The sea of humanity surrounded the tee box on No. 1, as Scottie Scheffler prepared to start his third round on Aug. 15.
It roared on contact, widening the eyes of at least one veteran FedEx St. Jude Championship volunteer hole marshal.
The day began with him leading the field by three strokes thanks to his virtuosic, course record-tying, second-round 61 at TPC Southwind. By the time Scheffler headed back to the clubhouse, he was still perched atop the leaderboard, leading Sam Burns and Sungjae Im each by two strokes.
Is this the year? Will the string of pulse-pounding, adrenaline-fueled finishes that have become reliably commonplace at Memphis’ annual golf tournament finally
snap? Can Scheffler leave the few still within striking distance comfortably in the dust?
On behalf of everyone planning to brave the brutal, blistering conditions: Nooooooo!!
Thrilling, edge-of-your-golf-stool Sundays have made the FedEx St. Jude Championship (and the World Golf Championships-FedEx St. Jude Invitational before it) even more special than the elevated status already made them.
Four of the past five events in Memphis have been decided only after riveting sudden death playoffs. Who among us will ever forget 2022, with Will Zalatoris out-foxing Sepp Straka on the third playoff hole, the par-3 No. 11, to score his first win on tour? Or in 2023, when Lucas Glover combated the sweltering heat by soaking both of his hands in coolers filled with ice water en route to a playoff victory over Patrick Cantlay? Or in 2025, the year Justin Rose needed three extra holes to outlast J.J. Spaun and become the oldest player since 2021 to win a tournament?
Even the lone FedEx St. Jude Championship that didn't go to sudden death found a way to make room for drama. In 2024, Hideki Matsuyama finished the third round five strokes ahead of his closest competitor. When he teed off at No. 17, the lead was gone. Squandered amid the intense pressure. Matsuyama eventually sank a 26-foot, 4-inch putt to birdie 17 and put the tournament away.
So, here’s to another page-turning chapter of epic golf in Memphis.
Besides the obvious allure of such theater, the fact that this tournament’s days of playing out on a relatively grandiose stage are numbered makes it all the more desirable.
And it isn’t just us who would rather skip the runaways. The golfers are absolutely here for the excitement, too.
Burns had the best day of anyone in the field, carding an 8-under-par 62. He missed tying the TPC Southwind course record by one stroke, a day after Scheffler became the fifth professional golfer to put up a 61 at the 37-year-old venue.
Even though Burns is safely set to advance to the BMW Championship, the second round of the FedExCup Playoffs, he will be gunning for Scheffler’s lead on Aug. 16.
“I think as a competitor, any time you tee it up, no matter what's on the line, no matter what it is, you want to win,” Burns said. “That's why I'm here. I love competing, and I love the competition of what the PGA TOUR has.”
Reach sports writer Jason Munz at jason.munz@commercialappeal.com, follow him @munzly on X.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Can FedEx St. Jude Championship deliver another pulse-pounding finish?
