PGA Tour fans left ‘baffled' as Rory McIlroy allowed to skip opening FedEx Cup playoff tournament at the St Jude Classic
RULE CHANGE PGA Tour fans left 'baffled' as Rory McIlroy allowed to skip opening FedEx Cup playoff tournament at the St Jude Classic
FANS have been left irritated after news that Rory McIlroy will not be competing in the first event of the PGA Tour's FedEX Cup Playoffs.
Earlier this year, the tour's brass ripped up the FedEx Cup format in major shake-up for 2025.
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Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy will skip the FexEx Cup St Jude opening playoff event next week
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No reason has been given for his non-participation but some fans were left less than impressed after the news was made public
PGA Tour Chiefs scrapped the much-maligned 'Starting Strokes' format in a huge shake-up to the FedEx Cup finale.
Announced earlier this year, the changes are aimed at making the season-ending showdown simpler for fans and tougher for the world's top golfers.
The TOUR Championship will now be a straight 72-hole shootout — with all 30 players starting level on par at East Lake Golf Club.
But prior to the finals in Georgia, there are the opening two playoff event - the St Jude Classic and the BMW Championship - only the top 70 on the ladder qualify for the St Jude, and only 50 for the BMW before the Tour Championship is cut to the top 30.
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An the FedEx St Jude Championship opener in Memphis is supposed to feature the top 70 players in the FedEx Cup standings after this week's Wyndham Championship.
But the field for next week's FedEx St Jude Championship has been trimmed to 69 after Rory McIlroy dropped a bombshell by pulling out.
The four-time major winner is the only eligible player to turn down his spot in the first leg of the PGA Tour's Playoffs - and it's left many scratching their heads.
McIlroy's shock call boosts world No.1 Scottie Scheffler's status as red-hot favourite heading into TPC Southwind, with the field minus its second-ranked star.
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It's the first time McIlroy will miss the St Jude Championship since it joined the FedEx Cup rota back in 2019.
McIlroy has already secured his spot in the BMW Championship, the second leg of the Playoffs, which takes place in two weeks at Caves Valley in Maryland.
Shocking moment drunk passenger, 29, steals airport golf cart and goes on bizarre rampaging joyride through terminal
He's also set to tee it up at the season-ending Tour Championship the following week due to his point amassed during the season, where the 2025 FedEx Cup winner will be crowned.
No reason has been given for the 36-year-old's absence, though he did warn earlier this year that he'd be scaling back his playing schedule in 2025.
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And he's stuck to his word - already skipping three of the PGA Tour's eight Signature Events, including The Sentry, RBC Heritage, and the Memorial Tournament.
That last one even raised eyebrows from Jack Nicklaus, who called McIlroy's no-show at his own event 'a surprise'.
But from 2025, it's all to play for - lowest four-round score wins both the TOUR Championship and the FedEx Cup title.
FAN FURY
But some fans were left baffled, and less than impressed with his decision, some even insisting that it should be 'mandatory' to play in the end-of-season playoffs.
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Taking to X, One wrote: "Can you win the playoffs and skip an event? Should be changed,"
Another commented: "Who, what, when, where, why, & HOW?!"
A third wrote: "You skip playoffs , you should be out!! STUPID….kinda like the starting tourney so many under par(I know they got rid of that). Must do same with skipping playoffs events!!"
While a fourth said: "So, he's giving himself a first round bye? I hope he misses the cut in round 2"
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And another simply commented: "That's a bit baffling."
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