2014 FedEx St. Jude Classic Discussion Thread

[mvmac]

This week marks the 30th event of the 2013-14 PGA Tour season, as the Tour heads to Memphis for the FedEx St. Jude Classic. A field of 156 players will tee it up this week at TPC Southwind , where many players will look to pick up some momentum with the U.S. Open now just one week away.

http://espn.go.com/golf/blog/_/name/golf/id/11031166/fed-ex-st-jude-classic-experts-picks-golf

Horse for the Course

Michael Collins, ESPN.com senior golf analyst: Lee Westwood
Even though he's missed the last two years, the two starts he's made at this course have netted a win followed by an 11th-place finish. That's good enough for me to earn HFTC honors. Good news: He'll finish top five. Bad news: It will mean nothing for the U.S. Open next week.

Farrell Evans, ESPN.com senior golf writer: Harris English
At the 2013 FedEx St. Jude Classic, the 24-year-old former Georgia Bulldog had four rounds in the 60s, including a second-round 64, en route to a 2-shot win over Phil Mickelson and Scott Stallings .

Bob Harig, ESPN.com senior golf writer: Dustin Johnson
He won the tournament two years ago and followed up with a tie for 10th last year. There's a reason he keeps coming back.

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Birdie Buster

Collins: Victor Dubuisson
We have only seen him play three events here in the U.S. Although he amazed us at the WGC-Match Play by finishing second, his T-62 finish at the WGC-Cadillac and a missed cut at the Masters made you wonder if he was a flash in the pan. Last week his runner-up in Sweden and this week's top-10 finish should put a stop to that talk.

Evans: Ben Curtis
One good week doesn't represent a hot streak, but Ben Curtis' tie for sixth at the Memorial was a very welcome sign of progress for the struggling former Open Champion. Coming into the Memorial, Curtis had missed four consecutive cuts.

Harig: Paul Casey
Fresh off qualifying for the U.S. Open, Casey continues his career resurgence. He opened the Memorial with rounds of 66-66, then cooled off, but he still tied for 13th and is well on his way to regaining PGA Tour exempt status.

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Super Sleeper

Collins: J.B. Holmes
How quickly we forget. The guy who won at Quail Hollow went on the next week to miss only his second cut of the year at the Players, following that up with an uninspired three rounds at Memorial. But that's why it's called sleeper, isn't it?!

Evans: Phil Mickelson
With a federal probe into his alleged involvement in an insider trading scheme hanging over his head, it must be difficult for the 42-time tour winner to focus on golf. But with the U.S. Open on the horizon, Mickelson will use Memphis, where he finished in a tie for second in 2013, to sharpen his game for a chance at completing the career grand slam at Pinehurst.

Harig: Phil Mickelson

One of the rare times you'll see Lefty mentioned here. But he's not had a top 10 on the PGA Tour this year and is more about finding his game this week than he is about winning.

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Winner

Collins: Robert Garrigus

A triple bogey on the final hole in 2010 kept him from victory. His record hasn't been close to stellar other than that playoff loss at this event. That being said, he put four solid rounds together last week and this course will play much easier for him in comparison.

Evans: Paul Casey
The 36-year-old Englishman had two 66s last week to start the Memorial, but he struggled on the weekend to finish in a tie for 13th. Expect Casey, who has been as high as No. 3 in the world ranking, to put it together for great rounds in Memphis to reinvigorate his slumping career. He has six top-25s in 10 events this season.

Harig: Zach Johnson

He's been a bit quiet lately, but Johnson has four top-10 finishes this season and another three in the top 20. A win would be just the boost he needs heading into the U.S. Open.

[Crim]

Play has been suspended via weather. I love how that happened right when NBC Golf was supposed to go live with the tournament.

Phil is in the clubhouse at -3.

Paddy Harrington put in a good round at 2 under. If only he could just put together four nice rounds....

Looks like John Daly chipped in for eagle on hole 3.

[CarlSpackler]

Not getting my hopes up in regards to Phil.

[Motley01]

Not getting my hopes up in regards to Phil.

Why not? He played great today, shot a 3 under 67. His game looked good around the greens, which is what it will take to win at Pinehurst.

[ChrisP]

The biggest tournament of Phil's career is next week. Everyone talks about his lackluster year, but I think the bottom line is the motivation isn't as high as it usually is....but it will be next week.

Good to see the Goose playing well. Remember the last time the Open was at Pinehurst, he was the 54-hole leader as he went for his 3rd Open. Might not be a bad pick next week.

[Crim]

Phil being Phil today.

[CarlSpackler]

Why not? He played great today, shot a 3 under 67. His game looked good around the greens, which is what it will take to win at Pinehurst.

Because he is Phil. I hope he does well, but...

[ChrisP]

Another great tourney for Patrick Reed. Guy is killing it. He's +2 in a tie for 90th.

Given the fact the weather's supposed to be bad there today and tomorrow, I don't think this thing will get past 54 holes. They're not going to want to play Monday with the Open next week so my guess is they're one more big delay away from shortening this event.

[iacas]

Another great tourney for Patrick Reed. Guy is killing it. He's +2 in a tie for 90th.

Not that I care (about your single-minded denigration of someone who on his worst days is better than almost anyone here on their best), but the dude did just have a baby girl.

In other words, man, give it up already.

[ChrisP]

Not that I care (about your single-minded denigration of someone who on his worst days is better than almost anyone here on their best), but the dude did just have a baby girl.

In other words, man, give it up already.

I'm well aware he did. Not that I care, but when a guy props himself up to the world of golf as the next coming of Tiger Woods, he needs to be prepared to take some criticism (even though you don't want to hear it) when he can't make a cut. That's all I'm saying. When he starts winning again, I'll give him his due just like I did Rory Sabbatini (who he has a lot in common with) when he won.

[CarlSpackler]

This isn't the Patrick Reed thread, but I think you need to approach the game with confidence that is just shy of cockiness. If I had the cameras and media on me, I would stick my foot in my mouth quite frequently, especially in a post win interview. I'm not going to judge the guy unless I know him personally.

[chasm]

Mickelson looking absolutely terrible off the tee. His swing doesn't look much better than mine! How is he tied for ninth?

[colin007]

I don't know if it was a typo but I think I just saw replay of Phil hitting an 8 iron 239 yards??? That cannot be right...

[iacas]

I'm well aware he did. Not that I care, but when a guy props himself up to the world of golf as the next coming of Tiger Woods, he needs to be prepared to take some criticism (even though you don't want to hear it) when he can't make a cut. That's all I'm saying. When he starts winning again, I'll give him his due just like I did Rory Sabbatini (who he has a lot in common with) when he won.

Uh, yeah, he didn't do that, and we've rehashed this several times now. It's getting old. That's all I'm sayin'.

[suchjosh]

If I see one more shot of Phil hitting shots on the range, I'm going to scream. There are people on the course for goodness sake!

[RJH999]

If I see one more shot of Phil hitting shots on the range, I'm going to scream. There are people on the course for goodness sake!

Well it was the period between the second and third round, so frankly i'm not sure if there was people even on the course lol

[3putter]

Is this thing on TV? I can't find it

[Hammer 4]

Billy H is on the move....T4 so far....

Looks like Ricky F is playing Much better at 4 under...go Ricky...!!!!!

The GC had the Curtis cup on most of the day, so I have to get my scoring online...