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2021 WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational: Top 10 power rankings at TPC Southwind

By Mike Randleman

Jul 27, 2019; Memphis, TN, USA; General view of a tee box marker FedEx Express van on the fourth hole during the third round of the FedEx St. Jude Classic golf tournament at TPC Southwind. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 27, 2019; Memphis, TN, USA; General view of a tee box marker FedEx Express van on the fourth hole during the third round of the FedEx St. Jude Classic golf tournament at TPC Southwind. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports /
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Aug 1, 2021; Tokyo, Japan; Xander Schauffele (USA) with the gold medal after the men’s individual golf competition during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Summer Games at Kasumigaseki Country Club. Mandatory Credit: Yukihito Taguchi-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 1, 2021; Tokyo, Japan; Xander Schauffele (USA) with the gold medal after the men’s individual golf competition during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Summer Games at Kasumigaseki Country Club. Mandatory Credit: Yukihito Taguchi-USA TODAY Sports /

A flight from Tokyo to Memphis is a lot less daunting with a gold medal by your side. Xander Schauffele rode cloud nine across the Atlantic Ocean to arrive to the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational.

Schauffele was emotional not only about his highest profile achievement of his career, but for his father, Stefan, who was with him in Tokyo. Stefan Schauffele was an Olympic hopeful for Germany in the decathlon before injuries sustained by a drunk driver who slammed into his car derailed those dreams.

“I really wanted to win for my dad,” Schauffele said in a Golf Channel interview. “I’m sure he’s crying somewhere right now. I kind of wanted this one more than any other one.”

Ironically, Schauffele will pocket more money this week at the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational even for finishing last than he did for winning the Olympics, an event with no purse.

Something tells me the memories are priceless.

Schauffele got a big monkey off his back for winning his first event since the Sentry Tournament of Champions in January 2019. It was the 27-year-old Californian’s fourth career Official World Golf Ranking counting win. The OWGR counts it as five since Schauffele had the low gross score at the 2020 Tour Championship, though he did not win the net leaderboard to win the FedEx Cup.

Despite the lack of wins, Schauffele has been mighty impressive in recent years. He finished top-17 in three majors in 2021, including T-3rd at the Masters where he was in contention for his first major through 69 holes.

The former San Diego State Aztec has just two missed cuts this year and has finished top-26 the last five events. Four were top-10s.

Schauffele will look to improve his result at TPC Southwind for the fourth time in a row.

He made the cut for T-52nd at the 2017 FedEx St. Jude Classic. The X Man improved for T-27th in 2019 and T-6th in 2020 at the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational.

Schauffele carded three rounds in the 60s a year ago and was just four shots off the winning pace, as well as just a shot out of second.

He ranks third on the PGA Tour in total strokes gained (1.881) and is top-25 in every specific SG category save for around the green where he’s still a healthy 56th.

Schauffele is sixth in birdie average (4.33) and proved last week he could go low by reaching 18-under in Japan.

The only man I see beating Schauffele in Tennessee is a man who nearly joined him on the podium.

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