Scottie Scheffler tees off on the 13th hole during the final round of The Open Championship at Royal Portrush in Portrush, Ireland on July 20, 2025.

Scottie Scheffler is already the favorite no matter what tournament he enters at this point in his PGA Tour career, with two major wins this season, a two-year run with 11 wins overall and 115-consecutive weeks as the world's No. 1 golfer. But the odds are really stacked in his favor to start the FedEx Cup playoffs.

Scheffler is a heavy favorite to win the 2025 FedEx St. Jude Championship after Rory McIlroy, ranked second in the world and second in FedEx Cup points behind Scheffler, elected to not play this week's playoff event in Memphis beginning Thursday, August 7. Scheffler, who won The Open Championship for the first time in his most recent outing last month, has never won at TPC Southwind. He did, however, have his first top-five finish at the Memphis course in last year's event.

Xander Schaffele, Tommy Fleetwood and Justin Thomas are among the contenders who could challenge Scheffler with McIlroy not in the field, according to oddsmakers. Here's a look at the latest odds, sleeper picks and predictions ahead of the 2025 FedEx St. Jude Championship and the start of the FedEx Cup playoffs.

When does the FedEx St. Jude Championship start?

The 2025 FedEx St. Jude Championship is scheduled to start with first-round action on Thursday, August 7. The tournament runs through the final round on Sunday, August 10.

FedEx St. Jude Championship odds: Favorites to win first 2025 PGA Tour playoff event

BetMGM odds for the FedEx St. Jude Championship (as of 1 p.m. ET on Tuesday, August 5):

  • Scottie Scheffler (+300)
  • Xander Schauffele (+1400)
  • Tommy Fleetwood (+2200)
  • Justin Thomas (+2500)
  • Ludvig Åberg (+2500)
  • Matt Fitzpatrick (+2500)
  • Russell Henley (+2500)
  • Hideki Matsuyama (+2800)
  • Patrick Cantlay (+2800)
  • Viktor Hovland (+3000)

2025 FedEx St. Jude Championship predictions

Sportsbook Wire: Justin Thomas

"Thomas won at Southwind in 2020 before it became a playoff event, but that wasn't his only solid finish here. He also came in 12th in 2019, 13th in 2022 and 26th in 2021, finishing no worse than 30th in his last 5 starts at the FedEx St. Jude."

BetMGM: Sam Burns (+3300)

"Burns ranked second in the field (behind only winner Hideki Matsuyama) in putting at this event last year during a T-5 result. ... Burns’ recent play mirrors that of Cameron Young entering last week, as they both contended at the RBC Canadian Open and U.S. Open before posting three consecutive finishes outside the top-40."

Sports Illustrated: Xander Schauffele (+1400)

"Don’t see him not getting a W this season, especially with the way he’s been playing the last few weeks. T8 at the Scottish, T7 at the British with improvement in shots-gained approach and off the tee, he’s clearly rounding into form. Scheffler is in a league of his own, but if there’s one person in this event who won’t blink staring down the World No. 1, it’s (Schauffele)."

PGATour.com: Viktor Hovland (+3000)

"TPC Southwind requires ball-striking prowess, and Hovland should be able to deliver. A winner earlier this year on another ball-striking venue (Innisbrook), just look back to two years ago to remember how Hovland can heat up in the Playoffs."

FedEx St. Jude Championship 2025: Sleeper picks

Sportsbook Wire: Justin Rose (+6600)

"Rose has already had a terrific season, finishing in the top 10 four times in just 15 starts – highlighted by a runner-up at the Masters. In the last 2 years here, he's finished 22nd and 20th, while also coming in 11th in 2019 during its first year as a championship."

Draftkings Network: Wyndham Clark (+4000)

"The American is coming off his best stretch of the season, having landed three top-12 finishes in a row, including a T-4 at the Open Championship. While he never really competed for the win at the Open, Clark still managed to turn that result into another nice finish at the 3M Open, where he finished T-12 and gained an eye-opening 9.6 strokes on approach."

Covers.com: Aaron Rai (+3500)

"Fairways and greens are Aaron Rai’s calling card, and he paced the field in true strokes gained tee-to-green last week to finish T5 at the Wyndham Championship. He picked up his first PGA Tour win in the 2024 edition of the Wyndham and ranks second in true strokes gained tee-to-green and third on approach across his past two events. If the putter cooperates, Rai is set for another solid showing in his sixth trip to TPC Southwind."

FedEx St. Jude Championship 2025 prize money

The total purse for the 2025 FedEx St. Jude Championship is $20 million. The tournament winner is slated to receive $3.6 million.

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How to watch 2025 FedEx St. Jude Championship: TV channel, live streaming, schedule

The 2025 FedEx St. Jude Championship to start off the PGA Tour's FedEx Cup playoffs will be televised nationally on the Golf Channel and NBC. It can be live streamed via ESPN+, Peacock and Fubo depending on the time. Here's the full broadcast schedule for all four rounds:

All times Eastern

Thursday, August 7 and Friday, August 8

  • 8 a.m.-6 p.m. on ESPN+
  • 2-6 p.m. on Golf Channel, Fubo

Saturday, August 9

  • 8 a.m.-6 p.m. on ESPN+
  • 1-3 p.m. on Golf Channel, Fubo
  • 3-6 p.m. on NBC, Peacock

Sunday, August 10

  • 8 a.m.-6 p.m. on ESPN+
  • 12-2 p.m. on Golf Channel, Fubo
  • 2-6 p.m. on NBC, Peacock

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: FedEx St. Jude Championship picks: Predictions, odds, sleepers for PGA Tour playoff event

Reporting by Mark Giannotto, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect