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Rory McIlroy finishes 66th at FedEx St. Jude Championship: Northern Irishman feels 'so far away' from best form

PGA Tour's FedExCup Playoffs continue on Thursday with BMW Championship, live on Sky Sports; Rory McIlroy finishes first of three tournaments eight over par and in 66th; McIlroy: "I felt like the more the week went on, the more I felt lost with my golf swing"

Sunday 16 August 2026 19:37, UK

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Rory McIlroy had an 18th hole to forget during his opening round of a week of struggles at the FedEx St. Jude Championship

Rory McIlroy bemoaned his poor form as he finished 66th at the FedEx St. Jude Championship, saying "I am so far away from where I need to be".

The six-time major winner, who succesfully defended his Masters title earlier this year, has played a limited schedule since, with a couple of tied-seventh finishes at the PGA Championship and Scottish Open his best showings and only top-10s in seven tournaments.

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Highlights of Rory McIlroy's final round from The Masters as a one-under par 71 won the Northern Irishman a second-straight Green Jacket at Augusta National

McIlroy, who went into the first of three FedExCup Playoffs 12th in the standings, is bidding to win a record-extending fourth seasong-ending title, but posted rounds of 74, 70, 72 and 72 to finish eight over.

How do the FedExCup Playoffs work?

Only the top 70 in the season-long FedExCup standings have reached the FedEx St. Jude Championship.

The top 50 then progress to the BMW Championship (August 20-23) and then only the top 30 make it to the Tour Championship (August 27-30).

Winners of the first two play-off events earn 750 points apiece before the points reset to zero ahead of the Tour Championship.

In the closing event, all players begin at even par, with the starting-strokes model based on FedExCup placings at that point axed in 2025.

The winner of the Tour Championship becomes FedExCup champion for 2026, earning $10m (£7.4m) and a five-year PGA Tour exemption.

"Obviously, I didn't come in here with a ton of reps," McIlroy said. "I felt like the more the week went on, the more I felt lost with my golf swing.

"Figured it out a little bit the last few holes today but my swing wasn't in sync and I didn't do a ton of practice coming in here."

Rory McIlroy finished 66th on eight over at the FedEx St. Jude Championship
Image: Rory McIlroy finished 66th on eight over at the FedEx St. Jude Championship

The top 50 in the standings after the FedEx St. Jude Championship progress to the BMW Championship, with the top 30 then qualifying for the season-ending Tour Championship.

But McIlroy feels like he is a long way from being competitive, with his game needing a lot of work before next week's BMW Championship.

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He added: "I'm going to have to work pretty hard, put my head down and grind between now and next Thursday to have any sort of golf game to compete next week.

"I'll go to Bellerive Country Club and try to prepare for that golf course. But it's more about the execution about what I'm doing right now and that wasn't there this week.

"I am so far away from where I need to be to even feel like I have a chance so I've just got to keep working and hope it turns around a little bit."

Watch continued coverage of the PGA Tour's FedExCup Playoffs, with the BMW Champiosnhip from Thursday, live on Sky Sports or stream with no contract.

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