The anticipation has reached a fever pitch as the 2024 PGA Tour postseason kicks off at TPC Southwind, marking the start of the FedEx Cup Playoffs for the third straight year. The storied St. Jude Championship is the stage where the top 70 golfers from the regular season gather, but the field will be trimmed dramatically, with only the top 50 moving on to the BMW Championship.
Each player is acutely aware of what’s at stake: a coveted spot in every PGA Tour signature event for the 2025 season awaits those who finish inside the top 50 by the end of the week. The likes of Jordan Spieth, Min Woo Lee, Justin Rose, Nick Dunlap, and Nick Taylor are walking a tightrope, on the brink of elimination.
Viktor Hovland finds himself in a precarious position at No. 57 in the standings despite an impressive third-place finish at the PGA Championship earlier this year. Metrics show a glaring issue as Hovland ranks 175th out of 176 players in approach and around the green stats. This could be a crucial factor in his quest for progression.
Championship Contenders and Statistics
On the opposite end of the spectrum, Scottie Scheffler is looking to add yet another feather to his cap, seeking his eighth victory this year. Consistency is Scheffler's forte, demonstrated by his ambition to enter the Tour Championship with a commanding two-stroke lead for the third consecutive season. He, along with Xander Schauffele and Rory McIlroy, has amassed ten PGA Tour victories in 2024.
Despite being on top form, Xander Schauffele faces his own set of challenges. Since February’s AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, he hasn’t finished outside the top 25. Yet, his performance at TPC Southwind over the years shows a single top 20 finish dating back to 2020. Schauffele will need to overcome this to keep his streak alive.
Meanwhile, Rory McIlroy continues to be a beacon of consistency and excellence, with four top-12 finishes in seven trips to TPC Southwind, including a T3 finish last year. Entering this year’s St. Jude Championship, McIlroy has four top-five results in his last six tournaments, making him one of the most formidable contenders.
Formidable Field
The competition stiffens with Collin Morikawa, Ludvig Åberg, Patrick Cantlay, Tony Finau, Sahith Theegala, Sungjae Im, Justin Thomas, and Brian Harman all entrenched inside the top 20 of the FedEx Cup standings. Remarkably, this group has yet to secure a victory in 2024. Morikawa, however, has showcased his aptitude for TPC Southwind with three top 20s in four appearances.
Patrick Cantlay is particularly noteworthy, coming off three consecutive top-25 finishes, including a top-five at both the U.S. Open and the Travelers Championship. His solid form could see him making significant strides in the upcoming rounds.
Course and Purse
TPC Southwind, playing to a par of 70 and stretching over 7,243 yards, will undoubtedly test the mettle of even the most seasoned golfers. The St. Jude Championship, scheduled from August 15-18, offers a lucrative purse of $20 million, adding to the stakes and intensifying the competition.
As the field narrows and the pressure mounts, only time will tell which players can navigate the challenges of TPC Southwind to secure their spots for both the BMW Championship and the prestigious events of the 2025 PGA Tour season. With such a high caliber of athletes vying for glory, the drama and excitement of this year’s FedEx Cup Playoffs promise to be nothing short of spectacular.