N※N

Show Sports and Competition Publications

Fed Ex Cup Five Players Who Crumbledat St. Jude Championship

FedEx Cup Drama: Five Players Who Faltered at the St. Jude Championship

The FedEx St. Jude Championship, the opening salvo of the PGA Tour's lucrative FedEx Cup playoffs, is always a high-stakes affair where the top 70 players in the points standings battle for survival and a shot at the massive $20 million bonus awarded to the eventual champion. Held at the challenging TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tennessee, this year's event was no exception, delivering a mix of triumphs and heartbreaks. While stars like Hideki Matsuyama surged to victory with a clutch performance, others saw their playoff dreams unravel in spectacular fashion. As the field narrows to 50 for the next leg at the BMW Championship, and then to 30 for the Tour Championship, the pressure cooker of the playoffs exposed vulnerabilities in even the most seasoned pros. In this analysis, we spotlight five players whose performances at St. Jude can only be described as crumbling under the weight of expectations, leading to early exits, plummeting rankings, and uncertain futures in the race for the FedEx Cup.

First on the list is Justin Thomas, a two-time PGA Championship winner and former world No. 1 whose pedigree should have made him a playoff powerhouse. Entering the St. Jude Championship ranked 22nd in the FedEx Cup standings, Thomas was poised for a deep run, especially given his history of strong showings in pressure-packed events. However, his week in Memphis was a disaster from the outset. Plagued by inconsistent ball-striking and a putter that went ice-cold, Thomas carded rounds of 71 and 73, missing the cut by a wide margin. His struggles weren't isolated; they've been building throughout the season, with only sporadic flashes of brilliance amid a sea of mediocrity. Analysts point to mechanical issues in his swing and perhaps the mental toll of a year without a win. The fallout? Thomas tumbled out of the top 50, ending his playoff journey prematurely and forcing him to reflect on a season that promised so much but delivered little. For a player who once dominated the Tour, this crumble at St. Jude underscores the razor-thin margins in professional golf and raises questions about his form heading into 2025.

Next up is Jordan Spieth, the enigmatic Texan known for his wizardry around the greens and a resume boasting three major championships. Spieth arrived at TPC Southwind sitting at 31st in the standings, buoyed by a solid if unspectacular regular season that included a runner-up finish at the Valero Texas Open. Expectations were high for Spieth to leverage his short-game prowess on a course that demands precision. Instead, he imploded with a first-round 74 marred by errant drives and missed opportunities, followed by a second-round 71 that wasn't enough to make the weekend. His putting, usually a strength, betrayed him with several three-putts that left fans and pundits scratching their heads. Spieth's crumble can be attributed to a recurring theme in his recent career: inconsistency off the tee, which forces him into recovery mode too often. Dropping to outside the top 50, Spieth's early exit not only halts his FedEx Cup aspirations but also amplifies concerns about his ability to string together four solid rounds in big spots. As he heads into the offseason, Spieth will need to address these flaws if he hopes to reclaim his status as a perennial contender.

Shifting focus to Will Zalatoris, the young gun whose breakout 2022 season included a FedEx St. Jude victory and a near-miss at the PGA Championship. Ranked 49th entering the event, Zalatoris was fighting to extend his playoff life after a season disrupted by injuries and uneven play. His ball-striking remains elite, but at St. Jude, everything else fell apart. Opening with a 72, he followed with a disastrous 75 that included bogeys on par-5s and a double on the par-3 14th, missing the cut and sealing his fate. The crumble here stems from putting woes and perhaps the lingering effects of back issues that sidelined him last year. Zalatoris's raw talent is undeniable, but this performance highlights the fragility of a game reliant on health and confidence. Exiting the playoffs early, he now faces a long offseason to rebuild, with the golf world watching to see if he can recapture the magic that made him a rising star.

Another notable falter came from Tony Finau, the powerful Utah native with six PGA Tour wins under his belt, including back-to-back victories in 2022. Finau entered Memphis at 28th in the standings, fresh off a strong showing at the Olympics where he helped Team USA secure gold. Yet, his St. Jude week was a letdown, starting with a 72 and collapsing in the second round with a 74 riddled with unforced errors, including a triple-bogey on the ninth hole. Finau's length off the tee should have been an asset on the tight TPC Southwind layout, but poor iron play and tentative putting led to his demise. This isn't the first time Finau has underperformed in playoffs; his history shows a pattern of peaking early in the season only to fade when it matters most. Slipping out of contention, Finau's crumble at St. Jude deprives the playoffs of one of its most likable figures and prompts soul-searching about his mental approach in high-pressure scenarios.

Finally, we turn to Matt Fitzpatrick, the 2022 U.S. Open champion whose analytical style and precision have made him a force on tour. Ranked 40th heading into the event, Fitzpatrick needed a solid showing to advance, but his performance was anything but. Rounds of 73 and 72 left him well outside the cut line, with wayward approaches and a balky putter contributing to the downfall. Fitzpatrick's season has been inconsistent, marked by equipment changes and a struggle to adapt to faster greens. His crumble at St. Jude exemplifies the challenges faced by international players juggling global schedules, as fatigue may have played a role. Now out of the playoffs, Fitzpatrick's early exit is a stark reminder that even major winners aren't immune to the FedEx Cup's brutality.

These five players' misfortunes at the St. Jude Championship illustrate the unforgiving nature of the FedEx Cup playoffs, where a single bad week can erase months of hard work. As the action moves to the BMW Championship at Castle Pines in Colorado, the survivors will carry the lessons from Memphis: consistency is king, and the margin for error is nonexistent. For Thomas, Spieth, Zalatoris, Finau, and Fitzpatrick, the offseason beckons with opportunities for redemption, but their stumbles serve as cautionary tales in a sport where glory is fleeting and pressure eternal. The FedEx Cup's drama continues, but for these golfers, the curtain fell far too soon.

Read the Full Newsweek Article at:
[ https://www.newsweek.com/sports/golf/fedex-cup-five-players-who-crumbled-st-jude-championship-2111616 ]