After months and months of non-stop action, the PGA Tour regular season has ended. With it came plenty of drama, new major winners and storylines heading into the offseason. However, before shifting towards 2024, the PGA Tour still has some marquee events, and that begins this week with the FedEx St. Jude Championship to start the FedEx Cup Playoffs. Unlike a normal event, this playoff format brings the top 70 to TPC Southwind for the first step towards making a run at the Tour Championship.
In the betting market, it is time to shift gears since there are fewer players in the field and almost all the elite players ready to go. This allows for attacking big names at reasonable numbers while knowing they will have to get past some elite players to hoist the trophy this week. Let’s dive into 2023 FedEx St. Jude Championship odds and see who is worth putting on the card.
2023 FedEx St. Jude Championship Odds & Bets
2023 FedEx St. Jude Championship Outright Bet: Collin Morikawa (28-1 FanDuel)
If taking one of the true top-end options, it should be Rory McIlroy at 8-1. However, if looking a little further down the board, Collin Morikawa sits at an appealing 28-1. Despite not having the best 2023, Morikawa’s talent with the irons in particular is obviously there. TPC Southwind is not a par-5-heavy course, and leaning on the irons is a recipe for success around this track.
Morikawa being fifth in 2022 is not the only thing that is encouraging; so is the fact he gained on these tricky Bermuda greens. That does not mean he will do that again this week, but at the same time, him having at least some success previously on them is encouraging. That is by far the most glaring issue with backing Morikawa, as he is as trustworthy as anyone with the mid-range irons. Recently Morikawa is all over the place with his form, missing the cut at The Open but finishing runner-up at The Rocket Mortgage. Getting nearly 30-1 in the outright market is good enough for him, as this track sets up very well for areas where Morikawa excels.
2023 FedEx St. Jude Championship Outright Bet: Sungjae Im (45-1 FanDuel)
This type of number on Sungjae Im speaks to the depth of the field. Yes, it is only 70 golfers, but with it being the top 70, there are guys of Im’s caliber at nearly 50-1 in the outright market. Some of that is due to an average-at-best 2023, but Im’s game is still there, and this is a layout where it makes sense to buy a share of him.
Im has been playing a ton of golf lately, including placing 14th at the Wyndham last week. His short game is back and he is consistently gaining off the tee, so he is just missing the crucial piece of getting dialed in with the irons. Like with any player, pinpointing when they will flip a metric is next to impossible, but Im’s game is already in decent shape and his number is big, so he is worth interest. He has wins at the Honda and the Shriners, both Bermuda tracks that do not emphasize distance. That description fits this Memphis layout, and Im’s 12th here last year shows he seems to know how to navigate this challenge. At 45-1, he is worth a shot in the hopes he can get in the mix and outduel some of the big names in this field.
2023 FedEx St. Jude Championship Longshot Bet: Stephan Jaeger (110-1, FanDuel)
Similar to WGCs of old, most of these non-cut, elite-field events are won by guys with plenty of wins already. That makes backing Stephan Jaeger at 110-1 to get his first win a bit of a stretch, but given his form, he belongs in the conversation. Maybe he ends up being better in the top-20, -10 or even -5 market, but there is reason to allocate a little for the outright at triple-digit odds.
Making cuts does not apply here, but that still does not take away the run Jaeger is on. He is finding the weekend nonstop, with his last missed cut coming back in April. Fresh off a 14th at Wyndham where he gained in all four categories, Jaeger’s form is still there and his game is trending upward. For a lot of 2023, the missing piece has been his flat stick, but positive strokes gained putting in three of four has eased that concern. With his game in good shape, it is not crazy to call for Jaeger to continue his form and prove he can compete against the best players in the world.
