Rory McIlroy’s debut at the FedExCup Playoffs this year could hardly have been more disappointing. In the opening round of the FedEx St. Jude Championship at TPC Southwind in Memphis, the Northern Irish star carded a four‑over‑par 74, leaving him well down the leaderboard and nine strokes behind the leaders. It was McIlroy’s first competitive round since finishing tied for 40th at The Open at Royal Birkdale almost a month earlier, and the result was a stark reminder of how quickly fortunes can shift in professional golf.
McIlroy began the round playing at even par through the first fifteen holes, suggesting that he might have steadied his game after a long layoff. However, trouble struck on the back‑nine. He dropped shots on holes 16 and 17, and on the final hole – a par‑four that finishes at the iconic 18th green – his tee shot found the water.
The penalty forced a double‑bogey, and the round slipped to 74. While the score was far from his usual standards, it was not the worst of the day; Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre posted a 12‑over 82, the highest round of the tournament. The five‑under‑par leaders after round one included Jordan Spieth, who entered the playoffs outside the top‑50 in the FedExCup standings but now finds himself in contention for the next two events.
Spieth shares the top spot with Michael Thorbjornsen, Kurt Kitayama, Jake Knapp and Michael Kim, all of whom posted impressive opening rounds. 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.” His calm approach appears to be paying dividends as he sits near the summit of the leaderboard. England’s Tommy Fleetwood, paired with Spiell, also made a strong start, carding a 66 that featured a spectacular chip‑in eagle on the par‑five third hole. Fleetwood reflected on his performance, noting, “I feel good.
I didn’t really play very good in the practice days. 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 was in the marquee group with McIlroy for the first two rounds, posted a solid 68, keeping himself within striking distance of the leaders.
Scheffler said, “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 near the top of the board. Ludvig Åberg, Viktor Hovland and Sepp Straka each recorded two‑under‑par rounds, joining Scheffler in a tight cluster of contenders.
Shane Lowry posted a respectable one‑under‑par 69, while Matt Fitzpatrick was left frustrated after a closing double‑bogey that dropped him back to even par. Despite his rough start, McIlroy can take some solace from his position.
He sits 12th out of a 70‑player field, comfortably inside the top‑50 cutoff that will determine who advances to the next stage – the BMW Championship – next week. Because the FedExCup Playoffs have no cut, McIlroy still has ample opportunity to climb the leaderboard over the remaining two rounds of the St.
Jude event. The FedExCup Playoffs consist of three tournaments. The first, the FedEx St. Jude Championship, features the top 70 players in the season‑long points race.
After this event, the field narrows to the top 50 for the BMW Championship, and finally the top 30 advance to the season‑ending Tour Championship. Points are awarded based on performance in each tournament, with extra points for the signature events and majors.
Winners of the first two playoff events receive 750 points each – the same amount awarded for a major victory – before points are reset for the Tour Championship. In the final event, all competitors start at even par, a departure from the previous “starting‑strokes” model that was eliminated in 2025. The champion of the Tour Championship is crowned the FedExCup winner, 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 Sky Sports Golf and Sky Sports Main Event, with streaming options available without a contract. Golf fans can also explore booking options at over 1,700 courses across the UK and Ireland, though those searches currently return no results in the provided interface.
Overall, while McIlroy’s opening round was far from his best, the structure of the playoffs gives him a realistic path back into contention. Meanwhile, Jordan Spieth’s steady, patient play has thrust him into the spotlight, and a host of other players – both American and European – are poised to make moves as the FedExCup Playoffs progress toward the decisive BMW Championship and the ultimate Tour Championship showdown.