Rory McIlroy’s opening round at the FedEx St. Jude Championship in Memphis could hardly have been more disappointing. The Northern Irish star posted a four‑over‑par 74, leaving him well behind the leaders and forcing a steep climb if he hopes to stay in contention for the FedExCup title.
After a month‑long hiatus since his tied‑40th finish at The Open at Royal Birkdale, McIlroy entered the tournament at even par through the first 15 holes, only to see his hopes unravel on the back‑nine. A wayward tee shot on the 16th sent the ball into the water, and a subsequent mishap on 17 left him with a dropped shot. The final hole proved the finishing blow when his tee shot again found the pond on the par‑four, resulting in a costly double bogey. The round left him nine strokes off the lead, while a clutch performance from Jordan Spiell and a group of fellow Americans put them at five‑under after the first day.
Spieth, who entered the week outside the top‑50 in the FedExCup points race, now shares the top spot with Michael Thorbjornsen, Kurt Kitayama, Jake Knapp and Michael Kim. Spieth explained his mindset, saying he tried to keep things simple, stay patient and avoid over‑reacting, essentially “dumbing it down” to focus on winning the tournament rather than worrying about rankings. His approach seemed to pay off, as he posted a solid under‑par score that kept him in the lead pack. England’s Tommy Fleetwood, paired with Spieth, also made a strong showing, carding a 66 that featured a spectacular chip‑in eagle on the par‑five third hole.
Fleetwood reflected on his round, admitting his practice rounds had been uneven but praising his tee shots and noting that, despite some inconsistency with his irons, he managed the course well enough to stay under par. He added that shooting under par at TPC Southwind was a positive sign of his form.
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, who was in the marquee group with McIlroy for the first two rounds, posted a respectable 68. Scheffler highlighted the quality of his iron play and his patience, describing his round as “right on the edge of a good day” and emphasizing that he avoided forcing shots. His steady performance kept him near the top of the leaderboard alongside European teammates Ludvig Åberg, Viktor Hovland and Sepp Straka, all of whom were at two‑under after round one.
Other notable performances included Shane Lowry’s solid one‑under round and Matt Fitzpatrick’s frustration after a closing double bogey dropped him back to even par. McIlroy could at least take solace in not having the worst round of the day; that dubious honor went to Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre, who posted a 12‑over 82. Justin Rose also got off to a slow start, finishing three over, while fellow Englishmen Aaron Rai and Harry Hall each ended two over.
The FedEx St. Jude Championship is the first of three playoff events that determine the season‑ending FedExCup champion. Only the top 50 players in the cumulative points list after this tournament will advance to the BMW Championship, and the top 30 after that will qualify for the Tour Championship.
McIlroy’s current position—12th out of a 70‑player field—means he comfortably secures a spot in the next round, and the lack of a cut in these playoff events gives him ample opportunity to improve his standing over the weekend. Points throughout the PGA Tour season are awarded based on finishes in regular events, with elevated points for signature tournaments and majors. The FedExCup playoff structure narrows the field from 70 to 50 to 30, culminating in the Tour Championship where all qualifiers start at even par. Winners of the first two playoff events receive 750 points each, matching the value of The Players Championship and the majors.
After the playoffs, points reset to zero for the final event, and the champion of the Tour Championship claims the FedExCup title, a $10 million prize and a five‑year PGA Tour exemption. The tournament continues with live coverage on Sky Sports Golf and Sky Sports Main Event, and streaming options are available without a contract. Golf fans can also explore booking tee times at over 1,700 courses across the UK and Ireland via the provided search tools.
As the weekend unfolds, all eyes will be on whether McIlroy can rebound from his rough start, if Spieth can maintain his momentum, and how the race for the coveted FedExCup title will shape up heading into the BMW Championship and the final showdown at the Tour Championship.