McIlroy missing as PGA Tour playoffs get underway

Holywood star commits to DP World Tour Championship in November

Wed, 06 Aug, 2025 - 17:43

Doug Ferguson

Rory McIlroy was hot and tired when he finished the FedEx St Jude Championship last year. He was No 3 in the FedEx Cup. He beat only one player at the TPC Southwind and tied for 68th, finishing 26 shots behind. He dropped all the way to No 5.

“I’m not even sure why I’m playing,” McIlroy said with a chuckle.

So it comes as no surprise that McIlroy has decided to sit out the start of the PGA Tour postseason, a move he has telegraphed for a year.

McIlroy, who was intent on cutting back his schedule this year, has already missed two signature events at Hilton Head and Memorial (he also missed The Sentry at Kapalua, which he has played only once because he starts his year on the DP World Tour).

Not much should be read into McIlroy — he’s No 2 behind Scottie Scheffler — sitting out the FedEx Cup playoffs opener for only the third time.

Scheffler is the No 1 seed for the second consecutive year.

Tiger Woods skipped the opener in 2007 and went on to win the FedEx Cup. Woods played The Barclays in 2009, only to realize during the pro-am that Wednesday that even if he had won all three playoff events, he still was not assured winning the FedEx Cup (he won, anyway).

But given the heat in Memphis in early August, it would not be surprising if more top players chose to sit this one out. There is a $5 million bonus for whoever is leading the FedEx Cup after the second playoff event at the BMW Championship.

Then again, McIlroy already is playing tournaments overseas in the autumn in India and Australia, as well as returning to Jumeirah Golf Estates from November 13-16 to defend his DP World Tour Championship title.

McIlroy claimed his third DP World Tour Championship victory in 2024, sealing a record-equalling sixth Race to Dubai title to sit alongside the late, great Seve Ballesteros and further cementing his status as one of the most decorated players in Tour history.

The 36-year-old has moved into joint second place for the most Race to Dubai victories and now sits two behind Colin Montgomerie, as he bids to add another European Number One crown to his already impressive career.

The Masters Champion currently leads the Race to Dubai Rankings ahead of Tyrrell Hatton by more than 1,000 points.

Meanwhile, Xander Schauffele is assured of making his 70th consecutive cut in the FedEx St Jude Championship, which has no 36-hole cut.

But there’s another streak on the line.

Schauffele has been slow to hit his stride since missing two months at the start of the year with a rib injury. He goes into the postseason at No 42 in the FedEx Cup. Schauffele has reached the Tour Championship eight consecutive years dating to his rookie season in 2017.

That’s tied with Tony Finau for the longest active streak getting to East Lake. Finau has an even greater sense of urgency. He starts the FedEx Cup playoffs at No 62. Only the top 50 advance to the BMW Championship, and the top 30 reach the Tour Championship.

Associated Press