Rory McIlroy’s opening round at the FedEx St. Jude Championship in Memphis could hardly have been more disappointing. The Northern Irish star, playing his first tournament since a tie for 40th at The Open at Royal Birkdale nearly a month earlier, posted a four‑over‑par 74, leaving him well behind the leaders and scrambling to recover. McIlroy was sitting at even par as he approached the final three holes, but a string of poor shots quickly unraveled his round.
He dropped shots on holes 16 and 17, and then on the 18th—a par‑four—he sent his tee shot straight into the water, resulting in a costly double‑bogey. The mishap left him nine strokes off the pace, while Jordan Spieth, along with a quartet of fellow Americans, posted a five‑under‑par 65 to sit atop the leaderboard. Spieth, who entered the tournament outside the top‑50 in the FedExCup rankings that determine eligibility for next week’s BMW Championship, found himself sharing the lead with Michael Thorbjornsen, Kurt Kitayama, Jake Knapp and Michael Kim. After his round, Spieth explained his mindset: “I tried to come into this week and stay as patient and non‑reactive as possible, simplify my game and just focus on winning the tournament without getting distracted by anything else.” England’s Tommy Fleetwood, paired with Spieth, was just one shot off the lead after carding a 66 that featured a spectacular chip‑in eagle on the par‑five third hole.
Fleetwood reflected on his performance, noting, “I feel good. I didn’t play particularly well during practice, and my overall game has been a mix of highs and lows. My tee shots were solid today, even though my iron play was a bit shaky. Still, I managed to hit some great shots, and you can never underestimate how valuable it is to shoot under par on a course like this.” World No.
1 Scottie Scheffler, who was in the marquee group with McIlroy for the first two rounds, posted a respectable 68, keeping himself in contention. Scheffler said, “I felt like I was hitting a lot of quality shots with my irons and staying patient, not trying to force anything.
I was on the cusp of having a good day for most of the round, and I think my patience paid off.” European players also featured near the top of the standings. Ludvig Åberg, Viktor Hovland and Sepp Straka all finished at two‑under, joining Scheffler.
Shane Lowry posted a solid one‑under round, while Matt Fitzpatrick’s day was marred by a closing double‑bogey that dropped him back to even par. McIlroy could at least take solace in not recording the worst score 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 rounds.
The FedEx St. Jude Championship marks the first of three playoff events that will determine the FedExCup champion for the 2026 season. Only the top 50 players in the overall points standings after Sunday’s final round will advance to the BMW Championship, and the top 30 after that will qualify for the season‑ending Tour Championship. McIlroy’s current position—12th out of a 70‑player field—means he comfortably remains in contention for the next stage, especially since the playoff events have no cut, giving him ample opportunity to climb the leaderboard over the weekend.
Throughout the PGA Tour season, players accumulate points based on their finishes in regular events, with additional points awarded for signature tournaments and the majors. The FedExCup Playoffs begin with the top 70 in the standings, then narrow to 50 for the BMW Championship, and finally to 30 for the Tour Championship.
Winners of the first two playoff events receive 750 points each, equivalent to the points awarded for a major victory. After the playoffs, points are reset to zero ahead of the Tour Championship, where all qualifiers start at even par under the new format that eliminated the starting‑strokes model in 2025. The ultimate prize at the Tour Championship is a $10 million (approximately £7.4 million) payout and a five‑year PGA Tour exemption for the champion. 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. For golfers looking to book a round, the UK and Ireland host over 1,700 courses where players can find the best rates by searching by course, city, or postcode. While the search tool may occasionally return no results, trying a different location or spelling often resolves the issue. Overall, the first day of the FedExCup Playoffs delivered a mix of triumph and disappointment.
Spieth’s steady play and strategic patience placed him at the forefront, while McIlroy’s errant shots serve as a reminder of how quickly fortunes can change in professional golf. The coming days will reveal whether the early leaders can maintain their momentum and whether McIlroy can rebound to re‑establish himself among the contenders.