The 2023 FedEx St. Jude Championship is set to get underway as the first of three PGA Tour playoff events at TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tennessee. Unlike recent years, when the top 125 players ranked in the FedExCup qualified for this event, the field has been whittled down to the top 70, setting up for one of the most competitive FedEx St. Jude Championships in recent memory.
Defending champion Will Zalatoris will not compete due to his ongoing recovery from back surgery, but we’re still getting every single heavy hitter at our disposal on DFS slates this week. It starts with Jon Rahm, ranked first in the FedExCup standings, followed by No. 2 ranked Scottie Scheffler. These two have combined for six outright wins this season, while Scheffler went on an impressive run with seven consecutive T5 finishes before snapping his streak with a T23 finish at The Open Championship.
The best part about constructing DFS lineups during the FedExCup playoffs is the massive amount of value to acquire based on how much talent is in the field. We can go all the way down into the lowest salary brackets to find players like Eric Cole and Lee Hodges, while the middle brackets are loaded with upside, such as Tom Kim, Byeong Hun An, and Cam Davis.
TPC Southwind plays as a stock par 70 that is over 7,200 yards in length. It’s a steady blend of undulating fairways and greens, comprised of Zoysiagrass, along with plenty of water hazards, doglegged fairways, and inconveniently placed sand bunkers along the fairways and surrounding the greens. Ball striking is imperative to succeed at TPC Southwind, as the average green size measures at 4,300 square feet, compared to 5,500+ on other PGA Tour courses. Errant tee shots and approach shots could find the three-inch Bermuda rough while having rows of trees obscuring any attempts at recovery.
Without further ado, let’s find out which players deserve to be plugged into your DraftKings and FanDuel DFS lineups ahead of Thursday’s opening round from the first of three FedExCup playoff events at the 2023 FedEx St. Jude Championship.
Before we get into our FedEx St. Jude Championship DFS Picks and Targets, make sure to take a moment to check out these awesome sports betting offers for this week. You can use one of the HUGE first bet offers to wager with more confidence on your 2023 FedEx St. Jude Championship selections this week.
DraftKings $50,000 Maximum Salary
Jon Rahm ($11,100)
DraftKings has mispriced Jon Rahm’s value at $11,100. While this is still expensive using a $50,000 salary, the 28-year-old Spaniard has consistently produced T6 finishes or better at TPC Southwind in each of his last three appearances at this event. Rahm ranks first in numerous metrics but has been overshadowed by a stretch of mediocre play before making a brief push to challenge Brian Harman atop the leaderboard at The Open Championship. We’ve seen Rahm bury 20 or more birdies in five of 17 events played this season, so take advantage of his talent and consistency at this course by inserting him into your DraftKings lineups.
Brian Harman ($8,300)
Brian Harman is another player who consistently performs well with low scorecards at TPC Southwind. The Open Championship winner hasn’t competed since his first major victory a few weeks ago, so he should be well-rested and focused on extending his momentum on the golf course. Harman has turned in previous finishes of T11, MC, and T3 at this event since 2020 while performing as the best scrambler on the PGA Tour. He also ranks 12th in total driving efficiency, crucial to avoiding bad lies, and ranks inside the top 40 for strokes gained putting. Don’t hesitate to pounce on his massive value at just $8,300 on DraftKings.
Lucas Glover ($7,400)
Fresh off of his clutch win at Wyndham, which propelled him into the top 70 of the FedExCup rankings, Lucas Glover is a man on a mission. The 43-year-old has four T6 finishes across his last five events while sinking 21-24 birdies in each of these outings. Last year, Glover joined Harman with a T3 finish at -12-under-par, so at $7,400, we’re acquiring a dominant player for a fraction of the cost compared to Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, and other household names.
Predict the top three finishers at this week's FedEx St Jude Championship for a chance to win this Golf Monthly x OddsChecker free-to-play golf contest.
How to Enter the $10,000 FedEx St. Jude Championship Free-to-Play Game
1. Make your selections using the widget above - Ensure you have selected each player in your chosen finishing position e.g., 1st) Rory McIlroy, 2nd) Scottie Scheffler, 3rd) Jon Rahm
2. Enter your email address
3. Check your inbox and follow the instructions to create your Oddschecker account
FanDuel $60,000 Maximum Salary
Rickie Fowler ($10,600)
Yes, Rickie Fowler has been unable to finish inside the top 40 at TPC Southwind since 2020, but I believe his current form trumps his recent struggles at this event. Fowler has logged eight T10s this season, only missing two cuts, while ending his four-year outright drought with a clutch playoff win at the Rocket Mortgage Classic in late June. Fowler has recorded 18-27 birdies in three of his previous five outings, plus he’s one of the best ball strikers on the PGA Tour this year, ranking 10th tee-to-green, eighth approaching the green, and 31st strokes gained putting. He’s a solid discount going for less than Matt Fitzpatrick and Jordan Spieth on FanDuel, so let’s roster Fowler with confidence.
Tom Kim ($9,700)
In his debut at TPC Southwind last year, Tom Kim recorded a solid T13 finish, including two rounds at -4-under-par. The 21-year-old South Korean native is rehabbing an ankle injury, which kept him from defending his title at Wyndham last week, so this could have a positive impact on his form at the FedEx St. Jude Championship. Kim ranks ninth in strokes gained on approach, 18th tee-to-green, and 20th in total driving. His skillset aligns nicely with TPC Southwind, so at under $10,000 on FanDuel, we need to insert Kim into our lineups with his dual high-floor, high-ceiling capabilities.
Emiliano Grillo ($9,200)
Emiliano Grillo hasn’t been particularly strong at recent outings at TPC Southwind, but he’s in a rhythm right now, recording 17-21 birdies in three of his previous four events played. This doesn’t include the Argentinian’s outright win at the Charles Schwab Challenge, which saw his putter heat up to match his accurate irons. Grillo ranks second in par 3 birdies, seventh in approaches from 150-175 yards, and seventh in par 3 scoring. His driver is sound, while his putter has been better lately, so at $9,200 on FanDuel, we are getting a steal on Grillo’s upside, which he’s flashed with three T15 finishes or better since the Travelers Championship in late June.
