The FedExCup Playoffs have arrived, and only the top 70 players in the standings remain to compete for massive purses and plenty of other perks.

After this week, that number gets whittled down to 50.

After that, 30.

And whoever outlasts that final field of 30 will be crowned FedExCup champion.

That’s the gist of how the FedExCup Playoffs work these days.

There used to be a thing called “Starting Strokes,” but everyone hated it, so they got rid of it.

Frankly, people aren’t exactly in love with the playoff format in general, and the new TOUR leadership has already made plans to scrap it after 2027 in favor of match play.

We support this endeavor.

Apparently, FedEx—who has spent more than $1 billion investing in the PGA TOUR since 2007—does not.

There are rumors circulating this week that FedEx is considering pulling out when its current deal expires after 2027.

Future of FedEx’s PGA TOUR Deal in Question as Playoffs Begin

So, as we tee off the penultimate playing of the FedExCup Playoffs in their current form, who is most in danger of missing the top 50, seeing their season come to an end, and what do they need to do to keep going?

Key Stats for the St. Jude Championship

  • Prioritize accuracy over raw distance. TPC Southwind favored accurate drivers last year, so lean toward players who consistently find fairways and avoid the big numbers rather than pure bombers.
  • Ball-striking mattered more than putting. Approach play accounted for 37.6% of scoring variance, while off-the-tee jumped to 21.2%—well above the PGA TOUR average. Target strong Strokes Gained: Approach + Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee profiles.
  • This is a course where talent tends to show up. The skill-separation slope was 1.34, meaning better players separated themselves significantly more than they do at a typical TOUR stop. Combined with the relatively low 2.48 scoring standard deviation, that points toward backing elite and favorite-tier players over lottery-ticket longshots.

 

The Details

Previous Winners

How to Watch

Featured Groups

The TOUR is doing something slightly different this week, with coverage available across both ESPN’s linear channels and ESPN+.

Frankly, it’s a little confusing.

→ You can read all about it here

Weekly Bets: St. Jude Championship

We’ve partnered with Keith Stewart at Read The Line to share his weekly golf betting picks with the Caddyshanks crew.

If you’re the type who enjoys breaking down matchups, spotting trends, and hunting for value, you’ll feel right at home in the RTL community.

Use code CADDYSHANKS2026 for 20% off.

Keith Stewart’s Picks

 

Sam Burns (+2200, DraftKings)

If there was ever a venue built for Sam Burns’ 2026 season, TPC Southwind is the place.

A fantastic southern scorer, Burns has five career PGA TOUR wins south of Fort Worth, Texas.

Bermuda Burns is back, and the combination of his excellent iron play, driver acumen, and TOUR-leading putting has Sam poised to take home career title No. 6.

 

Tom Kim (+5100, DraftKings)

In 2022, Tom Kim won four starts after earning his first PGA TOUR victory at the Wyndham Championship.

Now, four starts after his fourth TOUR win at the Genesis Scottish Open, Kim gets another accuracy-driven course that fits his game perfectly.

Sedgefield and Southwind are strong comparison courses, and Tom’s success in Greensboro should translate well to this TPC layout.

On a mission to make the TOUR Championship, Kim should continue scoring on venues where precision matters more than power.

 

Caddyshanks Picks

 

Patrick Cantlay (+3100, DraftKings)

Ole Patty Ice hasn’t found the winner’s circle in a while, but he has a history of playing well at Southwind—and an even better history of winning in the playoffs.

The last time we saw him was at the Rocket Classic, where he finished T8, so we know the form is there.

 

Hideki Matsuyama (+2900, DraftKings)

Well, I think I’ve picked Hideki four other times this year, and I have been dead wrong every single time.

That will not deter me from picking him again.

His recent form has been really good, and his course history at Southwind is even better.

He won here in 2024, and I think he can do it again.