The PGA regular season came to an end in dramatic fashion. While the weekend ended with a fantastic finish combined with an epic meltdown, the playoffs take center stage moving forward. This week the PGA Tour is back in Memphis at the FedEx St. Jude Championship for the first leg of the three-round playoff. It is a 70-man field with no cut and the top players in the world — minus LIV — convening at TPC Southwind. It’s not the shortest course but will certainly play as one that requires accuracy over distance. The firm and fast Bermuda greens will be the ultimate test. Here are the top PGA DraftKings Pick6 predictions for Round 1 of the FedEx St. Jude Championship.
DraftKings Pick6 Fantasy Predictions Today — PGA Slate
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Brian Harman M/L Than 68.5 Strokes
Let’s start with how well Brian Harman is playing — he hasn’t missed a cut in 10 straight events. While he hasn’t won any of them, the change in venue and field hasn’t been too overwhelming for Harman. He’s at his best gaining strokes off the approach while remaining strong tee to green. The three most important areas this week are golfers gaining strokes on approach shots, tee to green and handling Bermuda greens. Harman is one of the best in the field mixing in tee to green and putting on Bermuda.
This is a decent projection to clear at 68.5 strokes in the first round. TPC Southwind is fast — specifically the putting surfaces. To hit fewer than 68.5 strokes, Harman will have to navigate the Bermuda undulations and speed, something he’s been plenty capable — allowing for a strong first day of golf. Add in scrambling, and we start to see a picture where Harman is one of the few perfect fits for Southwind.
DraftKings Pick6 Prediction: Brian Harman Less Than 68.5 Strokes
Sahith Theegala M/L Than 68.5 Strokes
With this being a 70-man field and no cut, we should expect some late runs given the opportunity to stick around for the weekend. That plays better for those with more — or more successful — course history at TPC Southwind. In the case of the first round, it’s even more vital. The easiest thing — which is never truly easy — about capping this event is that it never changes. It’s a major-type event with the field and level of importance, but the venue never changes. That’s where we find Sahith Theegala as a value play to go less than 68.5 strokes on day 1.
Theegala returns to Memphis after back-to-back top-13 finishes and has some of the best performing course history at Southwind in the field. Theegala also isn’t dialed in with his approach shots, neither currently nor the past two years at this event. He had a fourth at the Genesis, a missed cut at the Open, then a sixth at the 3M, with him losing strokes on the approach in each tournament. He lost both times out at TPC Southwind too, yet it never mattered. He should be in talks come Sunday, starting with a monster opener on Thursday.
DraftKings Pick6 Prediction: Sahith Theegala Less Than 68.5 Strokes
