What Is The Course Record At TPC Southwind?

The FedEx St. Jude Championship has been a regular stop on the PGA Tour calendar for decades and, for the majority of that time, it has been held at TPC Southwind.

One of the many TPC courses in the United States, it's par 70 layout measures between 7,200 and 7,300 yards and, throughout that period, there has been some incredibly low scores at the Memphis course.

Course records are achieved by the best players and, at TPC Southwind, its no different, with a Major winner one of the four players in its history to shoot and match the course record.

The score in question is a 61 and, with the first occurrence happening back in 1993, it's held its position for 32 years, being matched in 2001, 2020 and 2023.

But who are the players that have shot a 61 at TPC Southwind? We take a look below...

Jay Delsing - Final Round - 1993

During the final round of the 1993 St. Jude Classic, Delsing carded a 61 around the-then par 71 layout.

It was an impressive round from the American, who made 10 birdies in a blemish free day that vaulted him up the leaderboard.

In fact, his final round 61 put Delsing to 11-under for the tournament, which was seven shots back of eventual winner, Nick Price, who carded a final round 66 to finish 18-under.

Bob Estes - First Round - 2001

As opening rounds go, they don't get much better than a 10-under 61, with Estes matching Delsing's score eight years on at TPC Southwind.

Like his fellow countryman, Estes made 10 birdies for the 61 which, at the time, put him three strokes clear at the top of the leaderboard.

Speaking after his round, the American stated: "There's some things that I can't do that maybe some other people can do. The whole thing had to do with just being more natural. If you're not enjoying what you're doing ... golf is hard, but it doesn't have to be as hard as you make it sometimes."

Leading by three, the 10-under 61 proved to be pivotal for Estes, as he went on to win the tournament by a single stroke from Bernhard Langer. The 17-under total gave Estes a second PGA Tour win, as he went on to finish with four titles for his career.

Tom Lewis - Third Round - 2020

Playing the WGC-FedEx St Jude Invitational, Lewis didn't start his tournament well, carding first and second rounds of 73 and 70.

However, the Englishman ignited on Saturday, making five birdies in a row from the 12th, which was his third hole of the day.

Although he bogeyed the 18th, his ninth, five birdies over his final nine holes gave him a 61, with Lewis vaulting up the leaderboard on Moving Day.

Sitting near the top, he didn't let himself down on Sunday, either, as a closing 66 put him into a share of second spot alongside the likes of Brooks Koepka and Phil Mickelson. Ultimately, though, his 10-under tournament total was three back of winner, Justin Thomas.

Justin Rose - Third Round - 2023

After the first round of the FedEx St. Jude Championship, Rose found himself bottom of the leaderboard, as a second round 67 marginally moved him up.

It was the nine-under 61 on Moving Day that did the damage for the Major winner, as Rose carded a bogey-free 61 on Saturday that, at one point, looked like it could have been a sub-60 round.

"It's amazing isn't it," stated Rose after his round. "Very little changed but a lot changed... I've probably never had a round like that where I felt like I had hit it pretty good."

Carding the fourth 61 at TPC Southwind in tournament play, the Englishman would card a two-under 68 on Saturday to finish eight-under and in a share of 20th.

Notable Mentions

Although this round didn't occur in a PGA Tour event, it's still equally impressive!

In 2012, at the age 15, Braden Thornberry, who now plies his trade on the PGA Tour, carded a nine-under 61 during the final round of the Memphis Golf Association Junior Invitational.

Being played at Ridgeway Country Club on the first day, where Thornberry produced a 69, the American tore the competition apart on the second day, with the 61 handing him an 18 shot victory.

Playing the course 1,000 yards shorter than the pros do, it was still an impressive performance from Thornberry, who is a former NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championship individual winner and secured his PGA Tour card in 2025.

Interesting, he made his PGA Tour debut at the 2017 FedEx St. Jude Classic and finished tied fourth. It was the highest amateur finisher at the tournament since 1965 and the best amateur finish on the PGA Tour that year.