2019 WGC-FedEx St. Jude Matchup Preview: Will Matthew Wolff Continue His Roll?

The main theme for this week’s WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational from my preview column was motivation – and I’m going to carry that over to my favorite matchups bets.

I don’t want anyone in Memphis who’s tired or sluggish or apathetic.

Give me guys who don’t just want a title contention, but need one. Give the guys who aren’t burnt out from the rigors of the season, but instead still have some fuel left in the tank.

Matthew Wolff (-120) over Cameron Smith

Perfect smash spot for Wolff this week. He’s one of only eight players in the field who didn’t also compete in last week’s Open at Royal Portrush.

But he’s not only fresh, he’s also going to be fired up to play against almost all of the world’s best players for the first time in his pro career. This is a great position for Wolff, who could have all the stars – so to speak – align to help him get into the mix on Sunday afternoon, especially against Smith, who should be cooked after playing well last week.

Brandt Snedeker (+130) over Sergio Garcia

All is not right in the world of Sergio these days. Earlier this year, we saw him take out frustrations on a bunker, we heard about him do damage to a handful of greens and now video has surfaced of him throwing a club at his caddie last week.

I don’t want to play armchair psychologist, but that seems like more than just being frustrated about the golf game. Snedeker, on the other hand, is a Tennessee guy who should have some of that motivation we’re looking for in the fact that he wants to put on a show for the home state crowd. He’s also had a few nice finishes lately.

Tony Finau (+120) over Hideki Matsuyama

Fresh off another strong finish at a major – he was solo third last week – it’s easy to forget Finau still only owns one career PGA Tour victory, and it came at an alternate-field event.

I think he’s primed to get one very soon, but at the very least he should be able to take Matsuyama here, who’s putting is not for the faint of heart (or those with wagers on him).