Midway Musings: Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy stalk leaders in Memphis

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy have put themselves in prime stalking position at the halfway point of the FedEx St. Jude Championship where Lucas Glover has maintained his recent form to take the lead.

Glover, a winner last week at the Wyndham Championship to book his place in the FedExCup Playoffs, shot a bogey-free 6-under 64 at TPC Southwind to move to 10 under and alone atop the leaderboard.

He’s one shot clear of Jordan Spieth, who scrambled like a genius to sit second at nine under, and two clear of Sungjae Im, Tommy Fleetwood, Tom Kim, Emiliano Grillo and Taylor Moore.

But it is Scheffler who is the new betting favorite at BetMGM, now +600 after moving to seven under, three shots off the pace. He is joined on the leaderboard by Rory McIlroy, who along with Spieth, sit just behind Scheffler on the betting boards at +700.

Glover is currently +750 to win in back-to-back weeks before a drop down to Fleetwood at +1100.

Let’s break down the talking points over the first 36 holes and try to get a hold on what’s to come over the next 36.

Glover is running hot but can he maintain it? The former U.S. Open champion had four birdies and an eagle in the second round to pace the field with the best score of the day. He leads the field in Strokes Gained: Tee to Green which importantly has been a huge factor at TPC Southwind in the past. Five of the last eight winners in TOUR events here led that stat for the week and the other three stayed inside the top six. The question becomes can he maintain his putter. Glover made exactly 100-feet of putts on Friday but still is -0.089 in Strokes Gained: Putting over the two rounds. It has been a bugbear for him at times in the past and will come under the blowtorch on the weekend.

Verdict: As great as he’s hitting it, I’m just not convinced he can maintain this pace against the quality of field coming after him.

Spieth has needed his short game magic to stay alive. From his eagle chip in during round one to his ridiculous bunker hole out from a downslope on Friday, Spieth has been his usual rollercoaster self. The Texan had four bogeys on Friday but notched up six birdies to stay just one shot off the lead. While he’s third in Strokes Gained: Around the Green and eighth in SG: Putting the problem lies in the fact he’s 47th of 70 players in SG: Approach. The former FedExCup champion hit just eight of 18 greens in regulation Friday.

Verdict: If Spieth can find his rhythm from tee to green, he could put a gap on the field… but I’m not convinced he will. Too much water lurks around this place.

Favorite Scheffler has actually been putting half decent. In a turnaround from recent times Scheffler’s work on the greens has been good as he ranks 15th in SG: Putting. Friday was an uncharacteristic poor day on approach, dropping the world No. 1 to 45th in SG: Approach for the week.

Verdict: Scheffler is a scary proposition on the leaderboard and might be worth a look if he maintains his efforts on the greens. You have to assume his ball striking will improve over the weekend.

Rory McIlroy could’ve been leading had his putter cooperated. McIlroy missed three putts inside 10-feet and another three from 10-15-feet on Friday as his approach game leveled up. The three-time FedExCup champion gained +3.258 shots in SG: Approach in Friday’s second round. He sits fourth in SG: Tee to Green on the week and fourth in SG: Approach but ranks 41st in SG: Putting.

Verdict: If the putts start dropping McIlroy is poised to make a serious run at this title and a possible return to World No.1.

Cam Davis is showing a strong desire to play his way to Chicago. The Australian entered the week ranked 62nd in the FedExCup but sits T8 on the leaderboard in Memphis, just three off the lead. This has him projected to 47th in the points race, inside the needed top 50 to get to the BMW Championship and access to next seasons Signature Events.

Verdict: Coming off two top 10s I gave Davis a shout out as a top 20 finisher this week. Now I think he can maintain top 10 and perhaps even scare the leaders at +3000.

Harris English and Patrick Rodgers have a weekend grind ahead. These two players currently project to be ejected from next week’s BMW Championship despite starting this week inside the top 50 in the standings. English is T57 in Memphis and Rodgers T60, currently two and three strokes back from where they need to be to move on in the Playoffs.

Verdict: They might be relying on others melting in the heat to survive.

Sungjae Im ranks second in SG: Tee to Green, making him a must consider. As stated earlier it is the key statistic for TPC Southwind and while the Korean is hitting it so well, and sits just two back, you cannot discount him.

Verdict: Of those near the top, his +1200 is juicy.

It should be a sensational final two rounds. Good luck with all your picks!