the 2025 event. Just as important, players outside the top 50 know that one poor week can end their season, while a strong finish can keep a run at the FedExCup alive.

When Is the 2026 FedEx St. Jude Championship?

The 2026 FedEx St. Jude Championship will be played from Thursday, August 13 through Sunday, August 16. Practice rounds and Pro-Am activities are scheduled for Wednesday, August 12, but the four competitive rounds begin the following day. 

2026 Tournament Dates

Round One is Thursday, August 13, followed by Round Two on Friday, Round Three on Saturday and the final round on Sunday, August 16. The event uses a 72-hole stroke-play format.

Where the Championship Will Be Played

TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tennessee hosts the FedEx St. Jude Championship. The par-70 course measures 7,288 yards and has been the home of the current FedExCup Playoffs opener since 2022.

How to Watch the FedEx St. Jude Championship

U.S. coverage is available through ESPN, ESPN+, Golf Channel, CBS and Paramount+. ESPN has the early television window on Thursday and Friday, with Golf Channel carrying afternoon coverage. On the weekend, Golf Channel provides lead-in coverage before CBS takes over the primary afternoon broadcast. PGA TOUR Live and ESPN+ provide additional streaming coverage.

2026 FedEx St. Jude Championship Preview

The 2026 FedEx St. Jude Championship playoff opener brings a strong field to a course that demands more than distance. TPC Southwind has enough trouble to punish mistakes, and the pressure increases because only the top 50 in the FedExCup standings advance. With the season on the line for part of the field, one bad round can change everything. Precision and patience should matter throughout all four days.

The Course at TPC Southwind

TPC Southwind is a par 70 measuring 7,288 yards. Water comes into play on 10 holes, and nine holes are doglegs. The course also features narrowed Zoysia fairways, 96 bunkers and Bermudagrass greens. Recent history points toward Greens in Regulation and Par 4 Scoring as two of the most important areas to watch.

Players to Watch

Scheffler is the +500 favorite after finishing T3 here in 2025 and fourth in 2024. Fleetwood has two T3 finishes in his last three appearances, while Matsuyama won in 2024 and enters with three straight top-seven finishes. Burns, Fitzpatrick and Morikawa also bring strong recent Strokes Gained numbers into the FedEx St. Jude tournament.

Key Playoff Storylines

The biggest question is whether Scheffler can turn another highly consistent season into a playoff victory. Behind him, the battle for the top 50 adds another layer. Players near the cutoff are not only trying to win; they are trying to extend their season and reach the BMW Championship.

Course History and Past Champions

TPC Southwind has produced four different winners since the FedEx St. Jude Championship became the opening FedExCup Playoffs event in Memphis in 2022. The recent FedEx St. Jude winners have produced a tight scoring range and several playoffs.

Recent Tournament Winners

For anyone asking who won the FedEx St. Jude Championship in recent years, Justin Rose is the defending champion after winning in 2025 at 16-under. Hideki Matsuyama won at 17-under in 2024, Lucas Glover took the 2023 title at 15-under, and Will Zalatoris won the 2022 event at 15-under. Rose, Glover and Zalatoris all needed a playoff to secure their victories.

Winning Scores Through the Years

The four winning scores since 2022 have ranged from 15-under to 17-under. That narrow range shows how demanding TPC Southwind can be even when the leaders are making plenty of birdies. Rose's 16-under total last year was one shot better than the marks posted by the 2022 and 2023 champions, while Matsuyama's 17-under remains the lowest winning score of this four-year playoff stretch.

What Type of Player Wins at TPC Southwind

Recent results suggest that approach play, Greens in Regulation and par-4 performance deserve extra attention. Eleven of the last 13 course winners have ranked inside the top four in Par 4 Scoring, while Greens in Regulation has also been a strong indicator. Strong tee-to-green play has repeatedly shown up among winners, but course history is helpful rather than mandatory. Rose won after several ordinary finishes here, while other champions had already shown stronger TPC Southwind form.

FedEx St. Jude Championship Odds

Scottie Scheffler leads the FedEx St. Jude Championship odds at +500, with Rory McIlroy next at +1200.

Outright Winner Odds

Everyone else is listed at odds of +10000 or more.

Top Contenders and Favorites

Scheffler ranks first on TOUR in Strokes Gained: Total and has seven top-five finishes in his last 10 starts. Fleetwood at +2000 and Matsuyama at +2200 combine strong form with proven TPC Southwind results.

Sleeper Picks and Longshots

Patrick Cantlay at +3300 has finished second, T12 and T9 here over the last three years. Defending champion Justin Rose is +5000. Those PGA odds to win provide alternatives for bettors seeking more value without moving entirely away from proven course history.

FedEx St. Jude Championship Predictions

The FedEx St. Jude Championship predictions start with Scottie Scheffler because no player combines his current form, season-long numbers and recent TPC Southwind results as well.

Who Has the Best Chance to Win?

Scheffler is +500 for a reason. He ranks first on TOUR in Strokes Gained: Total, has seven top-five finishes in his last 10 starts and finished T3 here last year after placing fourth in 2024. He is also coming off a second-place finish at the 3M Open.

Which Golfers Offer the Best Value?

Hideki Matsuyama at +2200 stands out. He won at TPC Southwind in 2024 and enters with finishes of T3, T5 and T7 in his last three starts. Tommy Fleetwood at +2000 also deserves attention after two T3 finishes here in three years and a current ranking of third in Strokes Gained: Total. Sam Burns at +2200 is another option after finishing third at The Open Championship and second at the U.S. Open.

Our Tournament Prediction

Our pick is Scottie Scheffler to win. The FedEx St. Jude Championship odds are short, but his consistency is difficult to ignore. Matsuyama is our preferred value alternative if the goal is to get a better return.

Best Betting Strategies for the FedEx St. Jude Championship

The best golf betting strategy for the FedEx St. Jude Championship is not to treat the outright market as the only option. Finishing-position and matchup markets can provide alternatives when a golfer's win price feels too short or too risky. That is especially useful in a field filled with proven contenders.

Comparing Outright Betting Odds

Compare price with both recent form and TPC Southwind history. Scheffler at +500 has the strongest overall case, but Fleetwood at +2000 and Matsuyama at +2200 offer much larger payouts with strong course records. Rose at +5000 is another longer price attached to a proven winner here.

Finding Value in Top 5, Top 10 & Top 20 Markets

A golfer does not need to win for these bets to cash. Scheffler is +125 for a Top 5 and -210 for a Top 10, while Matsuyama is +500 for a Top 5 and Fleetwood is +145 for a Top 10. Top 20 markets lower the required finishing position further, but exact Top 20 prices were not provided and should be compared before betting.

Live Betting Opportunities During the Tournament

TPC Southwind has often rewarded players who stay near the lead, so early-round positioning matters. Live betting can also create opportunities after one poor stretch, but combine leaderboard position with how well a player is actually striking the ball before making a wager.

Best Golfers to Bet On

The best FedEx St. Jude Championship picks should balance three things: current form, season-long performance and evidence that a player's game fits TPC Southwind. That keeps the focus on more than name recognition or one recent result. The strongest candidates have at least two of those three factors working in their favor.

Players Trending Into the Playoffs

Matsuyama has the clearest recent trend, finishing T3, T5 and T7 in his last three starts. Burns has also been excellent, with a third at The Open, second at the U.S. Open and T4 at the Memorial among his last five starts. Fitzpatrick missed the cut at The Open, but he had previously finished T3 at the Scottish Open, fourth at Travelers and second at the RBC Canadian Open.

Course History at TPC Southwind

Fleetwood has finished T3 twice in his last three appearances. Matsuyama won in 2024, Cantlay has gone second, T12 and T9 over the last three years, and Scheffler has consecutive top-four finishes. Rose also deserves respect at +5000 as the defending champion.

Recent Form vs. Course History

For our PGA betting picks, Matsuyama offers the best blend of both. Fleetwood is close behind, while Burns and Fitzpatrick are stronger recent-form plays. Scheffler remains the safest overall choice, but bettors looking for better prices have several credible alternatives between +2000 and +3300.

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