2021 WGC – FedEx St. Jude Invitational Preview

2021 WGC - FedEx St. Jude Invitational Preview

2021 WGC – FedEx St. Jude Invitational Preview

  • August 2-8, 2021
  • 45th of 50 FedExCup events
  • TPC Southwind • Memphis, Tennessee
  • Par 70 • 7,233 yards
  • Purse $10.5 million • Winner $1.82 million + 550 FedExCup pts.
  • 66 players
  • 72-hole stroke-play
  • Defending champion Justin Thomas
  • TV
    • Thursday GC
    • Friday GC
    • Saturday GC, CBS
    • Sunday GC, CBS

2020-21 PGA TOUR SEASON TOURNAMENT STORYLINES

  • Strong field: 48 of the top 50 players in the Official World Golf Ranking are in the field at the World Golf
  • Championships-FedEx St. Jude Invitational, including nine of the top 10.
    • Only the (2021) Masters Tournament, PGA Championship and (2021) U.S. Open have had more top 50 players in the field during the 2020-21 season.
  • Top players winning five years in a row: In each of the last five years (including three prior to the move to TPC Southwind), the winner of the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational has entered the week in the top three of both the FedExCup standings and the Official World Golf Ranking.
    • Collin Morikawa (No. 1 FEC, No. 3 OWGR) is the only player in the field that can extend the streak to six.
  • Bubble watch: Three players in the field are between Nos. 120-135 in the FedExCup standings with just two weeks remaining in the Regular Season:
    • Adam Scott (123)
    • Tommy Fleetwood (133)
    • Justin Rose (134).
    • Scott and Rose are among the nine players that have qualified for the FedExCup Playoffs in each season since the inception of the FedExCup in 2007.
  • FedExCup Playoffs come to TPC Southwind in 2022:
    • On Tuesday, August 3, as part of the release of the 2021-22 PGA TOUR Schedule, it was announced that the first FedExCup Playoffs event is moving to TPC Southwind and will be called the FedEx St. Jude Championship.
    • Other highlights of the schedule announcement include the PGA TOUR and European Tour co-sanctioning three events in 2022 (Genesis Scottish Open, Barbasol Championship and Barracuda Championship).

Top Players In The Field

PlayerTop results this season
Dustin Johnson
37 • Coastal Carolina • USA • Highest-ranked player in the field at No. 2 in the OWGRSix-time WGC winner (second all-time to Tiger Woods, 18) • Two-time major champion (2016 U.S. Open, 2020 Masters Tournament)
Won (2020) Masters Tournament • T2 Houston OpenT6 (2020) U.S. Open • T8 The Genesis Inv., The Open Championship
Collin Morikawa • 24 • Cal • USA • Won The Open Championship in his most recent start on the PGA TOUR • Lost in a seven-way playoff for the bronze medal last week at the Olympic Games • Can become sixth straight winner of the event in the top three of FedExCup and OWGRWon The Open Championship • Won WGC-Workday Championship • P2 the Memorial Tournament • T4 (2021) U.S. Open
Xander Schauffele • 27 • USA • Won the gold medal at the Olympic Games last week in Tokyo • Finished T6 at the event in 2020Four-time PGA TOUR winner, including the 2018 WGC-HSBC Champions2nd THE CJ CUP @ SHADOW CREEK • T2 Waste Management Phoenix Open • T2 Farmers Insurance Open • T3 (2021) Masters Tournament
Justin Thomas • 28 • USA • Winner of the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational in 2018 and 2020 • No top-10s on TOUR since winning THE PLAYERS Championship in March • One of eight players in the top 10 of both the FedExCup standings (8) and OWGR (5)Won THE PLAYERS Championship • T2 ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP @ SHERWOOD • 3rd Sentry Tournament of Champions • 4th (2020) Masters Tournament
Brooks Koepka • 31 • Florida State • USA • Winner of the 2019 WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational • Three consecutive top-10s on TOUR (T4/U.S. Open, T5/Travelers Champ., T6/The Open) • 49 career top-10s on the PGA TOUR in 154 startsWon Waste Management Phoenix Open • T2 PGA Championship • T2 WGC-Workday Championship • T4 (2021) U.S. Open

Tournament Records

CategoryRecordPlayerYears
Low 18 Hole Score614 players (5 instances)Most recent: Tom Lewis 2020 (r3)
Low 36 Hole Score125Tiger Woods2000
Low 54 hole Score192Tiger Woods2000
Low 72 Hole Score259Tiger Woods2000
Holes In One76 playersMost Recent: Kevin Tway 2019 (r4)
Largest 18 Hole Lead32 playersWilliam McGirt, 2016; John Rahm, 2019
Largest 36 Hole Lead7Tiger Woods2000, 2013
Largest 54 Hole Lead9Tiger Woods2000
Biggest Come From Behind Win42 playersKeegan Bradley, 2012; Justin Thomas, 2020
Largest margin of Victory11Tiger Woods2000
Playoffs12 instancesTiger Woods def. Stewart Cink, 2006; Tiger Woods def. Jim Furyk, 2001
Wire To Wire Winners2 instancesStewart Cink, 2004; Tiger Woods, 2000

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