The PGA Tour postseason is officially underway at TPC Southwind, where the top players in the FedExCup standings have gathered for the FedEx St. Jude Championship. The opening event of the 2026 FedExCup Playoffs runs from August 13-16, carrying a $20 million purse and 750 FedExCup points on the line.
Opening Event of the 2026 FedExCup Playoffs Kicks Off in Memphis
The 70-man field was determined by the FedExCup standings following the conclusion of the regular season at the Wyndham Championship. However, only 69 players will actually compete in Memphis due to a late withdrawal. Daniel Berger, who finished the regular season at No. 60 in the standings, was forced to pull out of the tournament due to injury. Berger had struggled down the stretch, missing the cut in four of his final five regular-season starts. Because the PGA Tour does not use an alternate list for playoff events, no other golfer was added to take his place, and his absence also ends his opportunity to advance to the subsequent BMW Championship.
Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy Headline the Field
World No. 1 PGA Tour enters the postseason leading the FedExCup standings. Scheffler has recorded one victory this season alongside five runner-up finishes, including a second-place result in his most recent start at the 3M Open.
Meanwhile, Rory McIlroy is returning to TPC Southwind after skipping the event last year. McIlroy committed to the tournament on Friday afternoon following a break since The Open Championship last month. He enters the postseason outside the top 10 of the FedExCup standings for the first time since 2021. Despite that standing, he remains positioned to make the TOUR Championship at East Lake, where he is pursuing his fourth FedExCup title to expand his record for the most in PGA TOUR history. McIlroy’s resume includes a successful defense of his Masters title in April for his sixth major championship, though he has not won since, securing a tied-for-seventh finish at both the PGA Championship and the Genesis Scottish Open, a T32 at the U.S. Open, and a T40 at The Open. At TPC Southwind, McIlroy has accumulated three top-five finishes across eight starts, though it remains the only active playoff event he has yet to win.
Defending Champions and Players to Watch
Justin Rose returns to Memphis aiming to defend his FedEx St. Jude Championship title after winning the event in a playoff last year. Historical data notes that no player has successfully defended the tournament since it became a part of the FedExCup Playoffs in 2007. Also in the field is defending FedExCup champion Tommy Fleetwood, who begins the playoffs at No. 9 in the standings following a consistent summer. Hideki Matsuyama arrives with strong course history at TPC Southwind, anchored by his victory in the 2024 title race and a series of top-15 finishes over the preceding five weeks.
Jordan Spieth faces a different kind of pressure entering the playoffs at No. 54 in the standings. Spieth holds the unusual distinction of being the sole player inside the top 70 of the standings without a single top-10 finish on the season, according to Patrick McDonald of CBS Sports. The 13-time PGA Tour winner and three-time major champion last won at the 2022 RBC Heritage and needs a strong performance in Memphis to keep his postseason run alive.
Playoff Format and Advancement Stakes
The tournament format features no cut, but the stakes for the weekend are high. Following the conclusion of play in Memphis, only the top 50 players in the FedExCup standings will advance to the second round of the playoffs at the BMW Championship.