PGA expected to bring WGC to Memphis

The PGA Tour’s annual stop in the Memphis area appears to be on the verge of significant change.

The PGA will hold a press conference at Shelby Farms on Thursday and it’s expected to include an announcement regarding the Tour’s decision to bring a World Golf Championship event to Memphis beginning in 2019.

Thursday’s press conference will feature PGA Commissioner Jay Monahan and defending PGA Championship winner Justin Thomas, as

well as FedEx President David Bronczek, ALSAC/St. Jude CEO Richard Shadyac Jr., and Jack Sammons, the chairman of the Board of Directors of the FedEx St. Jude Classic.

In November, reports emerged stating that Memphis was in line to host a WGC event in August 2019 because of the PGA’s decision to move the PGA Championship to May and move the Players Championship back to March starting next year.

The scheduling change would then result in the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational in Akron, Ohio, coming to Memphis to replace the annual FedEx St. Jude Classic at TPC Southwind.

Getting one of the PGA Tour’s four WGC tournaments would be a boon for the city’s golf scene and result in more high-profile fields moving forward. WGC events are considered a notch below major championships and feature the top 50 golfers in the world golf rankings and other various tournament winners that year.

Prominent golf writer John Feinstein said in November that Memphis-based shipping giant FedEx, which announced a 10-year extension of its sponsorship with the PGA Tour last May, has pushed behind the scenes for Memphis to host a WGC event.

The FedEx St. Jude Classic has been played in the Memphis area every year since 1958 under various names and title sponsors.

Last year, the tournament celebrated its 60th anniversary.

This year’s event is scheduled to take place June 4-10. Daniel Berger is the two-time defending FedEx St. Jude Classic champion.