Live Coverage: FedEx St. Jude Championship - Tee Times, Participants, Venue, Leaderboard, and Prize Money for the Initial Playoff Event
In the opening round of the 2025 FedEx Cup Playoffs, the St. Jude Championship, Rory McIlroy will be absent from the action. This strategic decision comes as a result of a new playoff format that no longer awards starting stroke advantages for the Tour Championship, reducing the urgency to compete in all playoff events.
McIlroy, who has safely secured a top 30 spot in FedEx Cup points, has chosen to rest and recover after a busy season that included winning the 2025 Masters. His decision not to compete in the Memphis event also stems from a poor finish last year[1][4].
Additional reasons for McIlroy's absence include the accumulation of enough points throughout the season to secure a place in the later playoff stages, removing the necessity to play in the St. Jude Championship for advancement[2]. His past experience in the St. Jude event, especially finishing near the bottom the prior year, may have also influenced his decision to skip it again[5].
This choice has raised concerns among PGA Tour officials and players, prompting discussions about possible rule changes to address players skipping early playoff events strategically[2][5].
The St. Jude Championship, with a $20m purse, is being held at TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tennessee from August 7 to August 10. The winner will take home $3.6m[3]. The event will start at 1:20pm UK time each day, and talkSPORT 2 will have live coverage.
Some of the notable players starting on the first day include Xander Schauffele and Aldrich Potgieter at 5:10pm, Cameron Young and Shane Lowry at 3:15pm, Nick Taylor and Collin Morikawa at 6:05pm, Jordan Spieth and Wyndham Clark at 1:40pm, and Ludvig Aberg and Robert MacIntyre at 6:15pm.
Notably, Cameron Young won the Wyndham Championship last Sunday, securing his spot in the play-offs. Scottie Scheffler leads the St. Jude Championship field with 4,806 points, and he will start alongside Sepp Straka on the first two days.
Rich Beem believes McIlroy's decision to skip the St. Jude Championship could set him up to claim a record-extending fourth FedExCup[6]. The FedExCup playoff series has a $100million purse, with the winner taking home a significant share of that prize.
[1] McIlroy had a poor finish at the 2024 St. Jude Championship. [2] McIlroy's decision to skip the St. Jude Championship has raised concerns among PGA Tour officials. [3] The winner of the St. Jude Championship will take home $3.6m. [4] McIlroy had a poor finish at the 2024 St. Jude Championship. [5] McIlroy's past experience in the St. Jude event may have influenced his decision to skip it again. [6] Rich Beem believes McIlroy's decision to skip the St. Jude Championship could set him up to claim a record-extending fourth FedExCup.
Rory McIlroy's decision to skip the St. Jude Championship in the 2025 FedEx Cup Playoffs, despite securing a top 30 spot in FedEx Cup points, is raising concerns among PGA Tour officials and players. This strategic move could potentially set McIlroy up to claim a record-extending fourth FedExCup, as he recovers from a busy season that included winning the 2025 Masters. McIlroy, who had a poor finish at the 2024 St. Jude Championship, may have also been influenced by his past experience in the event, especially his near-bottom finish the prior year.
