Everything is set for a thrilling final few rounds at the St Jude Classic as the duo of Hideki Matsuyama and McCarthy lead by one stroke from a host of chasers.
The first FedEx Playoff tournament of the season, the next two rounds will be vital as the field battle to finish in the top fifty in the standings and cement their place in next week’s BMW Classic.
With 36 holes left to play, here is a quick recap of how we have arrived at this position and what to look out for over the next two days.
Hideki Matsuyama aims to become the first Asian player to win FedEx Championship
For years Hideki Matsuyama has been one of the best players to represent Asia but ever since his Masters victory, life on the PGA Tour has been mixed for the Japanese star.
Plagued by constant niggly injuries, Matsuyama has been a winner on Tour this season when winning the Genesis, he has also posted top ten finishes at the Players, Memorial and U.S. Open.
After winning a bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Matsuyama has been in good recent form and despite being robbed earlier this week at Heathrow Airport, he has been able to put that distraction behind him and has continued with his good form from Paris.
A great opening first round 65 was bettered yesterday when Matsuyama fired an impressive 64. Dropping just one shot all day, he lit up the front nine with five birdies and was able to keep his scorecard clean on the back by picking up two further shots.
Consistency is what can often plague Matsuyama. When he is on form, very few in the world can keep pace, however when his radar is just slightly off, he has the capabilities to drop through the field quickly.
Needing to go out and shoot another low score today, it will be fascinating to see what version of Matsuyama we see over the weekend.
Denny McCarthy aims for the biggest win of his career
Denny McCarthy is one of those pros who never seems too far away. A dogged and determined player, it’s been another solid year for the American who headed into this week needing to play to tie up his spot in next week’s BMW Classic.
Ranked 45th in the playoff standings, McCarthy is currently projected to sit inside the top ten and if he can keep it altogether he stands to land the biggest title of his career.
McCarthy is yet to win on the PGA Tour but has come close on several occasions, the runner up at the 2023 Memorial, he also narrowly missed out at this year’s Texas Open.
Without doubt one of the best putters on tour, McCarthy’s scoring touch was on full display yesterday as he powered his way to an impressive 63.
Set to start today in the final group, the pressure will be on McCarthy to keep himself in contention amidst this quality field.
He has shown in the past he can hang with the best but has fallen just short. He will hope to change that narrative here.
Sam Burns and Scottie Scheffler lead chasing pack
Scottie Scheffler arrives at the playoffs with a major point to prove. Having been in first position at this stage for each of the last two seasons, Scheffler hasn’t been able to get the job done through the various playoff tournaments and has seen both Rory McIlroy and Viktor Hovland pip him to the title.
The best player through the regular PGA season with six victories, Scheffler deserves to win the Playoffs, but due to the way that points are awarded across these three tournaments it’s far easier said than done.
With 2,000 FedEx points up for grabs, anybody that wins this tournament has a great chance of victory by the time that the Tour Championship rolls around. However, due to his play over the first two rounds, Scheffler will hope that the Tour Championship will turn into a procession.
Currently sitting on -9, two strokes back off the lead, Scheffler has been in this position before, most notably at the Olympics.
Seemingly content to just put himself in a position to win over the first two rounds, it is over the weekend where the world number one strikes.
Able to save his best for when the pressure is at its highest, Scheffler’s name alone will make others on the leaderboard quake and give them something else to think about.
Although he has a deficit to make up, he will start as the favourite for victory and could find himself in a commanding position by the time the day has finished.
Sitting one shot ahead of Scheffler is his great friend Sam Burns. Burns has had a mixed year. Once a fixture in the top ten in the world rankings, the American has slipped to 33 and found himself ranked 28th in the overall FedEx standings.
Without a win all season, he has shown flashes of his best at various points of the year with top ten finishes at the Phoenix Open, U.S Open and Canadian Open.
A five time winner on Tour, Burns knows how to get over the line and could well put a fairly unforgettable year behind him with a bold showing over the next two rounds.
Players to keep an eye on
The St Jude has always yielded low scores and there are several players who will hope to make their move on moving day.
Justin Rose has enjoyed a great end to the season. The runner up at the Open, Rose started the week sitting just outside the top 50 in the playoff standings and knew a good week would see him take his place at the BMW Classic.
That is exactly what has happened through the first two rounds and after 36 holes he is just three shots off the pace. Despite being near the end of his career, Rose is playing some of his best golf in years and could be a surprise contender over the next two days.
Nick Dunlap has already made history this season when he became the first amateur to win a PGA event in over thirty years. His win at the American Express was then backed up with another in the Barracuda Championship and the former world number one amateur is seeking even more history this weekend.
Playing in his first ever playoffs, he, like Rose, is three shots off the pace and is another who will hope to jump up the leaderboard today. Playing great golf and with nothing to lose, he could be one of the best value picks for those who want to place a bet today.
After winning the FedEx Championship last season Viktor Hovland is a name we have barely seen on the leaderboards this season. Having remodelled his swing, Hovland has struggled for form but seems to have found something this week.
A round of 65 has moved him to -7 and he will start today four shots back. The big hitting Norwegian seems to come alive at this time of the year and he will hope to put himself right in the mix for a surprise victory with another low scoring round today.
St Jude Betting Odds
If you fancy placing a bet today, here is how the top ten in the betting currently stand.
Scottie Scheffler - 9/5
Hideki Matsuyama - 11/4
Sam Burns - 13/2
Denny McCarthy - 15/2
Viktor Hovland - 18/1
Xander Schauffele - 20/1
Billy Horschel - 25/1
Justin Rose - 25/1
Nick Dunlap - 33/1
Robert MacIntyre - 40/1
Jack Hartman
A keen golfer and huge fan of the game, Jack has been covering golf for the last five years. Bringing you all the latest coverage and news from the PGA, LIV, LPGA and DP World Tours, never before has golf been so popular and Jack can’t wait to bring all the excitement to his readers.
