Navigate

WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational Betting Guide (PGA)

by |

It was a very profitable week for those who invested in Michael Thompson (125/1) to win the 3M Open. A bettor on BetMGM cashed in big time, turning a $500 wager into $62,500 thanks to Thompson’s victory. The golfer fired rounds of 64-66-68-67 to finish at 19-under and win his second career PGA Tour title. He put together a dominant performance on the greens, as he gained 7.24 strokes with the flat stick en route to his win.

A star-studded field will tee it up this week for the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational in Memphis, Tennessee. Jon Rahm (11/1), Rory McIlroy (12/1), Justin Thomas (13/1), and Bryson DeChambeau (15/1) are the betting favorites heading into the week. All 78 golfers in the field will be guaranteed four rounds of golf, as there are no cuts in WGC events. The tournament has been played at TPC Southwind since 1989, so there is a plethora of course history to use.

Here are the past five winners of the event:

  • 2019 Brooks Koepka (-16)
  • 2018 Dustin Johnson (-18)
  • 2017 Daniel Berger (-10)
  • 2016 Fabian Gomez (-15)
  • 2015 Ben Crane (-10)

Get a Risk-Free first bet up to $500 at BetMGM >>

Course Preview

Ball-striking will be crucial at TPC Southwind this week, as it is a difficult test of golf due to the thick rough and long Par 4s. The course has eight Par 4s that measure over 450 yards long, and with only two Par 5s to take advantage of, birdies and eagles will come at a premium. Golfers will also make the switch to Bermuda greens this week. TPC Southwind will play as a Par 70, and it measures at 7,244 yards long.

Hitting the tight fairways and small green complexes will be crucial this week, and golfers must have exceptional games around the green to get around this course. Scrambling will prove pivotal to save par on many holes, as GIR numbers will naturally be way down to the difficult test of golf the course presents. In many major-like fields, the golfer with the best all-around game usually wins, and that should be whoever heats up with the putter on these Bermuda greens.

Key Stats

  • Ball-Striking
  • Strokes Gained: Tee-to-green
  • Scrambling
  • Performance on Bermuda Greens
  • Par-4 Scoring (450-500 yards)

Best Matchup Bets

Rory McIlroy over Bryson DeChambeau (1.65 on BetMGM)
McIlroy has an exceptional course history at this event in comparison to DeChambeau. In his last three events at the WGC – St. Jude, McIlroy has a T4, T6, and a T5 finish. On the other hand, DeChambeau hasn’t finished better than 30th in his last three times here. McIlroy ranks second in the field in scoring on Par 4s that measure between 450-500 yards. There will be eight of those this week, and I expect McIlroy to succeed within the challenging confines of TPC Southwind.

Patrick Reed over Hideki Matsuyama (1.95 on BetMGM)
Reed has been one of the most consistent golfers in 2020. In 14 events, he already has six top-10s and nine top-25s. He now goes to a course where he can showcase his elite around the green and scrambling game. Reed will hope to improve upon his T12 showing at TPC Southwind last year. Matsuyama is one of the worst putters on Bermuda greens in this field, and he hasn’t finished better than T39 in his last two times out here.

Xander Schauffele over Collin Morikawa (1.70 on BetMGM)
In 13 events this season, Schauffele has impressed with 11 top-25s, including two runner-up finishes. He has proven that he can perform well in very strong fields. Schauffele already has a second-place finish at a WGC event, and he battled back after an opening round of 78 at the Memorial two weeks ago to place T13 in some extremely difficult conditions. Schauffele has an excellent all-round golf game and saves many strokes around the green with his scrambling ability.  Morikawa will be making his debut at TPC Southwind, and his struggles around the green and on Bermuda grass will be a challenge for him.

Best Top-10 Bet

Matthew Wallace: 8.5/1 on BetMGM
The Englishman is rounding into form at a good time. Wallace has made three straight cuts and has finishes of T12, T39, and T4. His fourth-place finish at the Memorial Tournament was very impressive. The conditions were very tough that week, and the field was one of the strongest in 2020. Wallace has a very elite short game and is an above-average putter on Bermuda greens. If the ball-striking stays strong, Wallace could go very well at TPC Southwind this week.

Check out our review for BetMGM Sportsbook including special offers & promo codes >>


Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | RadioPublic | Breaker | Castbox | Pocket Casts

Whether you’re new to sports betting or a betting pro, our Sports Betting Strategy and Advice page is for you. You can get started with our 101 section — including 10 Sports Betting Tips for Beginners â€” or head to more advanced strategy — like Key Numbers When Betting Against the Spread â€” to learn more.

Nic Turner is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Nic, check out his archive and follow him @sportzbandit.