The TPC Southwind is slowly starting to dry out as a severe thunderstorm blew through the Memphis area on Tuesday. Players were able to take advantage of the soft conditions in the first round, but Friday was a different story.
The circumstances of the game may have changed, but the man who got the job done remained the same. Overnight leader JJ Spaun sleeps in the lead again as the Texas Open winner heads into the weekend at 11-under and leads Cep Straka and Troy Merritt by a stroke. Spawn backed up a blistering 8-under 62 round and on Friday afternoon he started his championship with a 3-under 67 over St. Jude and maintained his dominance on the field.
Straka was the man to climb the leaderboard in the morning of the second round, posting an opening 6-under 64 followed by a second-round 66. He struggled to find that kind of quality and the FedEx Cup he reached the playoffs but missed the cut in the last six tournaments.
Behind the three double-digit underscores are the hottest players in the world. Tony Finau is likely to become the first player since Dustin Johnson in 2017 to win three straight games, as he went 8-under. Also at 8-under is Champion Golfer of the Year Cameron Smith.
leader
1. JJ Spawn (-11)
Some might think that the true lead for this tournament is at 8-under, but Spaun should have some endurance on this leaderboard. The Los Angeles native, who scored his first career victory over his TPC San Antonio in the spring, showed serious determination throughout his entire run on the PGA Tour.
Up to this point, he has avoided TPC Southwind in a relatively stress-free manner. Only he has scored 13 birdies against two bogeys. His fifth in strokes gained tee-to-green and his fourth in strokes gained his putting puts him at the top of the leaderboard and looking to win his second trophy of the season. No wonder they are fighting.
Other Candidates
T2. Sepp Straka, Troy Merritt (-10)
4. Denny McCarthy (-9)
T5. Brian Herman, Tony Finau, Cameron Smith, Ryan Palmer (-8)
Technically, Finau is the defending champion. He broke his five-year hiatus from the winners’ circle with a win at his trust at Northern, but let’s change gears. One player who has been in the spotlight lately is Smith, who is rumored to be heading to the LIV Golf Series after his Cup playoffs finish for FedEx.
The Australian had a great 2022 look, including dueling Jon Rahm at the Tournament of Champions, taking home the biggest prize of the season at the Players Championship and winning the Claret Jug at St Andrews. Smith jumped onto the front page of the leaderboard thanks to an eagle on his par-5 16th hole and is set to enter the weekend as his favorite in betting. The regular, who has already raised just under $10 million in his season, has the potential to triple that amount with his postseason success.
Schaeffler and McIlroy disrespect people who sent packages early
Scotty Schaeffler, who started the week with a lead of more than 1,000 points in the FedEx Cup, is in danger of losing the top spot on the standings. The world number one who has held the top spot for over 20 weeks could see another number next to his name in the BMW Championship after missing out on qualification at TPC Southwinds .
Last season, Colin Morikawa entered the postseason as the top man, but by the time the tour championship culminated, he had fallen to 28th place. was not alone with him, so he might avoid such a move.
Just two weeks away from golf, Rory McIlroy showed a lot of rust at TPC Southwinds. The man, who signed in rounds 70-69 and entered his sixth week in his Cup standings with FedEx, ultimately missed the cut by one stroke and if he were to reach his championship on tour. will have to cut back on his work next week because of leader.
The good news for McIlroy is that World No. 1 and FedEx Cup regular season leader Scheffler is in no position to extend his lead. With a new player potentially at the top of the rankings, the world number three can take solace in his history at Eastlake, where he has won his two FedEx Cups in the past.
In total, six players in the top 20 FedEx Cup rankings will be unavailable for the weekend. Hideki Matsuyama (11th), Jordan Spieth (15th), Tom Hoge (17th) and Billy Horschel (No. 18) head to Wilmington ahead of schedule.
Biggest FedEx Cup Moves From Friday
|
Lucas Glover |
121 |
60 |
yes |
|
Ryan Palmer |
110 |
57 |
yes |
|
Troy Merritt |
64 |
17 |
yes |
|
Tyler Duncan |
118 |
75 |
No |
|
Sepp Straka |
35 |
Ten |
yes |
|
James Hahn |
108 |
83 |
No |
|
Adam Scott |
77 |
53 |
yes |
|
Brian Harman |
55 |
32 |
yes |
|
JJ Spawn |
twenty five |
2 |
yes |
|
Lee Hodges |
99 |
77 |
No |
2022 St. Jude Championship odds and picks updated
- Cameron Smith: 23/4
- Tony Finau: 13/2
- JJ Span: 17/2
- Troy Merritt: 10-1
- Denny McCarthy: 14-1
- Justin Thomas: 14-1
- Matt Fitzpatrick: 14-1
- Sepp Straka: 16-1
- Will Zaratris: 18-1
- Sam Burns: 20-1
- Brian Harman: 20-1
With 26 players within 5 strokes of the lead, this is a ball game played over 36 holes. Last year, I confirmed with Bryson DeChambeau and Harris English that TPC Southwinds can be a difficult golf course to close, as water hazards tend to be slightly greater under pressure. did. FedEx He should increase this a little, taking into account the Cup playoffs. So it might be wise to search for 5 or 4 unders in these names.
Jon Rahm is a fitting name as he is one of the top players with 4 under 40 wins. The Spaniard, who ranks seventh in strokes from the tee to the green, can’t get things rolling on the green and already has a trio of three-putts for him. Putters were an issue all season, but worth the investment. Rickie Fowler, if not Rahm, is still an interesting name in his 300-1 record. There’s a reason he’s a long shot, but his off-the-tee numbers are incredible and his approach stats are skewed negative by two iron shots that found water on Friday. Everything else seems fine in his game and in the past he has preferred his TPC Southwind.
