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WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational betting tips and selections
The PGA Tour travels to Memphis, Tennessee this week for the WGC- FedEx St. Jude Invitational. Only 66 golfers will be in attendance and every single one of them will be guaranteed four rounds of action. “WGC” stands for World Golf Championships, which are elevated status events that offer more FedEx Cup points, larger purposes, and typically attract the best players in the world.
This week is no different, as 29 of the world’s top 30 players will be heading to TPC Southwind, a Ron Pritchard design with zoysia fairways and Bermuda-grass greens. Despite only playing as a Par 70 and tipping out to 7,244 yards, TPC Southwind is a firm test, as the winning score has been 13-under par or higher in eight of the last ten years.
Part of what makes TPC Southwind such a challenge is it’s small greens, and sticky two and a half foot Bermuda-grass rough. Hitting fairways and greens will be absolutely essential this week, but I chose to hone in even moreso on elite short to mid iron players, as 67% of all TPC Southwind’s approach shots come from between 125-150 yards.
Let’s dig into my outright selections!
Dustin Johnson (20/1, FanDuel Sportsbook)
Stop me if you’ve heard this before. An elite player in questionable form drifts to 20/1 at a course he’s won at multiple times. Yes, Dustin Johnson this week is very much giving me Rory McIlroy at Quail Hollow vibes. I understand that the two-time major champion hasn’t been playing his best golf, but the recent Masters champion has always been quick to flip a switch. Around this time last summer, Johnson shot back to back 80s at the Memorial and an after an opening round 78, withdrew from the 3M. Directly following that, Johnson then proceeded to finish 12th-2nd-1st-2nd-1st-6th-2nd-1st in his next eight starts.
Digging into the numbers, Johnson is not as far off as people may think. His irons were still fully intact at the 3M Open. I’m just not sure he wanted to be there, which led to some shaky short game and putting stats. Now the 23-time winner returns to course that he’s won at twice and never finished worse than 24th in seven appearances. Don’t overthink this one.
Viktor Hovland (25/1, William Hill)
I wrote up Viktor Hovland in this column last week, and while he unfortunately was unable to get over the finish line for us, I was incredibly encouraged from what I saw by the young Norwegian. He closed with a final round 64, and ranked third for the week in strokes gained off the tee, and 16th in strokes gained approach.
Hovland has only played TPC Southwind once, and he finished an unremarkable 59th, but I am incredibly bullish on his course fit. The two-time PGA Tour winner is an unbelievable wedge player, ranking third in this field in proximity from 125-150 yards over his last 36 rounds. Many like to think of Hovland on longer courses where he can bomb away, but lest we not forget, he just finished third at the Valspar, another short, difficult course, with small Bermuda-grass greens. I believe this will be a “hello world” moment for the rising star.
Scottie Scheffler (30/1, FanDuel Sportbook)
While Scottie Scheffler may not quite be the talent that Hovland is, he’s not far behind, and I will gladly back the former University of Texas standout at a slightly larger price. Scheffler continues to knock on the door when the lights are the brightest. Dating back to last August, the Dallas native has finished fourth at the PGA Championship at Harding Park, 19th at the November Masters, fifth at the WGC- Concession, second at the WGC- Match Play, 18th at the April Masters, third at the Memorial, seventh at the U.S. Open, and eighth at the Open Championship.
There is no reason to believe that Scheffler can’t find success at TPC Southwind either. He finished 15th here last year, and over his last 36 rounds, he ranks better than field average in nearly every single key metric I am weighing. He’s been excellent off the tee, the irons can pop, and most importantly, he’s just playing some really confident golf right, with four top-12 finishes in his last five starts. I expect him to be relevant in Memphis this week as well.
Joaquin Niemann (45/1, bet365)
Notice a theme here? I’m all in on the young guns this week. Niemann very much impressed me last week at the Olympics with a 10th-place finish where he gained three strokes off the tee and 2.2 strokes on approach. The young Chilean has made a name for himself with his elite ball-striking. Over his last 20 starts, he is averaging a robust 2.3 strokes off the tee and 1.4 strokes on approach. Those are incredibly impressive numbers over a large sample size, especially when taken into account that he is still only 22!
While the former Greenbrier Classic winner has only mustered a missed cut and a 52nd in two appearances at TPC Southwind, he is a much better player now. He’s experienced loads of success at shorter, difficult, par 70 tracks with smaller Bermuda-grass greens like PGA National and Innisbrook. I expect Niemann to be right in the mix come Sunday afternoon.
Justin Rose (80/1, BetMGM)
I’ll admit, I’m taking more of a narrative angle with this selection than a statistical one. Sitting at 134th in the FedEx Cup standings and 16th in the Ryder Cup standings, Justin Rose needs this one. “Need” may be a strong word for 24-time world-wide winner, but I chose to believe that similar to his European peers such as Paul Casey, Lee Westwood, Sergio Garcia, and Ian Poulter, Rose has something left in the tank and still cares to compete in his forties. At the tender age of 41, Rose is younger than all of the players I just mentioned, but you wouldn’t know it from his recent play. I believe it’s go time for Justin Rose.
In one appearance at TPC Southwind, the 10-time PGA Tour winner finished 11th. His long term form with his short irons is elite, and I have no reason to believe that a shorter, par 70 track with Bermuda-grass greens might be just what the doctor ordered for Justin Rose, whose experienced a great deal of success at Innisbrook and TPC Sawgrass. I expect the former U.S. Open champion to rise to the occasion this week.
GolfWRX is on site this week at the Memorial Tournament, with both Alistair Cameron and Tour Photographer Greg Moore on the ground in Dublin, Ohio, where a strong field is assembled to pay homage to the Golden Bear.
In addition to WITB galleries, we’ve already been treated to an in-hand look at Tommy Fleetwood’s new TaylorMade Spider putters.
Check out links to all our photos below.
General Albums
WITB Albums
- Jason Day – WITB – 2026 The Memorial
- Chris Gotterup – WITB – 2026 The Memorial
- SungJae Im – WITB – 2026 The Memorial
Pullout Albums
- Jason Day’s 1off Payntr golf shoes – 2026 The Memorial
- JT Poston’s TaylorMade Spider – 2026 The Memorial
- Cameron putter – 2026 The Memorial
- Tommy Fleetwood’s TM Spider putters – 2026 The Memorial
- New Mitsubishi Chemical 1K Pro Orange shaft – 2026 The Memorial
Around the world, the golf wheel spun this final week in May of 2026. From New Jersey to Austria, with stops in Korea, Texas, and North Carolina (don’t let me route your next trip) the world’s finest put their golf games on display. There were three playoffs, some known commodities and some new talent. It was the sort of week that we hope to have at this point in the seasons. June and July afford double-digit major events, and perhaps, one of this week’s champions will use this success as a springboard to new heights. Time to run it all down, tech style, in this week’s Tour Tech Rundown.
Thanks to WITBHub, Today’s Golfer, GolfWRX, and Inside Tour Golf for initial research into equipment.
PGA Tour @ Charles Schwab Challenge: Heroic Henley denies Cole
Eric Cole did nearly everything that a fellow can do, to secure a first PGA Tour title. He stayed one shot clear of Ryder Cup player Ben Griffin. He kept US Open champion Gary Woodland and wunderkind Michael Brennan two shots distant. He posted 70 on day four to reach twelve under par. And then, Russell Henley revealed his Dr. Strange cloak. Henley made 47 feet of birdie putts on holes 16, 17, and 18, to jump from minus-nine to twelve-deep, and secured a spot in a playoff with Cole. The duo returned to the final tee, and put on a stripe show.
Both golfers found the fairway off the tee, and Henley improved on his regulation play with an approach to four feet. Cole did himself proud, tucking an iron to a dozen feet, but he was unable to convert the putt for three. Henley is one of the best putters on tour, and he proved it once more by draining a putt for a fourth consecutive birdie, and a sixth PGA Tour title. For Eric Cole, that first victory should come, and soon. He has done everything necessary to earn the chalice lift.
Henley’s Suitcase
- Driver: Titleist TSi3 at 10 degrees. Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 70g 6.5 TX
- Metal: Titleist TS3 at 16.5 degrees. Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 80 TX
- Hybrid: Titleist TSi2 at 21 degrees. Shaft: Mitsubishi MMT hybrid 100 TX
- Iron: Titleist T250 4-iron. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Golf AMT Tour White X100
- Irons: Titleist T100 5-6 irons. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Golf AMT Tour White X100
- Irons: Titleist T100 7-9 irons. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
- Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM11 at 48 and 50 degrees. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Golf Tour Issue X100
- Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM11 at 54 and 60 degrees. Shaft: rue Temper Dynamic Golf Tour Issue S400
- Putter: Titleist Scotty Cameron T5 Tour Prototype
LPGA @ Shoprite LPGA: Welcome back, Celine!
Soo Bin Joo had her eyes on a maiden LPGA title. She held the lead after two rounds, then hit a red light at the intersection of can-I and how-To. Joo posted plus-two on day three in New Jersey, and dropped to a T4 finish, which was still a career-best for the young Korean golfer. Instead of a new face, a familiar face returned to the top of the podium.
Celine Boutier was the It Girl in 2023. She collected four victories, including a major title at Evian. Boutier reached world number one status, then simply faded into the background. No wins came her way over the next 30 months. On Sunday, she collected LPGA victory number seven, at the same trace as LPGA victory number two.
Day three saw Boutier manage the windswept Seaview Bay course with six birdies and a bogey. She was challenged in the end by Thailand’s Arpichaya Yubol, who signed for a 66 of her own. Yubol came up one shot shy of the top ladder rung. Finishing in third place at -7, two back of the winner, was Ireland’s Lauren Walsh.
Celine’s Suitcase
- Driver: PXG 0311 Black Ops Tour-1 at 9 degrees. Shaft: Graphite Design AD IZ-5
- Hybrid: PXG 0311 Black Ops at 19 and 22 degrees. Shaft: KBS Hybrid Prototype
- Hybrid: PXG 0311 Gen5.
- Iron: PXG 0311 P Gen 4 5-9 irons
- Wedge: PXG 0311 T Gen 4 PW
- Wedges: PXG 0311 Sugar Daddy II at 50, 54, 58 degrees
- Putter: Bettinardi Studio Stock 3 DASS
DP World Tour @ Austrian Alpine: KK? KK!
Kota Kaneko has a rhythmic name. It has strong vowels and a run of voiceless stops in its crunchy K sounds. On Sunday in Austria, Kaneko put a stop to a challenge from Portugal’s Ricardo Gouveia and everyone else, and claimed a first-ever title on the DP World Tour. Gouveia did well to reach 16-under par over four days, but Kaneko held firm, two shots in the clear.
Davis Bryant of the USA also forged a strong challenge for the win. He ended in a tie with Gouveia for second place. Kaneko began and finished his final round in a bit of a malaise, but he caught fire midway through. Birdies at 10, 12, and 13 provided the necessary cushion to cruise to the finish line without breaking a serious sweat.
Kaneko’s Suitcase
- Driver: Ping Max G440
- Metals: TaylorMade Qi4D at 15, 16.5, 21, and 24 degrees
- Irons: TaylorMade P760 5 and 6 irons
- Irons: TaylorMade P7TW 7-9 irons
- Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design at 46, 52, 56, and 60 degrees
- Putter: Odyssey Ai-One Cruiser Arm Lock #7
Korn Ferry Tour @ UNC Health Championship: Improbably Alvaro
Alvaro Ortiz may have had a bit of scare on the outward nine on Sunday, but he came through in clutch fashion in the end. Ortiz began the day bogey-double, and added another double bogey at the 11th hole. He was mired in a downward trend, spiraling away from the top of the leader’s board. Ortiz found hope at the 14th, where his first birdie of the day tumbled home. Inspired, he closed with birdies and 17 and 18 to catch Ross Steelman at 10-under par, and the duo returned to the 18th deck for overtime.
The extra session concluded in brief time. Ortiz, buoyed by his newly-retrieved confidence, hit the fairway with driver, then approached to six feet and drained the putt. Gobsmacked, Steelman could do little more than smile and applaud, as his run at the top came to a close. The victory was the first for Ortiz on the KFT, and will implant him squarely in the chase for a PGA Tour promotion.
Alvaro’s Suitcase
- Driver: Ping G430 MAX driver at 9 degrees loft
- Metal: Ping G430 MAX 3W
- Iron: Ping iDi Driving Iron
- Irons: Ping Blueprint S irons
- Wedges
- Putter: Scottsdale TR Piper C
A party on the green!
Alvaro’s time comes in Raleigh with his first win @UNCHealthChamp ? pic.twitter.com/2dmtZdbSzk
— Korn Ferry Tour (@KornFerryTour) May 31, 2026
LIV @ Korea: Me llamo Joaquin
Chile’s Joaquin Niemann had been away from the LIV winner’s circle throughout all of 2026. This week in Korea, he reminded us that he is still a force to consider. Niemann chased down Taylor Gooch over the closing holes at Asiad Country Club, then claimed victory with a hole-one birdie in extra time. Bryson DeChambeau claimed solo third, one shot in arrears at minus-eleven. Dustin Johnson finished on fourth, one putt farther back.
Niemann’s Suitcase
- Driver: Ping 440 LST
- Metal: Ping G440 Max at 15 degrees
- Metal: Ping G425 Max at 21 degrees
- Hybrid: Ping G430 at 25 degrees
- Irons: Ping Blueprint S 5 through PW
- Wedges: Ping S159 at 52, 56, and 60 degrees
- Putter: Ping PLD Anser
Driver: Titleist TSi3 (10 degrees)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 70 6.5 TX
3-wood: Titleist TS3 (16.5 degrees)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 80 TX
7-wood: Titleist GTS3 (21 degrees)
Shaft: Project X Denali Black 80 TX
Irons: Titleist T250 (4), Titleist T100 (5-9)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold AMT (4-6), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 (7-9)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM11 (48-10F @47, 50-08F @51, 54-10S @55, 60-04T)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (48), S400 (47)
Putter: Scotty Cameron Phantom X5 Tour Prototype
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x
Aaron Rai’s winning WITB: 2026 PGA Championship
Russell Henley’s winning WITB: 2026 Charles Schwab Challenge
Photos from the 2026 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
CJ Cup Byron Nelson Tour Report: Koepka and Kim’s newest putters finally get hot
Charles Schwab Challenge Tour Report: MacIntyre, Åberg and Spaun all switch putters, TaylorMade launches new Spider
Details on J.J. Spaun’s surprise putter switch
GolfWRX Launch Report: 2026 Titleist GTS drivers
Photos from the 2026 Charles Schwab Challenge
PGA Championship Tour Report: Fitzpatrick, Koepka among big-name putter switches for Aronimink
Photos from the ShopRite LPGA
Maria Torres WITB 2026 (June)
Driver: Ping G440 LST (9 degrees) Shaft: Accra TourZ Green 5-M4 3-wood: Ping G440 Max (15 degrees) Shaft: Accra TourZ Green 6-M4 5-wood: Ping G440...
Eric Cole WITB 2026 (June)
Driver: PXG Lightning Tour Max (9 degrees) Shaft: Project X Titan Yellow 70 TX 3-wood: TaylorMade Qi4D (15 degrees) Shaft:...
Si Woo Kim WITB 2026 (May)
Driver: Callaway Quantum Triple Diamond (8.5 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X Mini driver: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Mini...
Wyndham Clark’s winning WITB: 2026 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
Driver: TaylorMade Qi4D (10.5 degrees) Shaft: Project X Titan Yellow 60 TX 3-wood: TaylorMade Qi4D Tour (15 degrees) Shaft: Project...
