Steve Palmer's WGC-FedEx St Jude Invitational final-round preview, best bets

Where to watch

Sky Sports Golf red button, 2pm Sunday

Best bets

Will Zalatoris to win twoball
2pts 13-10 general

Rory McIlroy to win twoball
2pts 11-10 Betfair, Power

Story so far

Harris English retained his two-shot advantage in round three of the WGC-FedEx St Jude Invitational, the long-time TPC Southwind frontrunner reaching 18 under par through 54 holes.

English, 55-1 at the start of the week and 3-1 at the halfway stage, is 11-8 going into Sunday.

English made his PGA Tour breakthrough at Southwind in the 2013 St Jude Classic and this is the first time he has tackled the course with WGC mega-bucks up for grabs. The 32-year-old Georgia man has won twice on the Tour this season.

Bryson DeChambeau, 28-1 ante-post, fired a Saturday 63 to propel himself into a share of second spot. A five-under-par back-nine sent the Californian to the clubhouse with his tail up.

DeChambeau is a 5-2 chance for the Memphis showpiece with 18 holes to go. He has never won a WGC before. Cameron Smith, who has put on an exhibition of short-game skill this week, is tied alongside DeChambeau in second.

Leaderboard
-18 Harris English
-16 Bryson DeChambeau, Cameron Smith
-14 Abraham Ancer
-13 Scottie Scheffler, Ian Poulter
-11 Dustin Johnson, Paul Casey, Will Zalatoris, Louis Oosthuizen

Best prices
11-8 H English, 5-2 B DeChambeau, 4 C Smith, 14 A Ancer, 22 S Scheffler, 40 I Poulter, 66 D Johnson, 80 L Oosthuizen, 125 bar

Final-round preview

There has been a wonderful assurance about Harris English in Memphis all week, which bodes well for his chances of turning a two-shot lead into World Golf Championship glory.

English has come of age in many respects this year, having spent too long in the golfing wilderness for a player of his talent, and two 2021 victories have instilled significant self-belief. He was forced to go extra holes in the Sentry Tournament of Champions and the Travelers Championship, but won them both in gutsy fashion, and a Sunday twoball alongside Bryson DeChambeau seems unlikely to faze this laid-back character.

English had the lead on Saturday and did not drop a shot all day, following rounds of 62 and 65 with another 65. His approach-play has been incredible throughout and his putting has been rock-solid, and 11-8 looks a more than fair outright price on the evidence of the first three days.

Commentators have been speculating whether the presence of DeChambeau might unsettle English, but those predictions may prove wide of the mark. DeChambeau, who says he lost weight and swing speed when missing the Olympics with Covid, has been strangely subdued this week and will be going into a Sunday title chance without his long-time caddie Timmy Tucker for the first time.

DeChambeau and Tucker were a dream team - swiftly working through calculations together - and massively inexperienced new bagman Brian Zeigler may be exposed as the pressure increases down the stretch in Memphis.

English, chasing a Ryder Cup debut and FedEx Cup glory, can be fancied to repel DeChambeau and Zeigler. Cameron Smith has been a magician on and around the greens this week, but the Aussie's loose driving and approach-work may finally be punished on Sunday.
English, a pre-tournament Racing Post Sport 45-1 recommendation, can be fancied to take his opportunity.

Final-round twoballs punters are pointed towards Will Zalatoris (6.20pm UK and Ireland time) and Rory McIlroy (5.15pm).

Zalatoris came into this event under an injury cloud, having withdrew during the Open last time out, but the Californian has looked fully fit and loves the tee-to-green challenge of Southwind. Louis Oosthuizen, who has suffered a series of near-misses in recent months, went birdie-free on the back-nine in round three and may have understandably lost his sparkle with his winning chance gone.

McIlroy is up against Justin Thomas is one of the matches of the day. McIlroy seems to be playing much the better of the two. A lob-wedge switch after round one has galvanised the Northern Irishman - his old one was not performing well on the Bermuda around the greens - and a pair of 66s have followed.

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