Scottie Scheffler entered the final day of the FedEx St. Jude Championship in Memphis with a two‑shot cushion, poised to chase his first victory since the opening tournament of the year in January. After a spectacular second‑round 61 that set a new course record at TPC Southwind, the world number one had built a three‑stroke advantage at the halfway point.
However, a bogey on the 17th hole on Saturday trimmed that lead to two, and he finished the round with a steady 68, bringing his total to 13 under par. Close on his heels, Sam Burns delivered a flawless performance, posting an eight‑under 62 without a single bogey.
Sungjae Im also kept pace, carding a three‑under 67. Both men sat at 11 under, making them the nearest challengers to Scheffler’s lead. Despite the slim margin, Scheffler is now just one strong round away from adding a second PGA Tour title to his résumé, the first being The American Express in California earlier this year.
While he has not yet secured a win since that early‑season triumph, he has been a constant presence at the top of leaderboards, racking up five runner‑up finishes—including a close call at the 3M Open—and nine top‑ten finishes in the intervening months. The FedEx St.
Jude Championship is the opening event of the FedExCup Playoffs, featuring only the top 70 players from the season‑long FedExCup points race. Those who survive this first test will move on to the BMW Championship in August, where the field narrows to the top 50, and finally to the Tour Championship, which admits the top 30.
Winners of the first two playoff tournaments each receive 750 points, after which the points are reset to zero ahead of the Tour Championship. In the final event, all competitors start at even par, a departure from the previous starting‑strokes model that was eliminated for the 2025 season.
The stakes are high: the winner of the Tour Championship will be crowned FedExCup champion for 2026, earning a $10 million prize and a five‑year exemption on the PGA Tour. For Scheffler, a victory would not only secure his first title of the year but also cement his status as the leading contender for the season‑ending championship.
During his third round in Tennessee, Scheffler’s round was a mix of brilliance and a few missteps. He bogeyed the fourth hole, but quickly recovered with birdies on holes two, 11, 12 and 16.
The trouble returned on the 17th when his second shot landed in a left‑hand bunker on a par‑four, forcing a bogey that narrowed his lead. Nevertheless, his composure on the back nine kept him ahead of the pack. Defending FedExCup Playoffs champion Tommy Fleetwood remained in contention after a solid two‑under 68 on Saturday. His round featured a dramatic birdie putt on the 13th that drew applause from the gallery, and he finished at eight under par, sharing fourth place with Jake Knapp and sitting five strokes behind Scheffler.
Rory McIlroy, on the other hand, found himself languishing near the bottom of the leaderboard. The 37‑year‑old former world number one was tied for 67th place, six over par and a staggering 19 strokes behind Scheffler after a two‑over 72 on Saturday. McIlroy’s round was marked by inconsistency: he was even par heading into the 18th hole in his third round, only to double‑bogey after his tee shot found water.
Earlier in the round he had shown flashes of his former self with back‑to‑back birdies on holes nine and ten, but bogeys on holes two and 13, followed by the costly mistake on 18, left him far from contention. The tournament continues to draw significant viewership, with live coverage available on Sky Sports Golf. Fans can stream the final round on Sunday from 4 p.m., and additional golf content is accessible through the NOW streaming platform.
For those looking to play the sport themselves, Sky Sports offers a booking service that lists over 1,700 courses across the United Kingdom and Ireland, allowing enthusiasts to find a course near them by entering a city, course name, or postal code. As the final round approaches, all eyes will be on Scheffler to see if he can convert his lead into a victory, while Burns and Im will aim to close the gap and potentially force a playoff.
The FedEx St. Jude Championship not only serves as the gateway to the FedExCup Playoffs but also provides a dramatic showcase of the depth and talent present on the PGA Tour today.
Whether the tournament ends in a triumph for Scheffler or an upset from a challenger, the stakes, the prize money, and the prestige make this event a pivotal moment in the 2026 golf calendar.