2026 FedEx Cup Playoffs picks, predictions, sleepers as PGA Tour postseason opens at St. Jude Championship
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- St. Jude Championship opens the 2026 FedEx Cup Playoffs with the top 70 players, narrowing to 50 at the BMW Championship and 30 at the Tour Championship.
- PGA Tour eliminated starting strokes at the Tour Championship, a flat-format structure Tommy Fleetwood rode to his first PGA Tour victory last year.
- Scottie Scheffler (7/2) is Patrick McDonald's pick to win the FedEx Cup, with five runner-up finishes and three additional top-fives since the major championship season began despite only one win this year.
- Sam Burns (33/2) is Robby Kalland's pick, pointing to a T7 at last year's Tour Championship and a 3rd-place finish at The Open this summer.
- Wyndham Clark (No. 4) was named biggest disappointment risk by both writers, who noted his two missed cuts after winning twice including the U.S. Open.
- Jordan Spieth (No. 54) carries the most pressure per Kalland, needing a top-50 finish to lock into all 2027 signature events despite having no top-10 finishes this season.
- Justin Thomas (70-1) and Tom Kim (49-1) are the sleeper picks, with Thomas outside the top 30 needing to climb in and Kim already inside it.
Why it matters: The flat-format Tour Championship means any of the 30 finalists can win — a structural change that makes the top-70 cut at St. Jude pivotal. Bubble players like Jordan Spieth (No. 54) need a top-50 finish to lock into all 2027 signature events, while two CBS writers converge on Wyndham Clark as the biggest fade risk after his two missed cuts.
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