The eagerly anticipated kickoff of the 2023 FedEx St. Jude Championship’s first round faced an unexpected obstacle as stormy weather prompted a two-hour postponement of tee times. The prestigious golf tournament, scheduled to commence on August 10th at Memphis’ TPC Southwind, saw its opening round pushed back due to thunderstorms that swept through the area.Severe weather conditions necessitated a rescheduling of the starting tee times, originally slated for the morning. The first round of the tournament was rescheduled to begin approximately between 8:45 PM and 11:00 PM IST, with the anticipation that the weather would gradually improve as the afternoon progressed.
The weather-related delay wasn’t entirely unforeseen, given the prior weeks’ prevalence of significant weather systems sweeping across the southern United States, causing disruptions in travel and activities throughout the region. TPC Southwind had already experienced bands of this turbulent weather, with showers impacting practice rounds. The day prior to the tournament, isolated thunderstorms interrupted the Pro-Am’s morning wave.Despite this initial setback, the forecast for the remaining days of the competition appeared more promising. The likelihood of storms was expected to decrease to 30% by Friday, and while isolated thunderstorms were still possible during the weekend, wind speeds were predicted to stay below 15 mph. However, the aftermath of the storms was poised to bring intense heat, with the heat index potentially soaring up to 105°F due to heightened humidity.
This tournament, which marks the opening stage of the FedEx Cup Playoffs, boasts a field of 70 players participating in four days of stroke play. Unlike some events, there will be no cut in this tournament, and the victor stands to earn a substantial $3.6 million prize alongside 2,000 FedExCup points. Notable players such as Scottie Scheffler, Jon Rahm, Rory McIlroy, Xander Schauffele, and Patrick Cantlay are among the favorites, as indicated by the odds. However, golf expert Sia Nejad cautioned against supporting Schauffele, who has struggled to secure a top-10 finish in his last six outings and has not fared well at TPC Southwind. Instead, Nejad endorsed Tyrrell Hatton, highlighting his impressive form and potential for a breakthrough victory.”
