Scottie Scheffler entered the final day of the FedEx St. Jude Championship in Memphis with a two‑shot advantage, hoping to secure his first victory since the opening tournament of the year in January. After establishing a three‑stroke lead at the midway point with a stunning second‑round 61— a new record for the course—Scheffler saw his margin shrink slightly when he made a bogey on the 17th hole at TPC Southwind on Saturday. He finished that round with a solid 68, two under par, bringing his total to 13 under for the tournament.
Close behind, Sam Burns delivered a flawless performance, carding an eight‑under 62 without a single bogey. Sungjae Im also posted an impressive three‑under 67.
Both players moved into second place, each sitting at 11 under, just two strokes shy of the leader. Scheffler now stands merely one good round away from adding a second PGA Tour title to his résumé, the first having come at The American Express in California earlier this year.
Although he has not yet captured a trophy since that win, he has been a constant threat, racking up five runner‑up finishes—including a close call at the 3M Open—and nine top‑five 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 playoff tournament will advance to the BMW Championship in August, where the field is trimmed to the top 50. The final leg of the playoffs, the Tour Championship, will then feature the top 30 players, who will compete for the coveted FedExCup crown. Points for the first two playoff events are worth 750 each, after which the points are reset to zero before the Tour Championship begins.
In the final event, all participants start at even par, a change that will take effect in 2025, eliminating the previous starting‑strokes model based on FedExCup rankings. The winner of the Tour Championship will be crowned FedExCup champion for the 2026 season, receiving a $10 million prize (approximately £7.4 million) and a five‑year exemption on the PGA Tour. 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 setback came on the 17th, where a mis‑hit left‑hand bunker shot on the par‑four led to another bogey, narrowing his lead to just one stroke. Defending FedExCup Playoffs champion Tommy Fleetwood stayed within striking distance after a two‑under 68 on Saturday, highlighted by an impressive 30‑foot birdie putt on the 13th. Fleetwood’s total of eight under placed him five strokes behind Scheffler, sharing fourth place with Jake Knapp.
Rory McIlroy, however, found himself languishing near the bottom of the leaderboard. After a two‑over 72 on Saturday, he was tied for 67th place, six shots over par and 19 strokes behind Scheffler. The world number two has yet to post an under‑par round this week.
McIlroy started his third round at even par but faltered on the 18th after his tee shot found water, resulting in a double bogey. He did manage back‑to‑back birdies on holes nine and ten, but also recorded bogeys on holes two and 13, leaving his final round in a precarious position. Fans can watch the dramatic conclusion of the FedEx St. Jude Championship live on Sky Sports Golf starting at 4 p.m.
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The FedExCup Playoffs continue to provide high‑stakes golf, with each event narrowing the field and increasing the pressure on the world’s best players. Scheffler’s poised performance positions him as the favorite to claim the title, but the depth of talent—illustrated by Burns’ flawless 62 and Im’s steady play—means the final round could still produce surprises. Meanwhile, McIlroy’s struggles serve as a reminder that even the most accomplished golfers can have off weeks, especially under the intense scrutiny and demanding conditions of playoff golf.
As the tournament approaches its climax, spectators can expect a tense battle for the lead, strategic shot‑making on the challenging Southwind layout, and the ever‑present possibility of a dramatic swing in the leaderboard. Whether Scheffler can maintain his composure and convert his lead into a victory, or whether a late surge from Burns, Im, Fleetwood, or another contender will upset the odds, remains to be seen. The final round promises to deliver the excitement, drama, and high‑quality golf that defines the FedExCup Playoffs.