The final event before the next golf major tees off Thursday morning in Memphis, Tennessee, at the TPC Southwind course. Dustin Johnson is the Vegas favorite at 13-2 in the latest Vegas odds, followed closely by Brooks Koepka (9-1) and Henrik Stenson (11-1).
Before you make any bets or enter a daily fantasy golf tournament on DraftKings or FanDuel for the 2018 St. Jude Classic, you'll want to hear what the team at SportsLine has to say.
SportsLine's prediction model, built by DFS pro Mike McClure, was all over Rickie Fowler last week at the Memorial Tournament. Despite Fowler being a 20-1 long shot, the model projected him as a top contender. The result: Fowler shot 69 or better in his final three rounds and finished in the top 10.
This same model has also nailed four of the past five majors heading into the weekend, including Patrick Reed's career-defining win at the Masters this year. Anybody who used their model had plenty of great value selections to choose from.
Now that the field for the 2018 St. Jude Classic is locked, SportsLine simulated the event 10,000 times, and the results were surprising.
One huge surprise the model is calling for at the St. Jude Classic this week: Tony Finau, a 20-1 long shot, makes a serious run at the title. He's a target for anyone looking for a huge payday.
Finau has three top 15 finishes in his last five starts. Plus, Finau ranks 20th on Tour in strokes gained overall. He's making his first appearance at the St. Jude Classic, but TPC Southwind is a course that demands great approach shots, and he's one of the best in the field in that category.
And in a surprise, Daniel Berger, the back-to-back St. Jude Classic champion, fails to defend his title and is shut out of the top five.
Also, the model says five additional golfers with odds of 25-1 or longer will make a deep run at the St. Jude Classic title. Anyone who bets on these underdogs could hit it big.
So who wins the 2018 St. Jude Classic? And which long shots stun the golfing world? Check out the odds below and visit SportsLine now to see the St. Jude Classic projected leaderboard from the model that's nailed four of the last five majors heading into the weekend, and find out.
Dustin Johnson 13-2
Brooks Koepka 9-1
Henrik Stenson 11-1
Phil Mickelson 16-1
Tony Finau 20-1
Billy Horschel 22-1
Charl Schwartzel 28-1
Daniel Berger 28-1
Luke List 28-1
Byeong Hun-An 33-1
Joaquin Niemann 35-1
Kiradech Aphibarnrat 35-1
Peter Uihlein 40-1
Chez Reavie 40-1
Charles Howell III 50-1
Steve Stricker 50-1
