Comments: Expert Picks for FedEx St. Jude Classic

As is the case with most TPC courses, the PGA has relied on the vision of a renowned course architect working in conjunction with a pair of Tour professional. For TPC Southwind, Ron Prichard was the architect of choice while golfing greats Hubert Green and Fuzzy Zoeller lent their expertise and contributions to the cause. The result is a magnificent 240 acres of golf course that will challenge the best in the game at the St. Jude Classic.

The primary theme at Southwind may be water, noted for a rugged stream of hazard runs throughout the course. Nearly every hole will introduce water obstacles that could force oncoming combatants into decisions that will ultimately decide this championship. Large oak trees also spot the landscape as native features of the land while bunkers, for the most part, are somewhat sparse and rarely too punishing to overcome. It's the water that wreaks the most havoc at this venue and you can bet it will be taking part in the festivities again this week.

In terms of age, the TPC Southwind is one of the younger courses the Tour will hit this season. Opened in March of 1988, the desire was to create a PGA-worthy track that would draw the Tour to the Midwest. The TPC found a wonderful site in the plains of southeast Memphis and set forth with constructing yet another stellar TPC offering. While the course is relatively new, the tourney is not. Formerly known as the Memphis Invitational, the Memphis Open, and the Danny Thomas Memphis Classic, the city has hosted PGA events since the 1940's and as such has served as witness to many of the game's elite. Former champions include Jack Nicklaus (1965), Lee Trevino (a three-time winner here), Gary Player, Raymond Floyd, Curtis Strange, Tom Kite, Fred Couples, Greg Norman, Nick Price, David Toms (a two-time winner), Justin Leonard (also a two-time winner), and defending champ Lee Westwood.

Golfers listed in this article:

1. Lee Westwood
2. David Toms
3. Robert Allenby
4. Ben Crane
5. Geoff Ogilvy
6. Zach Johnson
7. Sergio Garcia
8. D.J. Trahan
9. John Senden
10. Retief Goosen
11. Y.E. Yang
12. Shaun Micheel
13. Camilo Villegas
14. Webb Simpson
15. Brian Gay
16. Woody Austin
17. Scott Verplank
18. Anthony Kim
19. Jonathan Byrd
20. John Rollins
21. Fredrik Jacobson
22. Padraig Harrington
23. Ricky Barnes
24. Brandt Snedeker
25. Stephen Marino
26. Tim Herron
27. Brendon de Jonge
28. Robert Garrigus
29. Vijay Singh
30. Charles Howell III