Scheffler and McIlroy Pair for FedEx Cup Playoffs Opener at TPC Southwind

The FedEx Cup playoffs begin at the FedEx St. Jude Championship where World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and No. 2 Rory McIlroy share a featured pairing.

The FedEx Cup playoffs commence Thursday at TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tennessee, featuring a 69-man field competing for a $20 million purse. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and No. 2 Rory McIlroy are scheduled in a featured pairing for the first two rounds, marking their first time in the same group since the 2025 Tour Championship opening round. The winner of the FedEx St. Jude Championship will earn $3.6 million. Defending champion Justin Rose enters the week following a victory last season where he defeated J.J. Spaun in a three-hole playoff. Daniel Berger is the only eligible player not competing due to an injury.

Temperatures at the par-70 course are projected to reach 101 degrees during the weekend, with humidity levels creating a heat index of 105 degrees. The National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory through Sunday for the Memphis area. Rory McIlroy, who tied for 40th at The Open on July 19, returns to action after a four-week hiatus. McIlroy has competed six times this season, including three majors, and recently secured his second consecutive Masters title. The 2026 playoffs consist of a 12-round stretch moving from Memphis to St. Louis and concluding in Atlanta.

Bubble Projections and Qualification Standards

Only the top 50 golfers in the standings will advance to the BMW Championship at Bellerive Country Club. Those who qualify for the second leg also secure spots in all eight signature events for the 2027 season. Jordan Spieth, currently ranked 54th, needs a solo 23rd-place finish or better to move into the top 50. Spieth has not recorded a top-10 finish this season but has reached the playoffs for 14 consecutive years. Rookie Jackson Koivun, the 70th-ranked player and 3M Open winner, must finish in at least a two-way tie for seventh to advance. Koivun turned professional in June and has made six starts, the second-fewest needed to reach the playoffs behind Tiger Woods’ five starts in 2019-20.

Other golfers on the bubble include Keith Mitchell (49th), Maverick McNealy (50th), Harris English (51st), Max Homa (52nd), and Sungjae Im (53rd). Shane Lowry, ranked 62nd, requires a two-way tie for 11th place to move on, while Brian Harman (65th) needs a two-way tie for eighth. Michael Brennan enters the week at 47th after jumping 58 spots following his victory at the Wyndham Championship.

Scheffler Leads Stats Entering Bellerive

The BMW Championship, scheduled for August 20-23, moves to Bellerive Country Club, a 7,448-yard layout featuring a 514-yard par-4 fourth hole and a 510-yard par-4 10th. Scottie Scheffler is the defending champion, having won by two strokes over Robert MacIntyre last year. Scheffler currently leads the PGA Tour in scoring average (68.08), official earnings ($16.9 million), and strokes gained: total (2.251). He holds a 794-point lead over Matt Fitzpatrick in the standings and earned $10 million in unofficial money for winning the regular-season points title.

Despite his statistical dominance, Scheffler has not won since the American Express on January 25. He has recorded five runner-up finishes this season, tying the highest mark since 1980. This total is surpassed only by Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer, who had seven and six runner-up finishes respectively in 1964. Bellerive previously hosted the 1965 U.S. Open and the PGA Championships in 1992 and 2018.

Tour Championship Format and History

The playoffs conclude August 27-30 at East Lake Golf Club with a $40 million purse and a $10 million prize for the winner. Tommy Fleetwood is the defending champion, having shot a final-round 68 in 2025 to finish at 18 under par. Fleetwood’s three-stroke victory over Russell Henley and Patrick Cantlay was his first PGA Tour win in 164 starts. Prior to that win, Fleetwood held the record for the most top-five finishes (30) without a victory in the last 100 years and the highest career earnings ($33.4 million) for a non-winner.

The Tour Championship utilizes a traditional 72-hole stroke-play format where all 30 qualifiers start at even par. East Lake has hosted the event annually since 2004, though the tour plans to rotate venues starting in 2028. Additionally, the St. Jude Championship will exit the Championship Series in 2028, potentially moving to the Challenger Series.