2023 FedEx St. Jude Championship: PGA First-Round Leader Odds, Picks & Predictions
The PGA Tour playoffs have arrived! The top 70 players in the FedEx Cup rankings will tee it up at the FedEx St. Jude Classic this week. For more than 30 years, TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tennessee was a regular tour stop. Two years ago when the tour schedule was revised at the tail end of the pandemic, the tournament was moved to the first week in August. Then last year, it officially became the first event of the playoff schedule.
TPC Southwind will play 7,243 yards and par is 70 this week. There will be no cut due to the limited field, so all 70 players will not have to worry about making the weekend. Instead, they will have to worry about playing well if they want to continue on in the playoffs. The top 50 at the end of the week will advance to next week’s BMW Championship at Olympia Fields.
In this article though, we’re just worried about Thursday. Who will be atop the leaderboard at the end of the first round? Let’s get to the picks.
- 2023 FedEx St. Jude Championship: Longshots | H2H Picks
- More Golf Betting Advice
- Golf Best Betting Odds
- Golf Betting Strategy
2023 FedEx St. Jude Classic Championship Best First-Round Leader Bets
(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)
Jason Day (+3500)
The Australian has had a bounce-back year after a lengthy struggle due to back issues. Though his recent results seem to indicate he may have been wearing down physically after a long season, the 35-year-old finished T2 at The Open Championship, and has taken a couple of weeks off to prepare for the three-week playoff sprint.
While Day’s recent history here is awful with four straight missed cuts, that can be chalked up to the back issues. Prior to that, the 20th-ranked golfer in the world had a four-year stretch where he finished no worse than T-6 and that included a win in 2015. The 12th-best golfer on tour in SG: Total and 14th-best in SG: Putting should have a big week and could very well be leading after the first day.
Brian Harman (+4000)
The reigning British Open champion is having a career year and is in exceptional form. Prior to his major win, the Georgia native finished no worse than T-12 in three starts. This will be Harman’s 12 appearance in Memphis and he finished T-3 here last year.
The best player on tour in Scrambling and eighth most accurate off the tee has to be feeling great about his chances this week, even with the best in the world all in attendance. It will be crucial for Harman to get off to a hot start, and he’s certainly capable, having posted an opening round 65 here in 2012. He’s worth backing at this number.
Lucas Glover (+5500)
When you’re hot, you’re hot. Glover is scorching earth hot right now. Aside from a missed cut at the 3M Open, the Clemson alum has posted finishes of T-4, T-6, solo 5th, and last week Glover claimed his first win on tour since the 2021 John Deere Classic. It’s hard to argue with that kind of success.
Last year at this tournament, the 43-year-old fired an opening round 65 on the way to a T-3 finish. You’re getting tremendous value at this number. Glover is worth backing considering he is in such fine form and riding high after last week’s win.
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | RadioPublic | Breaker | Castbox | Pocket Casts