Rory McIlroy wrapped up his week at the FedEx St. Jude Championship with a 66th-place finish, struggling through rounds of 74-70-72-72, but it’s not the final score that really grabbed attention. The world No. 2 took a back-to-back bogey hit to close out his week, and even started his final round with a double bogey, playing his first six holes at 5 over. Yeah, it was a grind out there. But what really popped after the round points to a much bigger chess match playing out behind the scenes, and it’s not just about his swing.
Encouragement From the Rough, But The Tour Looms
Despite the rough week, McIlroy found some serious glimmers of hope in Memphis. He actually improved on his last start at TPC Southwind, where he tied for 68th in 2024. He hit five birdies coming in during the final round, which is huge when you’re trying to find some positive momentum. McIlroy himself said he “definitely felt like I found a feel out there that might work on the golf course,” and that he hit “some better shots coming in, for sure.” He added there were “some signs of encouragement there,” which, coming from a guy who just finished 66th, tells you everything about his mindset. He was there to knock off competitive rust, plain and simple, especially since he skipped this event last year and almost did again. He didn’t want to roll into the final two playoff events cold after The Open in July.
The 15-Start Rule and Brian Rolapp: This Is Big
But here’s the kicker, the real high-stakes play behind his appearance. McIlroy was likely motivated to play this week to smooth over what looks like a shortfall in the Tour’s mandate. He’s probably going to be one event short of the Tour’s required 15 starts. This isn’t just a minor thing; it’s a big deal. He told reporters earlier in the week he’s already talked with Tour CEO and commissioner Brian Rolapp about the issue, and he’s “confident they could find a solution.” You don’t just “find a solution” with the commissioner unless there’s a problem brewing. This 66th-place finish might have been less about winning a trophy and more about making nice with the Tour brass.
So, what’s next? McIlroy plans to fly home to South Florida to buckle down with his coach, Michael Bannon, focusing on his swing. He flat-out said, “the execution wasn’t there this week.” Now he’s gotta “put the head down and grind from now until Thursday” for the BMW Championship in St. Louis, Missouri. The man knows he needs to be sharp. With the Tour mandate hanging over his head and the final playoff events coming up, the BMW Championship isn’t just another tournament; it’s where Rory McIlroy needs to prove his game is back and that his chat with Rolapp paid off. You know we’ll be watching every shot.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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