Rory McIlroy’s latest absence from the PGA Tour isn’t a surprise, but it is worrying to his rivals working to legitimize the FedEx Cup playoffs.
The five-time major winner is skipping this week’s FedEx St. Jude Championship in Memphis at TPC Southwind, where he will be the only eligible player not participating in a tournament named for the circuit’s top sponsor.
Asked about the world’s No. 2 opting out of one of the playoffs’ three legs, rival golfer and PGA Tour Policy Board player director Peter Malnati told Golf Week he was ‘very concerned.’
Unfortunately for Malnati, there’s not much the tour can do to stop McIlroy from skipping a third event this season. With 3,444 points in the FedEx Cup standings, second only to Scottie Scheffler, McIlroy has a comfortable 849-point cushion over third-place Sepp Straka.
And since the current FedEx Cup format features a progressive cut, McIlroy can count on advancing to next week’s BMW Championship in Owings Mills, Maryland. From there, provided he remains in the top 30 in the FedEx Cup standings, McIlroy would advance to the Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta.
McIlroy actually played in the St. Jude Championship last year, finishing at the bottom of the filed without much of a penalty.
Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland acknowledges the crowd on the 18th hole during day four of The 153rd Open Championship at Royal Portrush Golf Club on July 20
Peter Malnati of the United States prepares to play his shot from the second tee during the first round of the Barracuda Championship 2025 at Tahoe Mountain Club
‘I mean, I finished basically dead last there this year, and only moved down one spot in the playoff standings,’ he told reporters in 2024.
McIlroy has already earned $10 million this year thanks to a Masters win and other successes. But the loophole that allowed him to skate by to the second leg of the postseason could be up for review.
‘I think there is stuff in the works and I’ll leave it at that,’ Malnati told Golfweek.
Tour Policy Board member Webb Simpson didn’t so quite so optimistic.
‘I think it’s too hard of a thing to make guys have to play,’ Simpson told Golfweek. ‘We’re still a sport where you can play when you want to play.’
The FedEx St. Jude Championship starts Thursday with $20 million in prize money at stake.
