How golfers plan to adapt to extreme heat at FedEx St. Jude Championship

This isn’t exactly breaking news, but it’s going to be hot at the FedEx St. Jude Championship.

The tournament runs from Aug. 13 to Aug. 16 at TPC Southwind in Memphis, and the forecast calls for temperatures even hotter than usual. And while the world’s best golfers routinely play in hot weather, there’s some adjusting that usually comes along with it.

Justin Rose, the tournament’s defending champion, said Aug. 11 that he used a parasol during a practice round and might do that again during the actual tournament.

“It’s like 20 degrees cooler under the umbrella,” Rose said. “I think especially as the week cranks up towards 100 degrees on the weekend, that might be something I will do, which is something I haven’t done before, to be honest with you, but I used it in the practice round today, and it definitely made a difference.”

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For Michael Brennan, who won the Wyndham Championship on Aug. 9 to make the FedExCup Playoffs and earn a spot in the field, it’s all about electrolytes.

“I find that I can have as much electrolytes basically as I want,” Brennan said. “I mean, I’ll go through five a day plus, and it doesn’t make me feel bad, and I actually feel better. If I don’t, then my muscles kind of — you feel a little sluggish, muscles in your hands start to cramp up a little bit. So just maybe shortening the practice a little on Tuesday, Wednesday, and drinking a ton of water.”

Both Rose and Brennan said they’re especially focused on hydration in the days leading up to the start of the tournament so as to make sure they don’t fall behind before play officially begins.

The heat is typically part of the story of the tournament. In 2023, Lucas Glover went viral when he paused before the 18th tee and dunked his hands into a cooler. By the end of the day, Glover looked like he’d run through a sprinkler because of how much he’d sweat. He ultimately won the tournament as part of his remarkable finish to the 2023 season.

And while the heat will absolutely be a factor all week, the golfers know it’s the same for everyone.

“Listen, everybody’s in the same boat,” Rose said.

Wednesday: high of 95 degrees, low of 78

Thursday: high of 96 degrees, low of 78

Friday: high of 98 degrees, low of 78

Saturday: high of 99 degrees, low of 78

Sunday: high of 100 degrees, low of 78

Reach sports writer Jonah Dylan at jonah.dylan@commercialappeal.com or on X @thejonahdylan.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: How golfers plan to adapt to extreme heat at FedEx St. Jude Championship