FedEx St Jude Classic Preview: Betting Tips & How To Watch

The PGA Tour makes its final stop before the US Open at TPC Southwind for the FedEx St Jude Classic this week. Who should you back, and how can you watch all the action? 

Daniel Berger is attempting to win the St.Jude Classic treble this week, having won both the 2016 and 2017 editions of the tournament, while both Dustin Johnson and Brooks Kopeka (the last two US Open Champions) represent the only players in the World’s top 10 teeing up in Tennessee. 

Adam Scott heads to TPC Southwind straight from qualifying for the US Open through means of one of Monday’s 11 qualifying events, ensuring he keeps his impressive uninterrupted run of major appearances going – having not missed a major since the 2001 Open Championship.  

Elsewhere in the field, 19-year-old Joaquin Niemann tees up in his first event since being granted special PGA Tour membership on Monday, which he achieved by posting three top 10s in his first five starts on Tour since turning professional. 

This is the last time the FedEx St Jude Classic will be a regular Tour event before it is upgraded to a WGC from 2019, replacing the currently WGC Bridgestone Invitational. So who should you back? 

FedEx St Jude Classic: How To Watch

Wednesday, 6th June 
On The Range: Live PGA Tour, Sky Sports Golf (20:00)

Thursday, 7th June
Featured Groups: Live PGA Tour, Sky Sports Golf (17:00)
Full Coverage: Sky Sports Golf (21:00), Sky Sports Main Event (22:00)

Friday, 8th June
Featured Groups: Live PGA Tour, Sky Sports Golf – Red Button (17:00), Sky Sports Golf (20:00)
Full Coverage: Sky Sports Golf (21:00), Sky Sports Main Event (22:30)

Saturday, 9th June 
Sky Sports Golf (18:00), Sky Sports Main Event (21:15)

Sunday 10th June
Sky Sports Golf (18:00), Sky Sports Main Event (21:10)

Betting Tips: FedEx St Jude Classic 

Dustin Johnson: 6/1
The 2012 Champion may have lost his No.1 status in the World to Justin Thomas, but he’s been a consistent performer this year, with six top 10s and a victory already in 2018 in just 10 starts. Finished T8 last week, and was 5th when he teed up here last in 2016. Ranks 1st for SG: Off The Tee, SG: Tee To Green, Scoring Average and 2nd for Putting Average.

Brooks Koepka: 10/1 
Following a week off after a 2nd place finish at the Fort Worth Invitational, Koepka will be hoping this week will help him prepare for his US Open title defence next week. Has been impressive since returning from a lengthy spell away with a wrist injury, and considering he finished 2nd here in 2016 and 3rd in 2015, there’s no doubt he likes the course. Hasn’t played enough for stats, but he has gone T11-2nd in his last two starts. 

Phil Mickelson: 12/1
Lefty had his first victory in five years earlier this year, and he’ll be looking for another at a venue where he has notched up three top 5s and no worse than T11 in the past five years. Has five top 10s this season and finished T13 in his last start at Memorial last week. Ranks 1st for putting average, 3rd for birdie average, and 9th for Scoring average (actual). 

Henrik Stenson: 12/1
Stenson was T13 at The Memorial Tournament and has had three top 10s in his last five starts, with a worse finish of T23 at The Players. Hasn’t teed up here since he finished T13 in 2012, but we think he’s likely to be a real contender this week. Ranks 3rd in SG: Approach the green, 5th in Scoring Average and 1st in both Greens in regulation and driving accuracy on Tour. 

Tony Finau: 20/1
Comes in off a T13 at Memorial, which was his sixth top 25 finish in seven starts (which includes a T10 at The Masters on a post-dislocated ankle). Making his tournament debut here. Sits 18th on TOUR in strokes gained: tee-to-green and 15th in scoring average. 

Charl Schwartzel: 22/1
Despite a MC last week due to a bad first round he had been a constant threat on the leaderboard since his and Louis Oosthuizen’s 3rd place finish at the Zurich Classic, having since gone T9 at Wells Fargo and T2 at The Players Championship. He was also 2nd here last year. 

Daniel Berger: 25/1
Hasn’t cracked the top 10 in any event in 2018 yet (has four top 15s) and finished T32-T57-T55 in his last three starts, yet we wouldn’t rule him out. He went in to both the 2016 and 2017 tournaments here off the back of T67 and T65 results and still walked home with the trophy, so there’s no doubt this course is made for Daniel Berger. Strongest stat is that he is ranked 36th for SG: Total. 

Adam Scott: 25/1
Qualified on the number for the US Open on Monday, so will be coming in to this week with a focus on preparing for next week. That being said, he’s gone T11-T9-T52-T35 in his last four starts and was T10 here last year. Ranks 6th SG: Tee To Green, 10th SG: Approach The Green and 3rd for GIR. 

Joaquin Niemann: 33/1
Following his T6 finish at Memorial, Niemann was granted special Temporary Membership on the PGA Tour thanks to posting three top 10s in his first five starts as a professional, though he did fail to qualify for the US Open at qualifying on Monday. A risky bet and low odds given it is his debut here and he has no stats, but he has already shown he can compete with the best in the world. 

Peter Uihelin: 33/1
Uihlein has only teed up here once and finished T78, but has had two top 5s in his last three starts so he might just be a contender week. The European Tour winner is still looking for his first win on the PGA Tour since gaining his card at the end of last season. 

Luke List: 35/1
A riskier bet as Luke List has been blowing a bit hot and cold this season, missing two cuts and posting two top 10s in his last five starts, but he’s still worth a look. He was T18 last year and ranks inside the top five on Tour for SG: Off the tee, SG: Tee to green, Driving Distance, Total birdies and 15th for SG: Around the green.

Ben Crane: 66/1
Looking for a good outside bet? Crane finished T10 here last year and given he just finished T8 at the Fort Worth Invitational and was T11 at the Valero Texas Open, we think he’s a good shout this week.