Wednesday Preview - FedEx St. Jude Classic

We are one week away from the US Open, so you're going to have to forgive me (and the rest of the golfing world) if we don't sound too excited about this week's PGA Tour event. The event benefits the St. Jude Hospital, an incredibly worthy cause, and has been going strong for many years despite being put in a terrible part of the schedule. I'll still be watching, even if my thoughts are elsewhere.

Course: TPC Southwind, measuring at 7,200 yards. This is not an easy golf course, and if the wind picks up, it can be a complete bear. If someone cracks ten under, they will likely win.

Strength Of Field: D-. Sorry, Lefty, but you're not enough to keep this from being a pretty weak field. Can't be too surprised - most are gearing up for the US Open next week or are gassed from playing in a qualifier on Monday.

Extra Tidbits: Among those playing this week who also completed 36 holes and qualified for the US Open on Monday are Luke Donald and Retief Goosen...No player has ever won the week before the US Open and gone on to win the major the following week. Phil Mickelson, however, has won the week prior to The Masters and The Open Championship and gone on to win those majors...only six of the first 22 winners in 2015 have come from outside the top 70 in the OWGR. This includes Alex Cejka, who won an opposite field event, and Padraig Harrington, a former major champion...Last year, Ben Crane held on to win despite not carding a birdie in the final round...In the last 10 years, only one player was younger than 27 when they won the FedEx St. Jude Classic (Harris English). Dustin Johnson was the only other 20-something to win.

Fantasy Four:

Phil Mickelson - Weak field, the week before a major, on a track he's played before. Anyone who knows the game of golf will tell you that recent form means nothing to Lefty, as he will contend seemingly out of nowhere. I expect this to be one of those weeks.

Jason Bohn - Having a great season but is desperately looking for career win number 3. Has played well at this event before, and the course sets up to his skill sets. Last week broke a string of top 10's for Bohn, and he's only missed four cuts all season.

Rod Pampling - Sleeper pick. I felt better about this before he blew a chance to play in the US Open by fading down the stretch. Regardless, he has played well all over the world, including a T22 at the Byron Nelson a couple weeks ago. 

Retief Goosen - Really hit and miss with Goosen this season, but he is playing at an event and a course where he has had success. Qualified for the US Open on Monday, so he may be a combination of tired and excited. This course rewards experience.

Last Weeks Team:

Kevin Na: T13

Rickie Fowler: CUT

Tiger Woods: 71

Matt Kuchar: T26