Rory McIlroy returns to action this week at the FedEx St. Jude Championship, the first of the PGA Tour's three FedExCup Playoff events, as the world No 2 targets a record-extending fourth FedExCup title.
McIlroy heads into the tournament 12th in the season-long standings. Only the top 50 after this week will progress to the BMW Championship, with the top 30 from there advancing to the season-ending Tour Championship.
The back-to-back Masters champion skipped last year's FedEx St. Jude Championship but is part of this year's 69-man field at TPC Southwind in Memphis, where world No 1 Scottie Scheffler and defending champion Justin Rose also feature.
The FedExCup Playoffs schedule runs from August 13-16 at the FedEx St. Jude Championship in Memphis, Tennessee, followed by the BMW Championship at Bellerive Country Club in St. Louis, Missouri from August 20-23, and finishes with the Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, Georgia from August 27-30.
Faxon on McIlroy's light schedule
McIlroy has played only six events, three of them outside the majors, since successfully defending his Masters title in April. He finished tied-19th at the Truist Championship, tied-12th at The Memorial and shared seventh at the Genesis Scottish Open.
Brad Faxon, McIlroy's putting mentor, told the Sky Sports Golf Podcast that the 37-year-old has earned the right to cherry-pick his tournaments. "After back-to-back Masters titles, he is like, 'not only financially can I afford to do this but mentally, too'," Faxon said.
"Rory is not physically tired after playing a round of golf but it is the mental fatigue of always being on, always in the spotlight, never getting a break. Whether it's walking into the gates or going to dinner at night, somebody is always coming up to you."
Faxon added: "I have never seen anybody more patient in that situation than Rory but for him to go to the Greek islands with some of his closest friends, that's a way to get away from the game. When Rory said to his daughter, 'Poppy, I need to go and practise,' her great quote was, 'you already know how to play, daddy'. Rory hasn't forgotten how to play and had a pretty good track record in the playoffs. In the brutal summer months that you get in the south, you are going to have to be in very good physical shape these next few weeks to contend for the FedExCup."
How the FedExCup Playoffs work
Players earn points all season based on their performances in PGA Tour events, with extra points on offer at the signature events and majors. The top 70 in the standings reached the FedEx St. Jude Championship, with only the top 50 progressing to the BMW Championship and just the top 30 making the Tour Championship.
Winners of the first two Playoff events earn 750 points apiece, the same as The Players Championship and the majors, before points reset to zero ahead of the Tour Championship. In the finale, all players begin at even par, with the starting-strokes model that had been based on FedExCup placings axed in 2025. The winner of the Tour Championship becomes FedExCup champion, earning $10m (£7.4m) and a five-year PGA Tour exemption.
What else is at stake
Every player who qualified for the FedEx St. Jude Championship is guaranteed to retain their PGA Tour card for 2027 and has clinched a spot at The Players. The 50 who reach the BMW Championship earn places in next season's signature events.
The 30 players who make the Tour Championship secure a two-year PGA Tour exemption and a place at the Masters at Augusta National, with spots in the US Open and The Open also set to follow. Michael Brennan wrapped up his own Playoffs spot with victory at the Wyndham Championship on Sunday.
Jackson Koivun the one to watch
Jackson Koivun, 21, won the 3M Open in just his third start as a professional, holding off a charge from Scheffler, and went on to secure a FedExCup Playoffs spot after just five events, matching a record set by Tiger Woods.
Faxon, who believes Koivun would be a great fit for the United States at next September's away Ryder Cup in Ireland, said: "Koivun dominated college and he is the hardest working kid I have ever seen. He comes blessed with a great putting stroke and a great putting attitude."
"I spend a lot of my time at the Titleist Performance Institute, where you can do all the testing of your equipment. I first met Jackson there and talked about his game. Every single guy who did the club fitting and ball fitting was saying, 'nobody is close to what this guy is doing'. We have seen how good he hits the iron as well so I am excited for him. I am a long-term believer in Jackson Koivun."
Recent FedExCup champions
- 2025: Tommy Fleetwood
- 2024: Scottie Scheffler
- 2023: Viktor Hovland
- 2022: Rory McIlroy
- 2021: Patrick Cantlay
- 2020: Dustin Johnson
- 2019: Rory McIlroy
- 2018: Justin Rose
- 2017: Justin Thomas
- 2016: Rory McIlroy
The FedExCup standings are currently led by Scheffler, ahead of Matthew Fitzpatrick, Cameron Young, Wyndham Clark and Chris Gotterup.
