Overview

• McIlroy’s absence from the official 70-player field for the St. Jude Championship was confirmed when his name was omitted from the PGA Tour release.
• The PGA Tour’s Fan Forward initiative removed staggered starting strokes at the Tour Championship so all competitors now begin at even par.
• By sitting out the playoff opener, McIlroy still secures a spot at the BMW Championship thanks to his position ahead of the top 50 cutoff.
• His history of struggling at TPC Southwind and an 850-point cushion over third-place Sepp Straka reinforced his decision to rest in Memphis.
• Golf insiders predict that McIlroy’s move could trigger a trend of top players re-evaluating early FedEx Cup playoff event participation.