Best Bets for the 2021 WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational

48 of the top 50 in the world have made their way to Memphis for the final World Golf Championship event of the year. Fresh off his gold medal triumph in Tokyo, Xander Schauffele strolls into TPC Southwind, looking to capitalize off his momentum. Xander finished 6^th here last season and begins the week second in line at the top sportsbooks.

Heading the betting sheet in Bluff City is Brooks Koepka, rested since placing 6^th across the pond at Royal St George’s. Koepka won in Memphis in 2019 and finished T2 in 2020.

With a good chunk of the field skipping next week’s Wyndham Championship, TPC Southwind represents the final opportunity to secure FedEx Cup points before the postseason festivities begin. With that, let’s get to my top WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational betting picks.

A quick glance at recent winners at this venue strongly suggests that a household name will hoist the trophy on Sunday.

Having said that, Fabian Gomez emerged at TPC Southwind in 2015; Ben Crane was the last man standing in Memphis in 2014. Looking ahead to some under-the-radar names who could pop in 2021, here are a couple of sleeper picks for WGC Memphis.

Boasting just one missed cut in the last 12 months, Joaquin Niemann has quietly turned into one of the steadiest players on the PGA Tour. Ranked 12^th in SG: Off-the-Tee and 23^rd in SG: Putting, “Joaco” continues to put himself in a position to pick off a second win on Tour.

I refuse to be late to the party when it’s this blatant that a victory is around the corner. 

Priced alongside Niemann at +4500 at many top sites, head to BetUS, where Abraham Ancer sits at +5000.

Ancer’s four rounds in the 60s in Tokyo landed him T14; he’s tallied a trio of top-5s on the PGA Tour since the start of May alone. On top of his trending form, TPC Southwind is a golf course that’s right up Abe’s alley.

The par-70 track featuring just two par 5s emphasizes par-4 scoring, Ancer clocks in 5^th in that department. The 30-year-old Mexican golfer finished 15^th at his first appearance at this event (2020), propelled by a blemish-free 66 in the final round.

On the outside, -140 may seem a little steep for Daniel Berger registering a top-20. It’s not.

Berger’s back-to-back victories at TPC Southwind in 2016 and 2017 are well documented; he was also among the group of four players who finished T2 in 2020. Officially deemed a horse for this course, remember that just 66 men are in the field, and there’s no 36-hole cut.

Also, know that Daniel’s 9^th on the PGA Tour in par-4 scoring average, 8^th in GIR, and 8^th in average distance of putts made (per round). Berger arrives in Memphis, having finished 8^th or better in three of his last six starts.

All in all, this is one of the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational predictions I’m happy to endorse.

Latch onto Sam Burns without laying any juice in this matchup while you still can. Burns is refreshed heading into this WGC, seeking his third top-20 in his last four starts. He’s 2^nd on Tour in par-4 birdies or better (20.28%) and has slept on more leads than anyone else this season.

Meanwhile, I won’t “ding” Leishman for any potential jet lag coming from Japan, even though that’s a real thing.

Back Burns now, and you’re likely to be on the right side of the closing line.

Think Scottie Scheffler has a knack for playing well in big events?

8^th or better in each of the final three majors of the year (T18 at Augusta), Scheffler’s been right there on Sunday in each of the two WGC events in 2021.

Scottie acquitted himself nicely during his first trip to the home of Elvis, firing four sub-70 rounds en route to a top-15 (2020). Assessing this data, along with his recent game log (12^th or better in four of his last five starts), it all points toward Scheffler being in the mix.

I’m banking on this week being the week he finally bursts through the door.