Venue: TPC Southwind, Memphis, Tennessee (par 70, 7,288 yards). Designed by Ron Prichard and opened in 1987, it features narrow fairways (averaging ~25 yards), water hazards on 11 holes, 75 bunkers, and relatively small greens (averaging ~4,300 sq ft). A major 2024-25 renovation rebuilt and resurfaced all 18 greens (reclaiming pin positions), returned surrounds to Zeon zoysiagrass for firmer/better-draining surfaces, and upgraded irrigation/tees.
Dates and times: August 13–16, 2026 (Thursday–Sunday). This is the first FedEx Cup Playoffs event (69-player field after Daniel Berger withdrew; no cut; top 50 advance to the BMW Championship). Round 1 tee times began around 8:10 a.m. ET (featured groups later). TV/streaming includes ESPN/Golf Channel early rounds, CBS weekends, plus PGA Tour Live on ESPN+. Purse: $20 million ($3.6 million to the winner; 750 FedExCup points).
Weather conditions: Extreme heat dominates. Forecasts call for mostly sunny skies, highs in the upper 90s to around 100°F (heat indices near or above 110°F), lows in the upper 70s to low 80s, light southwest winds (5–15 mph), and little to no rain chance. A heat advisory is in effect; organizers provide relief stations, free water/sunscreen, shaded areas, and an air-conditioned “Hub.” Players are adapting with umbrellas and hydration strategies.
Course conditions: Firm and fast after the recent renovation (second year on the rebuilt greens). TifEagle bermudagrass greens (maintained short), Zeon zoysiagrass fairways/surrounds, and thick 3-inch 419 bermudagrass rough. Fairways and approaches benefit from sand-clay mixes for playability. Expect firming surfaces in the heat/dry weather, penal rough, and a premium on accuracy off the tee and precise approaches (especially 150–200 yards). Water and bunkers punish misses; scoring typically stays in a modest range for a star field.
Player matchups / featured groups (Rounds 1–2 examples): High-profile pairings include world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler with world No. 2 Rory McIlroy (around 9:30 a.m. ET Thursday); Tommy Fleetwood with Jordan Spieth; Tom Kim with Ludvig Åberg; Sam Burns with Xander Schauffele; Collin Morikawa with Cameron Young; and defending champion Justin Rose with recent Wyndham winner Michael Brennan. The elite 69-player field includes all top-25 FedExCup standings players, eight past FedExCup champions, and numerous top-50 OWGR names (e.g., Matt Fitzpatrick, Wyndham Clark, Hideki Matsuyama, Viktor Hovland, Patrick Cantlay).
Tournament history: The event has deep roots as a Memphis PGA Tour stop benefiting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (raising tens of millions over decades). It has used various names and venues historically (including as The Northern Trust/Barclays elsewhere) before settling as the FedEx St. Jude Championship playoff opener at TPC Southwind. Recent winners at Southwind: Justin Rose (2025, –16, playoff over J.J. Spaun); Hideki Matsuyama (2024, –17); Lucas Glover (2023, –15, playoff); Will Zalatoris (2022, –15, playoff). Earlier Memphis history includes multiple wins by Vijay Singh and Dustin Johnson (across formats). Single-round record: 59.
Recent player forms (key notes entering the week):
Scottie Scheffler (FedExCup/world No. 1, heavy favorite): Extremely consistent with one win (American Express) but many near-misses (multiple runner-ups/top-4s including majors and playoff losses). Strong recent results (e.g., 2nd at 3M Open, T4 Open Championship) after a rare missed cut at the Scottish Open snapped a long streak. Leads in key metrics like adjusted scoring and strokes gained.
Rory McIlroy: Lighter schedule but prioritizes playoffs; mixed recent form with some top-10s.
Justin Rose (defending): Returns ranked outside the very top but with proven course knowledge from his 2025 playoff win.
Others in strong form or with course history include Sam Burns (multiple recent top-5s and good Southwind results), Hideki Matsuyama (hot streak of top finishes), Tommy Fleetwood, Xander Schauffele, Cameron Young, Collin Morikawa, and Ludvig Åberg. Bubble players and recent risers (e.g., Jackson Koivun, Michael Brennan) add intrigue.
Betting trends
Trends favor elite ball-strikers who handle firm conditions, accuracy, and heat management; value often discussed on players with Southwind history or recent consistency like Burns or Morikawa. Outright and place markets, plus DFS, see heavy Scheffler action with value further down.
