Defending Champion, Dustin Johnson, 2012 FedEx Cup Champion, Brandt Snedeker and the People’s Champion, Phil Mickelson, will all be in the field this week in the FedEx St. Jude Classic.

This event began in 1958 as the Memphis Open. From 1970 to 1984 it was known as the Danny Thomas Memphis Classic with all charitable donations going to fund the St. Jude Reseach Hospital.

St. Jude Research Hospital specializes in treatment and research of catastrophic children’s diseases and is based on the premise that “no child should die in the dawn of life.” No child is turned away from treatment for lack of insurance or other financial resources.

Television personality and comedian, Danny Thomas was a founding member of the St. Jude Hospital. He devoted his life to the elimination of children’s illness and this golf tournament was only one venue that he supported to promote and fund the St. Jude Hospital. 

FedEx assumed sponsorship in 1986 and has maintained the association with St. Jude Hospital.

Lee Trevino won this event three times and Al Geiberger shot his famous “59” in the 1977 Danny Thomas Memphis Classic. Former winners include Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Raymond Floyd, Fred Couples, Nick Price and Greg Norman.

The total purse is $5.7 million with $1 million to the winner. It is played at TPC Southwind, a 7,200 yard par-70 that annually yields plenty of birdie opportunities and low scoring.

The first two rounds will be on the Golf Channel on Thursday, June 6, and Friday, June 7, 3:00-6:00 PM ET. Golf Channel will also provide early round coverage on the weekend 12:00-1:30 PM ET on Saturday and Sunday.

CBS picks up the coverage 3:00-6:00 PM ET on Saturday, June 8, and Sunday, June 9.

With the U.S. Open next week at famed Merion Country Club in Ardmore, Pennsylvania tour players will be looking to get their games sharp for the difficult and tricky layout at Merion.