Rory McIlroy got off to a disastrous start at the FedEx St. Jude Championship, the inaugural event of the 2026 FedExCup Playoffs in Memphis, posting a four‑over‑par 74 in the first round.
The Northern Irish star, who had not competed since tying for 40th at The Open at Royal Birkdale almost a month earlier, began the day on even par but quickly unraveled over the final three holes. A wayward tee shot on the 16th left him in trouble, followed by another mis‑hit on 17, and a disastrous double‑bogey on the closing par‑four after his ball found the water.
Those three holes cost him nine strokes, dropping him well down the leaderboard and leaving him nine shots behind the leaders. While McIlroy struggled, a group of five Americans, led by former major champion Jordan Spiell, posted a five‑under‑par 65 to share the top spot.
Spiell, who entered the tournament outside the top‑50 in the FedExCup points race and therefore needed a strong performance to secure a place in next week’s BMW Championship, said he tried to keep his mindset simple: "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 paid off, and he now sits alongside Michael Thorbjornsen, Kurt Kitayama, Jake Knapp and Michael Kim at the summit of the leaderboard. England’s Tommy Fleetwood, paired with Spiell, was only a shot off the lead after carding a 66 that featured a spectacular chip‑in for eagle on the par‑five third hole. Fleetwood reflected on his round, admitting his preparation had been uneven: "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." His comments highlighted the fine line between brilliance and inconsistency that many players experience on a demanding course like TPC Southwind. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, who shared the marquee group with McIlroy for the opening two rounds, posted a solid 68 to keep himself in contention.
Scheffler praised his iron play and patience: "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." His steady performance kept him near the top of the field alongside fellow Europeans Ludvig Åberg, Viktor Hovland and Sepp Straka, all of whom were two‑under after round one. Other notable performances included Shane Lowry’s respectable one‑under round and Matt Fitzpatrick’s frustration after a closing double‑bogey dropped him back to even par. McIlroy could at least take solace that he did not record the worst score of the day; that dubious distinction belonged to Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre, who carded a 12‑over 82. Justin Rose also struggled, finishing three over par, while Englishmen Aaron Rai and Harry Hall each posted two‑over rounds.
The FedEx St. Jude Championship is the first of three playoff events. Only the top 50 players in the FedExCup points standings 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’s current position of 12th out of a 70‑player field means his place in the BMW Championship is secure, 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 tournaments, with elevated points for signature events and majors. The top 70 in the points list earned entry to the FedEx St.
Jude Championship (August 13‑16). After this event, the field narrows to the top 50 for the BMW Championship (August 20‑23), and finally to the top 30 for the Tour Championship (August 27‑30). Winners of the first two playoff events receive 750 points each, equivalent to the points awarded for victories at The Players Championship and the majors. After the BMW Championship, points are reset to zero for the Tour Championship, where all qualifiers start at even par under the new format that eliminated the starting‑strokes model used prior to 2025.
The ultimate prize is the FedExCup title, which carries a $10 million winner’s purse (approximately £7.4 million) and a five‑year PGA Tour exemption. 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 that information is peripheral to the unfolding drama on the Memphis fairways. In summary, McIlroy’s opening round was a stark reminder of how quickly fortunes can change in professional golf, while Spiell’s composed play positions him as a serious contender heading into the next stages of the playoffs. The tournament will continue to evolve over the next two days, offering players multiple chances to improve their standings and keep their FedExCup aspirations alive.