Scottie Scheffler entered the final day of the FedEx St. Jude Championship in Memphis with a two‑shot cushion, hoping to secure his first victory since the opening event of the year in January. After a blistering second‑round 61 that set a new course record at TPC Southwind, Scheffler had built a three‑stroke advantage at the midway point. However, a late bogey on the 17th hole on Saturday trimmed that margin to two, and he finished the round with a steady 68, bringing his total to 13 under par.
Sam Burns delivered a flawless performance, carding an eight‑under 62 without a single bogey, while South Korean talent Sungjae Im posted a solid three‑under 67. Both Burns and Im moved into contention, sitting just two strokes behind Scheffler at 11 under.
Despite the pressure, Scheffler only needs one more strong round to capture his first title of the season, a milestone that has thus far eluded him since his win at The American Express in California earlier this year. 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 hurdle will advance to the BMW Championship in late August, and the final 30 competitors will then qualify for the Tour Championship at the end of the month.
Winners of the first two playoff tournaments each receive 750 points, after which points are reset to zero before the Tour Championship, where all participants start at even par under the new format that replaces the previous starting‑strokes system. The ultimate prize at the Tour Championship is the FedExCup title, which carries a $10 million payout (approximately £7.4 million) and a five‑year exemption on the PGA Tour. Scheffler, now 30, has already amassed five runner‑up finishes this season, including a close call at the 3M Open, and nine top‑five results overall, underscoring his consistent presence near the top of leaderboards. During his third round in Tennessee, Scheffler stumbled on the fourth hole with a bogey but quickly recovered, birdieing holes 2, 11, 12 and 16.
A mis‑hit on the 17th—a left‑hand bunker off his second shot on a par‑four—cost him a birdie opportunity and resulted in the aforementioned bogey that narrowed his lead. Meanwhile, defending FedExCup Playoffs champion Tommy Fleetwood remained in contention after posting a two‑under 68 on Saturday.
His round featured a spectacular 30‑foot birdie putt on the 13th, and he currently shares fourth place with Jake Knapp at eight under, five strokes behind Scheffler. Rory McIlroy, the former three‑time FedExCup champion, struggled significantly, slipping to a tie for 67th place at six over par, a full 19 strokes behind the leader. He recorded a two‑over 72 on Saturday, his first round of the tournament that failed to break par. McIlroy was even through the first 17 holes of his third round but incurred a costly double bogey on the 18th after his tee shot found water.
Earlier in the round he birdied the ninth and tenth holes but also made bogeys on the second and thirteenth, leaving his day uneven and his overall standing far from where he hoped to be. The final round is set to begin at 4 p.m. on Sunday and will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Golf, with streaming options available via NOW.
Golf enthusiasts can also explore the Sky Sports Golf Podcast for analysis and insights throughout the weekend. For those looking to play the sport themselves, discounted rates are offered at over 1,700 courses across the UK and Ireland; simply enter a course name, city, or postcode to find the best deals. In summary, Scheffler stands on the cusp of ending his title drought, needing just one more solid performance to claim the FedEx St.
Jude Championship. Burns and Im are poised to challenge, while Fleetwood remains within striking distance. McIlroy, on the other hand, faces a steep climb back up the leaderboard. The drama of the playoffs continues to unfold, with each player aware that every shot could shape their path toward the coveted FedExCup crown.