FedEx St. Jude Classic 2015: Tee Times, Dates, TV Schedule, Prize Money
With only one week until the 2015 U.S. Open, the FedEx St. Jude Classic may not have an overwhelmingly star-studded field, but with big-name players such as Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson looking to fine-tune their craft before the year's second major, we should be in for 72 compelling holes of golf at TPC Southwind.
A 7,244-yard par 70, Southwind will provide plenty of jaw-dropping and head-scratching moments throughout the St. Jude Classic. The course is known for its undulating fairways, tricky Bermuda greens, well-placed bunkers and abundance of water hazards. The par-three 11th hole draws comparisons to the famed No. 17 at TPC Sawgrass due to a short approach to an island green.
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Needless to say, Southwind will provide quite a test of mettle for the players in this week's field who are taking aim at the U.S. Open, where "the rough is deep, the greens slick and nerves shattered," according to Don Johnson's character, David Simms, in the movie Tin Cup.
As we anxiously await the start of the St. Jude Classic, let's take a look at the tournament's essential viewing information, prize money and some notable Thursday tee times.
2015 FedEx St. Jude Classic
Dates: Thursday, June 11 - Sunday, June 14
Where: TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tennessee
Purse: $6 million (winning share: $1.08 million)
FedEx Cup Points: 500 to winner
TV Info:
- Thursday and Friday: 4-7 p.m. ET, Golf Channel
- Saturday and Sunday: 3-6 p.m. ET, CBS
Notable Thursday Tee Times
| Shawn Stefani | 8:20 a.m. |
| Brian Harman | 8:30 a.m. |
| Dustin Johnson | 8:40 a.m. |
| Ben Crane | 8:40 a.m. |
| Phil Mickelson | 8:50 a.m. |
| Graeme McDowell | 8:50 a.m. |
| Jason Bohn | 9 a.m. |
| Brooks Koepka | 9 a.m. |
| Luke Donald | 9 a.m. |
| Johnson Wagner | 9:10 a.m. |
| Chad Campbell | 9:20 a.m. |
| Cameron Tringale | 9:20 a.m. |
| Chesson Hadley | 1:30 p.m. |
| Harris English | 1:40 p.m. |
| Billy Horschel | 1:50 p.m. |
| Webb Simpson | 1:50 p.m. |
| Ryan Palmer | 1:50 p.m. |
The full tournament tee times can be viewed at PGATour.com.
Stars to Watch
The big-hitting Dustin Johnson will be the name to watch at Southwind this week. Ranked No. 7 in the world, Johnson has seemingly regained his form since finishing tied for 69th in The Players Championship, posting a top-10 finish in the Byron Nelson and a tie for 13th last week in the Memorial.
How did Johnson regain his form? By watching his own TV commercial for AeroBurner, of course. Here's what he had to say during an interview with Mark Cannizzaro of the New York Post:
"I've been struggling for a while. It was kind of funny, I was actually watching one of my commercials I filmed, it was right after Doral, and that was probably some of the best I've swung a club.
I just noticed something in my setup [and Friday] afternoon I went out to the range and just adjusted my setup a little bit and started hitting the ball well again. [My] posture was a little off, I was getting a little too heely, and just getting more on the balls of my feet, I started hitting it good again.
"
Hey, whatever works.
Johnson is leading the PGA Tour in driving distance heading into the St. Jude Classic, averaging 317.6 yards off the tee. His length has been advantageous this season, as it's led to his fourth overall ranking in scoring average and a tie for third in top-10 finishes.
Not only is Johnson playing some very fine golf right now, but he also has fond memories at Southwind. He won the St. Jude Classic back in 2012 and finished tied for 10th in 2013. Even during a streaky 2014 campaign, Johnson still managed a tie for 24th. Some courses tend to suit players better than others, and that's exactly the case for Johnson at Southwind.
One player who has been extremely streaky this year is Mickelson. Following an injury-plagued 2014 campaign, Lefty didn't get off to a hot start, missing two cuts in his first three tournaments this season. However, as all champions do, he rebounded on a big stage and notched a tie for second in the Masters.
Unfortunately, that didn't mark the end of Mickelson's woes. He went on to miss the cut in The Players Championship, bounced back to finish tied for fourth in the Wells Fargo Championship and then finished tied for 65th in the Memorial. It doesn't get much more streaky than that.
Mickelson will be looking to get back on track at Southwind, as he'll be aiming to win the only major that has continued to elude him. Winning the U.S. Open is extremely important to Lefty, who finished runner-up in the tournament a whopping six times, so rest assured he'll be taking things very seriously during his preparations at Southwind.
The man who may have the best chance to take the title at this year's St. Jude Classic is Billy Horschel. Like Mickelson, he got off to a very slow start this season, missing three cuts and posting just one top-10 finish in his first 10 tournaments. Although, he began to right the ship in the WGC-Cadillac Match Play and went on to finish tied for 13th in The Players Championship and tied for 11th in the Memorial.
Horschel now enters the St. Jude Classic with an upswing of form, and that's bad news for the rest of the field. Southwind has been very kind to Horschel in recent years, as he finished tied for 10th there in 2013 and tied for sixth last year. Horschel doesn't have a win under his belt yet this season, and this streaky player may be due.
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