Rory McIlroy got off to a disastrous opening round at the FedEx St. Jude Championship, the first stop of the FedExCup Playoffs in Memphis, posting a four‑over‑par 74 that left him well behind the leaders.
It was his first competitive round since tying for 40th at The Open at Royal Birkdale nearly a month earlier, and the result was a stark contrast to the form he showed in that major. McIlroy was sitting at even par as he approached the final three holes, but a string of costly mistakes quickly erased any chance of a respectable finish.
He bogeyed the 16th and 17th holes, and then on the par‑four 18th he drove his tee shot straight into the water hazard, forcing a penalty drop and resulting in a double‑bogey. Those three holes alone added five strokes to his score, pushing him nine shots back from the leaders. Jordan Spieth, who entered the tournament outside the top‑50 in the FedExCup standings and therefore at risk of missing next week’s BMW Championship, surged to the top of the leaderboard alongside Michael Thorbjornsen, Kurt Kitayama, Jake Knapp and Michael Kim.
All five finished the day at five‑under par, sharing the lead and giving Spieth a lifeline to keep his playoff hopes alive. Spieth explained his mindset after the round: "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, methodical approach seemed to pay off as he navigated the challenging TPC Southwind layout with relative ease. England’s Tommy Fleetwood, who was paired with Spieth for part of the round, also produced a strong showing, carding a 66 that included a spectacular chip‑in eagle on the par‑five third hole.
Fleetwood said he felt good despite a mixed practice week: "I didn’t really play very good in the practice days. The 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 shared the marquee group with McIlroy for the first two rounds, posted a solid 68, keeping himself comfortably in contention. Scheffler reflected on his performance: "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 near the top of the leaderboard. Ludvig Åberg, Viktor Hovland and Sepp Straka all finished at two‑under, joining Scheffler in the upper tier.
Shane Lowry posted a respectable one‑under round, while Matt Fitzpatrick was undone by a closing double‑bogey that dropped him back to even par. McIlroy could at least take solace in not having the worst round of the day – that dubious honor went to Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre, who carded a 12‑over 82. Justin Rose also struggled, finishing three‑over, and fellow Englishmen Aaron Rai and Harry Hall each posted two‑over scores. The FedEx St.
Jude Championship is the first of three playoff events. After the final round on Sunday, the top 50 players in the FedExCup points standings will advance to the BMW Championship, and the top 30 after that will qualify for the season‑ending Tour Championship.
McIlroy currently sits 12th out of the 70‑player field, comfortably inside the cut‑off for the next stage, and the absence of a cut in these playoff events gives him ample opportunity to climb the leaderboard over the weekend. Points throughout the season have been accumulated based on finishes in regular PGA Tour events, with extra points awarded for signature tournaments and majors. The FedExCup Playoffs amplify the stakes: the winners of the first two playoff events each receive 750 points, equivalent to a major victory. After the playoffs, points are reset for the Tour Championship, where all participants start at even par.
The winner of the Tour Championship is crowned FedExCup champion, earning a $10 million prize and a five‑year PGA Tour exemption. The tournament continues with live coverage on Sky Sports Golf and Sky Sports Main Event, and can also be streamed without a contract. Fans can also explore booking tee times at over 1,700 courses across the UK and Ireland via the provided search tools. Overall, the opening round set the tone for a dramatic playoff series.
While McIlroy’s early stumble was a setback, his position in the standings ensures he remains in contention. Spieth’s surge to the lead, combined with strong performances from both American and European players, promises an exciting weekend of golf as the field battles for the coveted FedExCup title.