After nearly three inches of rainfall on Wednesday night at TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tennessee, the 2023 FedEx St. Jude Championship got underway on Thursday morning. With as much rain as TPC Southwind absorbed overnight, the course was wet but in good playable conditions for the guys on Thursday. With the delay in start times on Thursday, golfers went off on holes one and ten throughout the day, creating a unique environment for patrons and the golfers during the first round of the 2023 FedEx St. Jude Championship.

Early in the day, golfers struggled with the wind on the back nine, especially on the brutal 11th hole, where the pin position on Thursday was towards the back half of the green. In the early morning hours, the golfers struggled with ball placement, leaving a lot of missed strokes out on the hole. As the day progressed, the wind on the 11th hole at TPC would subdue, and the golfers had the opportunity for a few more makeable birdie attempts.

However, the golfers would have to contend with the wet conditions all day as the mud and muck provided a unique golfing experience.

Clubhouse leader Jordan Spieth had this to say about the conditions of TPC Southwind on Thursday.

” It certainly played longer. I hit some clubs into holes I’ve never hit here, even hitting the fairway off the tee.

Yeah, it was kind of — we’re maybe backing off a few pins that sometimes if you hit the fairway, you look to attack, and then just wait for kind of the wedge holes.

But the pivotal holes where you get a wedge in your hand if you hit a nice drive, you’re looking to attack. I did hit the fairways on those holes, and that was important. Then the really hard ones, you’re just trying to get it on the surface and tap in for par.”

The former Texas Longhorn, Jordan Spieth, carries a one-shot lead into the second round of the 2023 FedEx St. Jude Championship. On Thursday, Spieth hit the shots he needed to hit to secure the clubhouse lead heading into the second round on Friday. Following close behind, like a pack of rabid dogs, are Tom Kim, Collin Morikawa, Emiliano Grillo, and Xander Schauffele.

Expect a lot of movement on Friday as the course at TPC Southwind dries up a bit; the guys start to get in the groove of playing championship-caliber golf.