Rory McIlroy to skip PGA Tour's FedEx Cup Playoffs opener in Memphis despite $20m prize pot
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Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy will skip the Fed Ex Cup opener at TPC Southwind
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World number on Scottie Scheffler will return after bagging his fourth major at The Open
McIlroy finished last year's St Jude Championship second last on nine-over-par.
A year prior, McIlroy finished solo third-place after he shot a final-round 65.
His absence means fans will have to wait to see the Northern Irishman in action again, with his last outing coming at The Open in Portrush where he tied for seventh.
The Holywood hotshot is yet to give a reason for skipping the multi-million Dollar event.
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The Northern Irishman will now miss out on picking up any of the FedEx St. Jude Championship is $20 million - the winner's share is $3.6 million.
The top 70 in the FedEx Cup standings after the Wyndham Championship make it to Memphis - with only 50 progressing to the BMW Championship in Maryland on August 14.
McIlroy is currently second in the points race behind Scheffler.
Most read in Golf
Meanwhile,
The Offaly star will be hoping for a charge after a recent slide down the FedEx Cup ladder.
Shocking moment drunk passenger, 29, steals airport golf cart and goes on bizarre rampaging joyride through terminal
Clara native Lowry sit 19th on the table as the first playoff event approaches.
Japan's Hideki Matsuyama is the defending champion of the first event of the playoffs.
All the action is live on Sky Sports Golf from next Thursday.
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RTÉ News
7 hours ago
- RTÉ News
Rory McIlroy absence at the St Jude Championship has Tour considering FedEx Cup rule change
Rory McIlroy's decision to skip the first round of the FedEx playoffs this week has the PGA Tour considering a rule change when it comes to the three-event season-ending dash to the Tour Championship. With his spot near the top of the FedEx Cup points standings secure, McIlroy elected to skip this week's St Jude Championship at Memphis knowing that he has enough points to advance to the BMW Championship next week. The top 70 players in the points standings earn a spot in the play-offs with 20 eliminated before the BMW. The top 30 in the standings after the first two weeks of the play-offs advance to the Tour Championship at Atlanta from 21-24 August. McIlroy is the only tour player in the top 70 of the points standings who is not at Memphis this week. Peter Malnati, player director on the PGA Tour Policy Board, was asked about McIlroy's absence and expressed concern. "I think there is stuff in the works (about a rule change) and I'll leave it at that," Malnati said to Golf Week. It is unknown if a rule change would include a fine for non-participation or an elimination from the remainder of the playoffs all together. McIlroy, a three-time Tour Championship winner in 2016, 2019 and 2022, said as far back as last year that he would likely skip the St. Jude Championship if his place in the points standings was secure. He referenced a poor finish in the event last year that did not come close to stopping him from moving on the next round. Scottie Scheffler leads the FedEx Cup standings with 4,806 points, while McIlroy is second with 3,444. Spot number 50 currently is held by Australian Min Woo Lee at 851 points. Daniel Berger at 1,167 points occupies 30th spot. McIlroy has been mulling over a reduced PGA Tour schedule after also participating in events at Australia, Ireland, India and the United Arab Emirates this year. He also will represent Europe at the upcoming Ryder Cup.
Irish Examiner
12 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
US sports lobby Home Office for travel exemption after golf caddie refused UK entry
Sports organisations in the US will press the Home Office to apply exemptions to new travel rules for American citizens entering the UK after the caddie of golfer Harris English missed out on around £130,000 by being denied access for the Scottish Open and Open Championship. The case of Eric Larson has alerted the likes of the NFL and NBA, which stage games in London, that sportspeople or staff can be prohibited from entering the UK under Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) rules if they have a criminal conviction. Larson was sentenced to 13 years in prison in 1995 for involvement in drug dealing and rebuilt his career as a caddie for several leading PGA Tour players after serving 10 years. Larson's past had largely been forgotten until the Scottish Open, when it was revealed any American citizen given a custodial sentence of at least 12 months will now be denied UK entry. ETA implementation started in January this year. Larson was refused travel despite lobbying to the Home Office from the PGA Tour and the R&A. English tied 22nd in Scotland and finished second in the Open. Caddies typically receive around 10% of their player's winnings; English earned more than £1.8m from his UK trip. As things stand, Larson will encounter the same situation in 2026. The American bodies will point to the fact Donald Trump's ban on citizens from a dozen countries entering the US – another seven have been served with restrictions – contains an exemption intended to apply to players, staff or associated families linked to the 2026 Fifa World Cup or the 2028 Olympics. No such leeway presently exists for the UK border. 'Sporting bodies are now asking the UK to apply sporting exemptions on this system,' confirmed a senior figure within US sport. The Home Office did not offer comment on whether it has already been asked to apply sporting exemptions on the ETA and what any response towards this might be. A source with knowledge of the Home Office position added: 'Each application for a decision outside the rules is considered on its merits but informed by previous examples and precedents.' The same source confirmed the 'mandatory and automatic refusal of entry clearance for individuals who have received a previous custodial sentence of at least 12 months'. The NFL will return to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for matches on back-to-back weekends in October. The NBA announced last week that games will be staged in London in early 2026 and Manchester the following year. An obvious anomaly with the UK's current stance can be demonstrated within golf. Ángel Cabrera received a multi-year prison term for crimes against women. The former Masters champion, from Argentina, played in the Senior Open at Sunningdale in July. The Australian Ryan Peake participated in the Open at Royal Portrush, six years after being released from jail on a serious assault conviction. Peake is understood to hold a UK passport.
Irish Independent
12 hours ago
- Irish Independent
PGA Tour officials concerned after Rory McIlroy opts to skip opening round of FedEx Cup playoffs
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