Rory McIlroy stumbled to 8 over at the FedEx St. Jude Championship, leaving the four-time FedExCup contender searching for answers before the BMW.
Rory McIlroy’s pursuit of a record fourth FedExCup championship opened with a thud at the FedEx St. Jude Championship.
Returning to competition for the first time since The Open, McIlroy looked rusty from the beginning at TPC Southwind and never found the form needed to contend.
He failed to shoot under par in all four rounds, finished 8 over and placed 66th in the 68-player field.
That’s hardly the playoff launch McIlroy envisioned.
The two-time Masters champion closed with a 2-over 72 on Sunday, but the final number didn’t fully capture how uncomfortable his game appeared.
McIlroy admitted afterward that his swing felt increasingly unreliable as the tournament progressed, leaving him with plenty to repair before the BMW Championship at Bellerive Country Club.
There was at least one encouraging stretch. After another difficult start on Sunday, McIlroy produced five birdies across his final 10 holes.
That late response offered a glimpse of the scoring power that’s made him one of the most dangerous players in FedExCup history.
Still, the underlying numbers painted a brutal picture.
McIlroy ranked 62nd among 68 players in Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green and 65th in Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee.
Those are shocking figures for a player whose combination of driving distance and accuracy has routinely overwhelmed PGA Tour fields.
McIlroy said his swing problems began affecting his ability to focus on the actual shot.
Instead of reacting naturally to the target, he became preoccupied with mechanics and timing, a dangerous place for any golfer during the pressure of the FedExCup Playoffs.
Despite the ugly performance, McIlroy remains safely positioned for the postseason finale.
He entered Memphis ranked 12th in the FedExCup standings and was projected to slip only to 14th. He’s already guaranteed a place among the 30 players advancing to the TOUR Championship.
Before then, he’ll make a quick trip home and reunite with swing coach Michael Bannon and caddie Harry Diamond. McIlroy plans to arrive at Bellerive on Tuesday and begin working through the issues.
His limited history there provides few clues. McIlroy’s only previous competitive appearance at Bellerive produced a tie for 50th in the 2018 PGA Championship, won by Brooks Koepka.
The points situation remains comfortable. His golf game doesn’t.
McIlroy still has time to revive his FedExCup run, but after Memphis, nobody - including McIlroy himself - is pretending the turnaround will be easy.
