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WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational betting tips and selections
The PGA Tour travels to Memphis, Tennessee this week for the WGC- FedEx St. Jude Invitational. Only 66 golfers will be in attendance and every single one of them will be guaranteed four rounds of action. “WGC” stands for World Golf Championships, which are elevated status events that offer more FedEx Cup points, larger purposes, and typically attract the best players in the world.
This week is no different, as 29 of the world’s top 30 players will be heading to TPC Southwind, a Ron Pritchard design with zoysia fairways and Bermuda-grass greens. Despite only playing as a Par 70 and tipping out to 7,244 yards, TPC Southwind is a firm test, as the winning score has been 13-under par or higher in eight of the last ten years.
Part of what makes TPC Southwind such a challenge is it’s small greens, and sticky two and a half foot Bermuda-grass rough. Hitting fairways and greens will be absolutely essential this week, but I chose to hone in even moreso on elite short to mid iron players, as 67% of all TPC Southwind’s approach shots come from between 125-150 yards.
Let’s dig into my outright selections!
Dustin Johnson (20/1, FanDuel Sportsbook)
Stop me if you’ve heard this before. An elite player in questionable form drifts to 20/1 at a course he’s won at multiple times. Yes, Dustin Johnson this week is very much giving me Rory McIlroy at Quail Hollow vibes. I understand that the two-time major champion hasn’t been playing his best golf, but the recent Masters champion has always been quick to flip a switch. Around this time last summer, Johnson shot back to back 80s at the Memorial and an after an opening round 78, withdrew from the 3M. Directly following that, Johnson then proceeded to finish 12th-2nd-1st-2nd-1st-6th-2nd-1st in his next eight starts.
Digging into the numbers, Johnson is not as far off as people may think. His irons were still fully intact at the 3M Open. I’m just not sure he wanted to be there, which led to some shaky short game and putting stats. Now the 23-time winner returns to course that he’s won at twice and never finished worse than 24th in seven appearances. Don’t overthink this one.
Viktor Hovland (25/1, William Hill)
I wrote up Viktor Hovland in this column last week, and while he unfortunately was unable to get over the finish line for us, I was incredibly encouraged from what I saw by the young Norwegian. He closed with a final round 64, and ranked third for the week in strokes gained off the tee, and 16th in strokes gained approach.
Hovland has only played TPC Southwind once, and he finished an unremarkable 59th, but I am incredibly bullish on his course fit. The two-time PGA Tour winner is an unbelievable wedge player, ranking third in this field in proximity from 125-150 yards over his last 36 rounds. Many like to think of Hovland on longer courses where he can bomb away, but lest we not forget, he just finished third at the Valspar, another short, difficult course, with small Bermuda-grass greens. I believe this will be a “hello world” moment for the rising star.
Scottie Scheffler (30/1, FanDuel Sportbook)
While Scottie Scheffler may not quite be the talent that Hovland is, he’s not far behind, and I will gladly back the former University of Texas standout at a slightly larger price. Scheffler continues to knock on the door when the lights are the brightest. Dating back to last August, the Dallas native has finished fourth at the PGA Championship at Harding Park, 19th at the November Masters, fifth at the WGC- Concession, second at the WGC- Match Play, 18th at the April Masters, third at the Memorial, seventh at the U.S. Open, and eighth at the Open Championship.
There is no reason to believe that Scheffler can’t find success at TPC Southwind either. He finished 15th here last year, and over his last 36 rounds, he ranks better than field average in nearly every single key metric I am weighing. He’s been excellent off the tee, the irons can pop, and most importantly, he’s just playing some really confident golf right, with four top-12 finishes in his last five starts. I expect him to be relevant in Memphis this week as well.
Joaquin Niemann (45/1, bet365)
Notice a theme here? I’m all in on the young guns this week. Niemann very much impressed me last week at the Olympics with a 10th-place finish where he gained three strokes off the tee and 2.2 strokes on approach. The young Chilean has made a name for himself with his elite ball-striking. Over his last 20 starts, he is averaging a robust 2.3 strokes off the tee and 1.4 strokes on approach. Those are incredibly impressive numbers over a large sample size, especially when taken into account that he is still only 22!
While the former Greenbrier Classic winner has only mustered a missed cut and a 52nd in two appearances at TPC Southwind, he is a much better player now. He’s experienced loads of success at shorter, difficult, par 70 tracks with smaller Bermuda-grass greens like PGA National and Innisbrook. I expect Niemann to be right in the mix come Sunday afternoon.
Justin Rose (80/1, BetMGM)
I’ll admit, I’m taking more of a narrative angle with this selection than a statistical one. Sitting at 134th in the FedEx Cup standings and 16th in the Ryder Cup standings, Justin Rose needs this one. “Need” may be a strong word for 24-time world-wide winner, but I chose to believe that similar to his European peers such as Paul Casey, Lee Westwood, Sergio Garcia, and Ian Poulter, Rose has something left in the tank and still cares to compete in his forties. At the tender age of 41, Rose is younger than all of the players I just mentioned, but you wouldn’t know it from his recent play. I believe it’s go time for Justin Rose.
In one appearance at TPC Southwind, the 10-time PGA Tour winner finished 11th. His long term form with his short irons is elite, and I have no reason to believe that a shorter, par 70 track with Bermuda-grass greens might be just what the doctor ordered for Justin Rose, whose experienced a great deal of success at Innisbrook and TPC Sawgrass. I expect the former U.S. Open champion to rise to the occasion this week.
I’m going to gush in this intro paragraph, to get the emo stuff done early. I’ve not pulled harder for a professional to win, than Cameron Young. I coach golf in New York state, and each spring, my best golfers head to a state championship in Poughkeepsie. I first saw Cameron there as a 9th grade student. I saw him three more times after that. I reconnecected with Coach Haas from Wake Forest, an old interview subject from my days on the Old Gold and Black, the Wake newspaper. He was there to watch Cameron. After four years at Wake Forest, Young won on the Korn Ferry Tour, made it to the big tour, almost won two majors, almost won five other events, and finally got the chalice about 25 minutes from the Wake campus. Congratulations, Cameron. You truly are a glass of the finest. #MotherSoDear
OK, let’s move on to the Tour Rundown. The major championship season closed this week in Wales, with the Women’s Open championship. The PGA Tour bounced through Greensboror, N.C., while the PGA Tour Americas hit TO (aka, Toronto) for a long-winded event. The Korn Ferry lads made a stop in Utah, one of just two events for that tour in August. The many-events, golf season is winding down, as we ease from summer toward fall in the northern hemisphere. Let’s bask in the glory of an August sunrise, and run down a quartet of events from the first weekend of the eighth month.
LET/LPGA @ Women’s Open: Miyu bends, but she doesn’t break
Royal Porthcawl was not a known commodity in the major tournament community. The Welsh links had served as host to men’s senior opens, men’s amateurs, and Curtis and Walker Cups in prior years, but never an Open championship for the women or the men. The last-kept secret in UK golf was revealed once again to the world this week, as the best female golfers took to the sandy stage.
Mao Saigo, Grace Kim, Maja Stark, and Minjee Lee hoped to add a second major title to previous wins this season, but only Lee was able to finish inside the top ten. The 2025 playing of the Women’s Open gave us a new-faces gallery from day one. The Kordas and Thitikulls were nowhere to be found, and it was the Mayashitas, Katsus, and Lim Kims that secured the Cymru spotlight. The first round lead was held at 67 by two golfers. One of them battled to the end, while the other posted 81 on day two, and missed the cut. Sitting one shot behind was Miyu Yamashita.
On day two, Yamashita posted the round of the tournament. Her 65 moved her to the front of the aisle, in just her fourth turn around a women’s Open championship. With the pre-event favorites drifting off pace, followers narrowed into two camps: those on the side of an underdog, and others hoping for a weekend charge from back in the pack. In the end, we had a bit of both.
On Saturday, Yamashita bent with 74 on Saturday, offering rays of hope to her pursuing pack. England’s Charley Hull made a run on Sunday closing within one shot before tailing off to a T2 finish with Minami Katsu. Katsu posted the other 65 of the week, on Saturday, but could not overtake her countrywoman, Yamashita. wunderkind Lottie Woad needed one round in the 60s to find her pace, but could only must close-to’s, ending on 284 and a tie with Minjee for eighth.
On Sunday, Yamashita put away the thoughts of Saturday’s struggles, with three-under 33 on the outward half. She closed in plus-one 37, but still won by two, for a first Major and LPGA title.
PGA Tour @ Wyndham: Young gathers first title near home
Cameron Young grew up along the Hudson river, above metro New York, but he also calls Winston-Salem home. He spent four years as a student and athlete at Wake Forest University, then embarked on tour. This week in Greensboro, after a bit of a break, Young opened with 63-62, and revved the engine of Is this the week once more. Runner-up finishes at the Open, the PGA, and a handful of PGA Tour events had followers wonder when the day would come.
On Saturday, Young continued his torrid pace with 65, giving him a five-shot advantage over his closest pursuer. Sunday saw the Scarborough native open with bogey, then reel off five consecutive birdies to remind folks that his time had, at last, arrived. Pars to the 16th, before two harmless bogeys coming home, made Young the 1000th winner of an official PGA Tour event (dating back to before there was a PGA Tour) throughout history. What’s next? I have a suspicion, but I’m not letting on. Mac Meissner closed with 66 to finish solo 2nd, while Mark Hubbard and Alex Noren tied for third.
Korn Ferry Tour @ Utah Championship: Are you Suri it’s Julian?
Who knows exactly when the flower will bloom? Julian Suri played a solid careet at Duke University, then paid his dues on the world’s minor tours for three years. He won twice on two tours in Europe, in 2017. Since then, the grind has continued for the journeyman from New York city. At age 34, Suri broke through in Beehive state, outlasting another grinder (Spencer Levin) and four others, by two shots.
Taylor Montgomery began the week with 62, then posted 64, then 68, and finally, 70. That final round was his undoing. He finished in that second-place tie, two back of the leader. Trace Crowe, Barend Botha, and Kensei Hirata made up the last of the almost quintet. As for Suri, his Sunday play was sublime. His nines were 32 and 31, with his only radar blip a bogey at ten. He closed in style with one final birdie, to double his winning margin. Hogan bloomed late…might Suri?
PGA Tour Americas @ Osprey Valley Open presented by Votorantim Cimentos – CBM Aggregates
Some tournament names run longer than others. This week in Toronto, at the Heathlands course at TPC Toronto, we might have seen the longest tournament title in recorded history. The OVOPBVCCBMA was a splendid affair. It saw three rounds of 62 on Thursday, but of those early risers, only Drew Goodman would stick around until the end. 64 was the low tally on day two, and two of those legionnaires managed to finish inside the top three at week’s end. Saturday brought a 63 from Patrick Newcomb, and he would follow with 64 on Sunday, to finish solo fourth.
Who, then, ended up winning the acronym of the year? It turns out that Carson Bacha had the right stuff in TeeOhhh. Bacha and Jay Card III posted 63 and 64, respectively, on day four, to tie for medalist honors at 23-under 261. Nathan Franks was one shot adrift, despite also closing with 63. If you didn’t go low on Sunday, it was about the check, not the championship.
Bacha and JC3 returned to the 18th hole twice in overtime. Card nearly chipped in from the thick stuff for birdie, while Bacha peeked and shoved a ten-feet attempt at the win. On the second go-round, Card was long with his approach, into the native grasses once more. He was unable to escape, and a routine par from the fairway was enough to earn the former Auburn golfers a first KFT title.
Card III and Bacha both miss their birdie tries on the first playoff hole.
We’ll play 18 again @OspreyOpen. pic.twitter.com/vNpHTdkHDg
— PGA TOUR Americas (@PGATOURAmericas) August 3, 2025
GolfWRX is live this week from the final event of the PGA Tour’s regular season, the Wyndham Championship.
Photos are flowing into the forums from Sedgefield Country Club, where we already have a GolfWRX spirit animal Adam Schenk WITB and plenty of putters for your viewing pleasure.
Check out links to all our photos below, which we’ll continue to update as more arrive.
General Albums
- 2025 Wyndham Championship – Tuesday #1
- 2025 Wyndham Championship – Tuesday #2
- 2025 Wyndham Championship – Tuesday #3
WITB Albums
- Chandler Phillips – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Davis Riley – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Scotty Kennon – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Austin Duncan – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Will Chandler – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Kevin Roy – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Ben Griffin – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Peter Malnati – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Ryan Gerard – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Adam Schenk – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Kurt Kitayama – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Camilo Villegas – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Matti Schmid – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
Pullout Albums
- Denny McCarthy’s custom Cameron putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Swag Golf putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Karl Vilips TM MG5 wedges – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- New Bettinardi putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Matt Fitzpatrick’s custom Bettinardi putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Cameron putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
See what GolfWRXers are saying and join the discussion in the forums.
Kurt Kitayama just won his 2nd PGA Tour event at the 3M Open. Kurt is a Bridgestone staffer but with just the ball and bag. Here are the rest of the clubs he used to secure a win at the 2025 3M Open.
Driver: Titleist GT3 (11 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD VF 7 TX
3-wood: Titleist GT1 3Tour (14.5 degrees, A3 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 8 TX
7-wood: Titleist GT1 (21 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 9 TX
Irons: TaylorMade P7CB (4), TaylorMade P7MB (5-PW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (52-12F, 56-14F), Vokey Design WedgeWorks (60-K*)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putter: Scotty Cameron Studio Style Newport 2 Tour Prototype
Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy 1.0PT
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Ball: Bridgestone Tour B XS (with Mindset)
‘Why would anybody want to change that swing?’ – Brandel Chamblee says PGA Tour star was wrong to change his swing
‘The stupidest freaking thing I’ve ever heard’ – Billy Horschel slams Open idea suggested by Padraig Harrington
WITB Time Machine: Brandt Snedeker’s winning WITB, 2018 Wyndham Championship
Golfer proudly posts photo of ball mark on iron, receives immediate roasting
WITB Time Machine: Matthew Wolff’s winning WITB, 2019 3M Open
Oakmont Country Club bans Wyndham Clark over locker incident; Reveals specific conditions to earn reinstatement
Adam Scott puts Callaway blades in the bag at Wyndham Championship
Report: LIV star fires caddie and coach in shock shake up
Rickie Fowler makes equipment change to ‘something that’s a little easier on the body’
The championship formula: How 3 key stats separate winners from the field
Peter Malnati WITB 2025 (August)
Peter Malnati what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wyndham Championship. More photos from the event here. Driver: Titleist...
Cameron Young’s winning WITB: 2025 Wyndham Championship
Driver: Titleist GT2 (9 degrees, A1 SureFit setting) Buy here. Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Pro Orange 70 TX 3-wood: Titleist...
Camilo Villegas WITB 2025 (July)
Camilo Villegas WITB accurate as of the Wyndham Championship. Villegas was undecided on a 3-wood when we shot his bag. ...
WITB Time Machine: Brandt Snedeker’s winning WITB, 2018 Wyndham Championship
Brandt Snedeker fired a final-round 65 at the 2018 Wyndham Championship to outlast Webb Simpson and C.T. Pan. His 5-under...
