St. Jude Classic PGA Golf Odds And Betting Predictions

It’s a bit of a watered-down field at the PGA Tour’s St. Jude Classic in Memphis partly because the United States Open is next week and some players simply don’t like playing in an event the week before a major championship. Eight of the world’s Top 30 are set to tee it up in Memphis. Here’s a look at the favourites on Sports Interaction’s golf odds and the Canadians in the field.

St. Jude Classic Betting Odds

A lot of guys likely on Tour are already at Erin Hills in Wisconsin for next week’s U.S. Open preparations. That’s always the toughest of the four majors so players like to practice on their own or at the site of the tournament ahead of the U.S. Open. Especially this year, because it’s the first time a PGA Tour event has been held at the course. Then again, some guys believe playing tournament golf the week before a major is the best way to get prepared.

American Phil Mickelson usually is one of those guys who plays the week before a major and he’s +1700 to win the St. Jude Classic. The U.S. Open is the only major that Lefty has never won; he has finished runner-up a record six times. He apparently won’t get a chance for the career Grand Slam this year, either, as Mickelson says he plans to attend his daughter’s high school graduation next week. That ceremony is next Thursday in California so there’s simply no way Mickelson would make it to Wisconsin in time for his first-round tee time. The only thing that would allow Mickelson to play would be a weather delay at the Open or a change in the morning commencement ceremony time.

No winner of the PGA Tour stop preceding the U.S. Open has gone on to capture the Open. A spot in that tournament is available for anyone who moves into the top 60 of the world rankings after the St. Jude’s conclusion (if not already qualified). Mickelson has a great track record in Memphis with three top-three finishes since 2013. He finished co-runner-up at 10-under 270 last year with Brooks Koepka and Steve Stricker behind Daniel Berger (-13).

Rickie Fowler is the +800 favourite. He was runner-up last week at the Memorial to good friend Jason Dufner. Fowler has played in Memphis once and was T13 in 2014. Koepka (+1000), Adam Scott (+1400) and Francesco Molinari (+1600) round out the golf betting favourites. Koepka was 31^st last week, and in addition to his runner-up at the St. Jude Classic in 2016 he was third in 2015. Scott is playing this event for the first time in a decade. Berger is +2500 to repeat, which no one has done at the St. Jude. He is one of seven former champions in the field.

It’s the 60^th anniversary of this tournament, and it has been held at TPC Southwind since 1989. The course is a par 70 measuring 7,244 yards. The course record is a 61 and the tournament scoring record is 258 by John Cook in 1996.

Canadian Golfer Odds

Canada’s highest-ranked golfer, Adam Hadwin, is taking this week off following his missed cut at the Memorial. He’s in the U.S. Open field. Graham DeLaet also is skipping after a Top 10 last week.

David Hearn (+20000) and Brad Fritsch (+30000) are both in the field. Hearn missed the cut at the Memorial following rounds of 74-74. His best result in Memphis is 18^th in 2013. Fritch last teed it up at the Byron Nelson and missed the cut. He was 56th here in 2013 and missed the cut the following year.

No Canadian has won this tournament.

St. Jude Classic Predictions

This week’s winner comes from one among Mickelson, Koepka or Billy Horschel (+2500), who in Memphis was T10 in 2013, T6 in 2014 and T8 in 2015. Take a Top-10 prop on each, but we’ll go with Lefty to win. While some guys in the field will be simply fine-tuning their game for the U.S. Open, Mickelson can go all out.