2008 St Jude Championship Preview & Golf Tips

Stanford St Jude Championship

• June 2-9, 2008
• TPC Southwind
• Memphis, Tennessee

Defending Champion: Woody Austin

TV Coverage:

• 1st and 2nd rounds: GOLF Channel 3pm-6:30pm EST
• 3rd and Final Rounds: CBS 3pm-6pm EST

The St Jude Championship, formerly Classic, used to be a survival of the fittest as it was played in the brutal heat of the summer. Now it has been moved to the beginning of June, after a couple of years in May. This year the event is in a tough place on the schedule as most of the best players have been playing the last couple of weeks in the Colonial and the Memorial. A lot of them will now take a week off and head to Torrey Pines off next week’s US Open. Therefore, the field may not be at its strongest, but there will be enough players trying to use this event to try and springboard their confidence heading into next week.

In the field this week is:

• Vijay Singh – major championship winner, former world #1, 2007 President's Cup player
• Woody Austin – defending champion, 2007 President's Cup player
• Justin Leonard – past winner and major champion
• Trevor Immelman – 2008 Master’s champion, trying to find his game before the US Open
• John Daly – will most likely make a headline and draw a big crowd
• Retief Goosen – 2 time US Open champion, trying to get himself into major championship form

TPC at Southwind

This TPC venue plays as a 7244 yard par 70 layout. Like most courses these days they have made changes to toughen up the scoring for this tournament. Water hazards have been brought more into play. Landing areas have been tightened up for the tee shots. It will take good shot making to win this week. It may help player’s confidence heading into the US Open where shot making will be at even a larger premium.

There are a few key holes that will make the telecast entertaining this weekend. With doglegs littering the front nine shaping tee shots will be important. That will help players get into the fairway to have a chance to score. The course really starts to get interesting at number 11. It looks like the 17th at Sawgrass. It plays 162 yards to an island green that has a pot bunker in the front. Right after that the players face another tough tee shot on the 406 yard par 4 12th. It is a short hole, but demands an accurate tee shot as a water hazard lines the right side and there are bunkers awaiting those that bail out left.

The fun then continues on 17 and 18 with two great closing holes. The 17th is a downhill 490 yard par 4. It requires a long and accurate tee shot. If a player knocks it in the rough it will make the second shot much more difficult. The green is fronted by a creek crossing the fairway. There are also 6 bunkers that surround the putting surface. Hitting the fairway will be critical for hitting the green on the second shot. The finishing hole is a classic dogleg with water in play. It plays 453 yards long and will be very demanding, especially to close out the tournament. A shaped drive to hit the fairway and avoid the water comes first. Then a precise second shot that must avoid the creek that follows the hole to only a medium sized green. Like most TPC courses it is a great spectator venue with mounds and grandstands to create an amphitheatre atmosphere for the players and fans.

I hope you enjoy the 2008 Sanford St Jude Championship. Please remember to check back here for my Tour Tips of the leaders before the start of the third round.

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