The First Look: WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational

Brooks Koepka looks to get his 2019-20 season back on track at TPC Southwind, where he’ll defend his title at the World Golf Championships-FedEx St. Jude Invitational title. FedExCup leader Justin Thomas and newly-minted world No. 1 Jon Rahm also headline the field. This is Rahm’s first start since his victory at the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide. FIELD NOTES: With 550 FedExCup points available to the winner, there are three players who could supplant Thomas atop the standings: Webb Simpson, who was runner-up at TPC Southwind last year, Sungjae Im and Bryson DeChambeau. The top nine players in the FedExCup are in the field… The entire top eight in the Official World Golf Ranking will be in the field… In all, 45 of the top 50 players in the OWGR will tee it up at TPC Southwind – the most of any event during the 2019-20 TOUR season… Seventy-eight players from 19 countries will tee it up in Memphis… Henrik Stenson will make his first start since the TOUR’s Return to Golf in June… Puerto Rico Open winner Viktor Hovland is set to make his first career start at a WGC. FEDEXCUP: Winner gets 550 FedExCup points. COURSE: TPC Southwind, 7,238 yards, par 70. After 30 years as the host club of the FedEx St. Jude Classic, the Ron Prichard layout – southeast of Memphis – was elevated to a WGC host. Loren Roberts came on board in 2004 for the most recent upgrade. STORYLINES: Daniel Berger looks to continue his good vibes at TPC Southwind. He won back-to-back titles at the FedEx St. Jude Classic in 2016 and 2017 and returned to the winner’s circle for the first time since in the first event of the TOUR’s Return to Golf, the Charles Schwab Challenge… Collin Morikawa, who won last year’s Barracuda Championship played opposite the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational, is now a two-time TOUR winner after recently beating Thomas in a playoff at the Workday Charity Open… Dustin Johnson returns to action after withdrawing from the 3M Open. Johnson, like Berger, is a two-time winner at TPC Southwind and a six-time WGC winner. 72-HOLE RECORD: 264, Brooks Koepka (2019) 18-HOLE RECORD: 62, Jon Rahm (2019, first round), Rory McIlroy (2019, third round) LAST TIME: Koepka won his first World Golf Championship by three shots over Simpson. It was Koepka’s third win of the season. In the process he became the PGA TOUR Regular Season leader in FedExCup points and also clinched top spot in the Wyndham Rewards Top 10. He also became just the sixth player to win a major championship and a World Golf Championship in the same year. March Leishman finished third while Tommy Fleetwood, Matthew Fitzpatrick, and Rory McIlroy finished T4, five shots back of Koepka’s winning total. HOW TO FOLLOW Television: Thursday-Friday, 2 p.m.-7 p.m. ET (Golf Channel). Saturday, 12 p.m.-2 p.m. (Golf Channel), 2 p.m.-6 p.m. (CBS). Sunday, 1 p.m.-3 p.m. (Golf Channel), 3 p.m.-7 p.m. (CBS). PGA TOUR LIVE: Thursday-Friday 12 p.m.-7 p.m. (Featured Groups). Saturday, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. (Featured Groups), 2 p.m.-6 p.m. (Featured Holes). Sunday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. (Featured Groups), 3 p.m.-7 p.m. (Featured Holes). Radio: Thursday-Friday, 1 p.m.-7 p.m. Saturday, 1 p.m.-6 p.m. Sunday, 2 p.m.-7 p.m. (PGA TOUR Radio on SiriusXM and PGATOUR.com/liveaudio).

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