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The PGA Tour is walking in Memphis this week for the FedEx St. Jude Classic, the last event before next week’s U.S. Open.
The par-70, 7,238-yard TPC Southwind, in its 30th season hosting the event, will welcome a field that includes Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson, Brooks Koepka and two-time defending champion Daniel Berger.
TPC Southwind’s defense is its greens, which are smaller than the Tour average. Because of that, some statistics to consider this week: strokes gained: approach-the-green, proximity to the hole, greens in regulation. Also look at par-4 scoring since there are 12 of them this week.
Without further delay, here are my top 20 fantasy golf options for this week’s event in Memphis:
1. Dustin Johnson: Won in his Memphis debut in 2012, was T-10 in ’13 and placed fifth in ’16. Has not finished worse than T-17 in a stroke-play event this season. Ranks T-3 in par-4 scoring and 17th in GIR.
2. Henrik Stenson: Hasn’t played TPC Southwind since his T-13 in 2012. Has put together five straight top-25s on Tour. Ranks first in par-4 scoring, first in GIR, third in SGATG and 20th in proximity.
3. Brooks Koepka: T-37 last year was his worst finish in four trips to Memphis. He was T-2 in 2016 and T-3 in ’15. Seems to be getting better every week post-injury, and was runner-up at Colonial two weeks ago.
4. Phil Mickelson: Has played five straight years in Memphis with three top-3s and nothing worse than T-11. Got back on track after Players MC with T-13 at Memorial. Ranks T-10 in par-4 scoring and 12th in SGATG.
5. Tony Finau: Making his debut at TPC Southwind. Hasn’t cracked top 10 since Masters, but he’s been solid. Was T-13 at Memorial. Ranks 25th in SGATG.
6. Daniel Berger: The two-time defending champ has never lost at TPC Southwind. Hasn’t been great in last seven starts, but he also hasn’t missed a cut during that span.
7. Ben An: Making Memphis debut, but turning in some beautiful golf at the moment. Lost in a playoff at Memorial after sharing 15th at the BMW PGA. Ranks 19th in SGATG.
8. Billy Horschel: Has cracked top 10 in each of last four trips to Memphis, including a T-4 last year. MC at Memorial ended a streak of some solid play, which included two top-11s in four events.
9. Peter Uihlein: Opened with 68 last year before missing the secondary cut in Memphis. Fifth at Memorial was his second top-5 in three starts. Ranks T-18 in par-4 scoring.
10. Charl Schwartzel: Made first start here in seven years last year, tying for second with three sub-67 rounds. Has three MCs in last five Tour starts, but other two were a T-9 at Wells Fargo and T-2 at Players.
11. Charles Howell III: Has two top-10s here, but none since 2011. T-26 last year was his best finish at TPC Southwind in five starts. Had posted six top-25s in seven starts before T-65 at Memorial. Ranks 22nd in GIR.
12. Ben Crane: Has made 11 straight cuts in Memphis, including winning in 2014 and sharing 10th last year. Has finished T-11 or better in last two of three Tour starts. Ranks T-18 in par-4 scoring.
13. Luke List: Posted T-18, his best finish in Memphis in three starts, last year. Not lighting it up like he was earlier this year, but does have two top-10s in last five starts.
14. Kiradech Aphibarnrat: Making first trip to Memphis, but is playing some good golf. Was T-5 at BMW PGA before tying for 13th at Memorial.
15. Chez Reavie: Last year’s T-4 in Memphis was his best in four starts here. Nothing better than T-29 in eight starts since back-to-back runner-up finishes, at Phoenix and Pebble. Ranks T-10 in par-4 scoring, T-16 in proximity and 27th in SGATG.
16. J.B. Holmes: Three finishes outside the top 50 in four trips to Memphis, but has shot 64 twice in last three second rounds here. T-13 at Memorial was his best finish since solo fourth at Torrey Pines.
17. Steve Stricker: Shared second here a year ago in his third Memphis start. Has made five of six cuts this year on Tour.
18. Harris English: Since winning with all four rounds in the 60s in his debut at TPC Southwind, in 2013, he has shot in 60s in 10 of 15 rounds since in Memphis. Was T-10 here last year. T-20 at Colonial in his last start.
19. Kevin Tway: After MC here in 2014, he shot first three rounds in 60s en route to T-31 last year. Had posted back-to-back top-10s before T-65 at Memorial.
T-20. Kevin Chappell: Was T-22 in debut here, in 2015, before tying for fourth last year. Slightly hesitant on him, though, as he’s missed four of last five cuts. Ranks T-18 in par-4 scoring.
T-20. Scott Piercy: Has missed both cuts in Memphis and three of his last four on Tour, but statistically could be a nice sleeper. Leads Tour in SGATG and ranks 14th in GIR.
