Updated

Updated · PGA TOUR · Aug 11

PGA TOUR Experts Back Hideki Matsuyama at +205 for FedEx St. Jude as Fantasy Game Adds 4-player lineups

Updated

Updated · PGA TOUR · Aug 11

PGA TOUR Experts Back Hideki Matsuyama at +205 for FedEx St. Jude as Fantasy Game Adds 4-player lineups

Q: With elite favorites looming, can a rookie long-shot truly conquer TPC Southwind's punishing hazards to survive the playoff cut?

Yes, but only if Jackson Koivun reproduces the one thing TPC Southwind demands most: control. The rookie is not a sentimental pick. He arrives with real evidence. Koivun won the 3M Open in just his third start as a professional, beat Scottie Scheffler by three shots, set a tournament scoring record and closed the week without a bogey over his final 42 holes. That shows poise under pressure, not just raw talent. He also reached the playoffs in only five pro starts, matching Tiger Woods’ pace. The obstacle is the course. TPC Southwind is a par-70 layout with water on 10 holes, nearly 100 bunkers, tight fairways and one of the Tour’s hardest par-3 tests. In firm, hot conditions, missed fairways and loose irons are punished quickly. This is not a course that usually rewards reckless aggression. That is why Koivun remains a long shot rather than a likely winner. He has no meaningful course history here, and playoff pressure is different when he begins the week 70th in FedExCup points and needs a strong finish just to reach the top 50. Elite names such as Scheffler, Rory McIlroy and other proven ball-strikers are still the safer bets. But survival is more realistic than an outright title. In a no-cut event, Koivun has four rounds to grind out points, and his recent form suggests he can. If he drives it in play and avoids the big number, he has a credible chance to advance. If he gets loose off the tee, Southwind will expose him quickly.

3 articles · Updated · PGA TOUR · Aug 11

Hideki Matsuyama drew the strongest support in PGA TOUR experts’ FedEx St. Jude picks, with Will Gray backing him for a first-round top 20 at +120 and Chris Breece for a top-10 finish at +205.
The weekly package also mixed fantasy and betting advice around the 2026 PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf update, which now uses four starters, a captain for bonus points and two bench players that can be rotated after each round.
Other highlighted bets included Viktor Hovland as top Continental European at +295 and Michael Brennan to make the TOUR Championship at +620, a two-week playoff wager tied to reaching the BMW Championship field.
The advice expands on separate PGA TOUR playoff coverage that also flagged sleeper bets such as Jackson Koivun, Sungjae Im and Brian Harman for players chasing FedExCup advancement.