Why so many top golfers come to Memphis
The world's best golfers gathered in Memphis to compete this past week at TPC Southwind for the 2021 WGC-FEDEX St. Jude Invitational tournament. There was no shortage of praise for the courseor the tournament, particularly its connection to St. Jude.
Champion Abraham Ancer said that he had always heard about St. Jude's charity work growing up and is grateful to see firsthand what the organization achieves. Ancer wore shoes designed by a St. Jude patient at last year's tournament and loved them so much he asked for an extra pair to keep at home, he said.
"It's just incredible what this tournament has done for St. Jude and what St. Jude does. It's unbelievable. Being a part of this tournament and now being a winner out here really means a lot to me. I know that a lot of great things have been done through Memphis and the PGA Tour and what they do through charity. It's just unbelievable," Ancer said.
For the majority of the week, it looked like Harris English was going to be the one to take home the trophy. He won his first PGA Tour title at TPC Southwind in 2013 and sat atop the leaderboard after each of the first three days this year.
English pointed it out that it's great to have the Memphis PGA Tour stop be a World Golf Championship event but said he is also excited for it to be an even bigger Fedex Cup playoff event next year.
"St. Jude Hospital, 12 miles down the road, it's great playing for them as well. Saw the 17-year-old girl on 18 and just kind of makes you think about there's stuff bigger than golf. Love Memphis, love this tournament, I'm glad they have the first playoff event next year," English said. Paul Casey, who finished tied for fifth with Cameron Smith, shared the sentiment.
"The whole course is impeccable. It's a brilliant layout actually, and myself and a lot of guys are excited this is going
to be a playoff event starting next year," Casey said. "I think (the course is) very deserving of it. It's playoff material, plain and simple. I think the best players will rise to the top and it's only the guys that are playing good golf."
Rory Mcilroy pointed out that Memphis's affiliation with St. Jude means its an ever-important stop on the PGA Tour, even more now that it will be a playoff event.
Mcilroy said that playing in Memphis reminds him of how fortunate he is to be able to do something that, just by showing up and playing golf, makes a difference in the surrounding community.
"The PGA Tour does a great job in all the communities that they visit ... but I think more-so than anywhere else here in Memphis and St. Jude. There's a real, you feel the difference it makes when you see the kids and you can talk to the kids and you just think about what they've went through. It sort of makes a bogey or a birdie on the last (hole) not really mean anything," Mcilroy said.
Claire Kuwana is a sports reporting intern at the Memphis Commercial Appeal. Contact her at claire.kuwana@commercialappeal.com or follow her on Twitter @clairekuwana.