MEMPHIS, Tenn — The FedEx St. Jude Championship officially begins Thursday with the first round.
Wednesday's Pro-Am tournament showcased wet and rainy conditions that sent everyone scrambling for cover for a few hours.
The dark skies and heavy rain left the course soggy and soft, making players weary of the conditions to come once official play starts.
"I’ve heard it’s been kind of a rainy season here recently. So, the rough is a bit thicker than I remember it being. Got some really, really nasty lies around the greens," said Scottie Scheffler.
Mother nature may not play nice this weekend, but the best of the best golfers of the PGA Tour know TPC Southwind can always be unkind if you’re not focused.
Scheffler, who is second in the FedEx Cup Standings, knows every swing will be crucial.
"You got to hit it really good out here, and if you’re in position, you can score, but the second you hit the ball off line, you’re going to be penalized pretty severely for those mistakes," he said.
This year’s field is smaller than years’ past. For the first time, only the PGA Tour's top 70 golfers are here to chase the three tournament FedEx Cup Championship. Previously, the top 125 golfers competed.
Matt Kuchar has made the playoffs every year since the Cup began in 2007 and has a 17-year streak.
"It’s not a goal of anyone’s to be in this position and make the streak. It’s certainly a nice feather in the cap, but today, to hear it from players was a great feeling," Kuchar said. "It kind of put a little more perspective to the accomplishment."
Only 50 players will advance to next week’s BMW Championship and 30 to the Tour Championship at East Lake in Atlanta. Three-time FedEx Cup Champion Rory McIlroy missed last year’s cut in Memphis, but he knows even a rocky start can have a strong finish.
McIlroy finished tied for eight at last year's BMW Championship and then won at East Lake in the playoffs finale.
"If you’re up there in the standings at least you know you’ve got a little bit of wiggle room," McIlroy said. "At the end of the day, going into the Tour championship, if you’re sort of within four of the lead starting on Thursday, I think you’re in a really good spot."
They’ll jockey for the top spot beginning Thursday in Memphis at TPC Southwind.