Rory McIlroy got off to a disastrous opening round at the FedEx St. Jude Championship, the first event of the FedExCup Playoffs, recording a four‑over‑par 74 that left him far down the leaderboard.
The Irish star, who had not competed since tying for 40th at The Open at Royal Birkdale almost a month earlier, seemed to find his rhythm early in the round and was sitting at even par as he approached the final three holes. However, a cascade of mistakes on the back‑nine quickly unraveled his round. On the 16th hole McIlroy produced a dropped shot that cost him a stroke, and the 17th hole proved equally unforgiving as another errant strike added to his tally.
The climax came on the 18th, a demanding par‑four at TPC Southwind, where his tee shot landed in the water hazard. After taking a penalty drop, he was unable to recover and posted a double bogey, sealing a final score of 74. That score placed him nine strokes behind the leaders, who were already sitting at five‑under after the first round.
Among those leading was Jordan Spieth, who entered the tournament outside the top‑50 in the FedExCup points list but managed to climb into contention with a solid performance. Spieth finished the day at five‑under, sharing the top spot with Michael Thorbjornsen, Kurt Kitayama, Jake Knapp and Michael Kim – all Americans who have taken advantage of the relatively open field this week. Spieth explained his mindset, saying, “I just tried to come into this week and just be as patient, non‑reactive as possible, dumb it down to try to win the golf tournament and not worry about anything else.” England’s Tommy Fleetwood, paired with Spieth for part of the round, also produced a noteworthy round of 66, which included a spectacular chip‑in for eagle on the third hole, a par‑five. Fleetwood reflected on his performance, noting, “I feel good.
I didn’t really play very good in the practice days. The game’s not really been that great.
I’ve been showing a lot, like some good and some really not so good. Hit it great off the tee today.
Still my iron play was iffy, but I did a good job of managing it for the most part. Still hit some really good shots, and you can never underestimate how good – I think shooting under par on this golf course is very good.” World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, who shared the marquee group with McIlroy for the first two rounds, posted a respectable 68, putting himself in a comfortable position near the top of the leaderboard.
Scheffler commented, “I felt like I hit a lot of quality shots with my irons. I did a good job of being patient and not trying to force it too much. I feel like I was right on the edge of having a good day, kind of all day is how I would describe it.
So, I felt like patience‑wise, I did a pretty good job.” European players also featured prominently. Ludvig Åberg, Viktor Hovland and Sepp Straka each posted two‑under rounds, joining Scheffler in the upper tier of the standings. Shane Lowry posted a solid one‑under 69, while Matt Fitzpatrick was undone by a closing double bogey that dropped him back to even par.
McIlroy could at least take some solace in not having the worst round of the day. That dubious honor went to Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre, who carded a 12‑over 82. Justin Rose also struggled, finishing three‑over, and fellow Englishmen Aaron Rai and Harry Hall each posted two‑over rounds. The FedEx St.
Jude Championship in Memphis marks the first of three playoff events. Only the top 50 players in the overall FedExCup points list after the final round on Sunday will advance to the BMW Championship, and from there the top 30 will qualify for the season‑ending Tour Championship. McIlroy currently sits 12th out of the 70‑player field, comfortably inside the cutoff for the next stage, and because there is no cut in these playoff events he has ample opportunity to climb the leaderboard over the weekend.
Throughout the PGA Tour season, players accumulate points based on their finishes in regular‑season events, with elevated points awarded for marquee tournaments and majors. The FedExCup Playoffs begin with the top 70 players, then narrow to 50 for the BMW Championship, and finally to 30 for the Tour Championship. Winners of the first two playoff events receive 750 points each – the same amount granted for victories at The Players Championship and the major championships – before points are reset to zero heading into the final event. In the Tour Championship, all qualifiers start at even par; the previous starting‑strokes model, which gave players a head start based on their FedExCup ranking, was eliminated after the 2025 season.
The champion of the Tour Championship will be crowned the FedExCup champion for 2026, earning a $10 million prize (approximately £7.4 million) and a five‑year exemption on the PGA Tour. Live coverage of the FedEx St.
Jude Championship continues on Friday afternoon, with broadcasts available on Sky Sports Golf, Sky Sports Main Event, and streaming platforms that do not require a contract. Golf fans can also explore booking options for over 1,700 courses across the UK and Ireland, using online search tools to find nearby venues. Overall, the opening round set the tone for a tightly contested playoff series.
While McIlroy’s early stumble will be a talking point, the depth of the field – highlighted by Spieth’s resurgence, Fleetwood’s aggressive play, and Scheffler’s steady performance – suggests that the battle for the FedExCup title will remain wide open throughout the remaining rounds.