The PGA Tour playoffs begin this week, with the 70 golfers who qualified off the regular-season points list competing in the FedEx St Jude Championship. As the top-ranked players head to TPC Southwind just outside Memphis, a few words of warning for them: first, be prepared for some wicked heat. Second, be prepared to be overwhelmed by barbecue options. Third, be prepared to lose a lot of golf balls.
Indeed, the Ron Prichard design holds a distinction that might surprise a fair amount of golf fans. Since 2003, tour pros have hit more balls into the water at TPC Southwind than any other golf course played on the PGA Tour.
According to the tour, in the past two decades players have dunked 6,166 balls into the water hazards at Southwind.
OK, so maybe it’s not that surprising considering water comes into play on 10 holes. Still, that 6,166 number outpaces by more than 1,000…