2025 FedEx St. Jude Championship: Expert picks, predictions, outright winners include Xander Schauffele

The PGA Tour's FedEx Cup Playoffs starts this week with the 2025 FedEx St. Jude Championship, where the top 70 golfers from the regular season will be competing. Taft Gantt has cashed three outright winners since June and has his best bets from the FedEx St. Jude Championship.

FedEx St. Jude Championship Best Bets

For more real-time, free picks every day: Inside the Lines Blog

Xander Schauffele to win: +1800 (FanDuel)

With Rory McIlroy opting out this week, Xander Schauffele enters with the second-lowest odds to win at +1800—but I still see value in this number.

He finished T2 at TPC Southwind last year, a course that plays right into his strengths. Schauffele ranks 7th in Strokes Gained: Approach and 8th in approach shots from 150–175 yards—a key range on this shorter, precision-focused track. That combination makes him a dangerous threat in Memphis.

After back-to-back top-10 finishes across the pond, the 'X-man' is overdue, and I think this is the week he gets it done. Bet it at FanDuel here, where you can get $150 in bonus bets as a new user with a winning $5 wager:

Russell Henley +230 Top 10 (Caesars)

Russell Henley has been one of the most quietly consistent players on Tour—and he's peaking at the perfect time. He hasn't finished outside the Top 10 since the PGA Championship and has racked up nine Top 10s on the season.

Henley ranks 14th in Strokes Gained: Approach and 6th in SG: Around the Green. Those are two key areas at TPC Southwind, where smaller greens and a tighter layout demand precision over power. This course plays directly into his strengths.

If you're looking for a steady Top 10 play with solid value to kick off the Playoffs, Henley is your guy. Get 10 profit boosts at Caesars when you sign up here:

Corey Conners Top 20 +120 (DraftKings)

Corey Conners has been solid all year with six Top 10s. After a minor wrist injury forced him to withdraw from the U.S. Open, his T10 finish at The Open proved to me he's back to full form. With two weeks of rest, this should be the healthiest we've seen him in months.

He's also had success in Memphis, finishing inside the Top 10 twice in the last four years. This course fits his strengths perfectly—Conners ranks in the Top 20 on Tour in approach shots from 125–175 yards, a key range at this shorter, second-shot layout.

At plus money, Conners to finish in the Top 20 is one of the best value plays on the board this week. New users can unlock over $200 off NFL Sunday Ticket and $200 in bonus bets at DraftKings here:

This is a recap of Taft's golf picks since joining the Inside the Lines Team: