Rory McIlroy, one of the PGA Tour’s brightest stars, has sparked controversy and potential policy change after choosing to skip the opening round of the 2025 FedEx Cup Playoffs. Despite sitting second in the FedExCup standings, McIlroy is not teeing it up in Memphis for the $20 million FedEx St. Jude Championship. His decision, driven by strategic rest and a track record of poor performances in Tennessee’s summer heat, has drawn both support and criticism.
Rory McIlroy made it clear nearly a year ago that he intended to skip the opening FedExCup Playoff event, and he hasn’t been shy about expressing his lack of enthusiasm for TPC Southwind. Speaking to The Telegraph last November, he said, “I finished, basically, dead last there (last) year, and only moved down one spot in the playoff standings.” In reality, McIlroy placed second-to-last in 2024, missed the cut in 2022 when the field featured 125 players, and finished tied for third in 2023.
Regardless, the show will go on without him, but only just. The field is set at 69 instead of the usual 70, as no alternates are added to replace absent playoff qualifiers. The optics? Not ideal. The absence of a top-tier name from what’s branded as a “playoff” event has raised questions about the integrity of the format and fairness to fans and sponsors.
