Jordan Spieth can be rightfully pleased of his first round effort in enjoying a fourway share of the lead on day one of the 2026 FedExPlay-Off Series in Memphis, Tennessee.
Sadly, the same cannot be said for three-time former FedEx Cup No. 1 Rory McIlroy who is lying second last place in the 69-player field in signing four a bogey-laden four-over 74 on the host TPC Southwind course.
However, McIlroy’s effort was not as near as embarrassing as top Scot Robert McIntyre who nose-dived to bottom of the board by eight shots in posting a horror 12-over 82. Included in MacIntyre’s round was a triple bogey, three double-bogeys, three bogeys and a lone bogey. The effort being McIntyre’s worst-ever in a PGA Tour sanctioned event.
DAY ONE @FedExChamp …
✳️Spieth shares @tpcsouthwind lead
✳️Rors nose-dives to near bottom of board
✳️MacIntyre posts worst-ever @PGATOUR round to be last after horror 8⃣2⃣ ☹️Read: https://t.co/2DNbEzP3xH
Getty
✅ @TOURMISS pic.twitter.com/yeUc3OLySR
— Fatiha (@TOURMISS) August 13, 2026
Spieth’s 2026 season has been a familiar, erratic story – flashes of the Spieth that won three majors in three seasons, but not enough memorable results. He made the FedExCup Playoffs without a single top-10 finish all year, the only player to do so.
But it will take more of what he showed Thursday in Memphis for Spieth to advance out of TPC Southwind and into the BMW Championship for the first time since 2023 and despite enjoying being tied for the lead with Michael Thorbjornsen, Kirk Kitiyama and Jake Knapp.
The stakes were clear entering the FedEx St. Jude Championship: Spieth arrived in Memphis at No. 54 in the FedExCup standings, needing a solo 23rd finish to have a mathematical shot at qualifying for next week’s event at Bellerive Country Club.
Spieth, now 33, hasn’t hoisted a trophy on Tour in over four years, with his last win coming at the 2022 RBC Heritage. His last top-10 finish came over a year ago, at THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson, where he finished fourth.
“Outside looking in versus inside trying to hold onto it is a little different mentality, maybe helpful, but after a good start that all changes, right?” Spieth said after his 5-under 65 on Thursday. “I’m just in a very different place about the game of golf than I was the last couple seasons heading into this event.”
Since missing the cut at The Open, Spieth has posted nine straight rounds of 70 or better, so the game is trending in the right direction. Now it’s time for the Dallas native to reignite the fire that carried him to 13 PGA TOUR victories, including three major championships.
McIlroy played the opening round in the company of FedEx No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and with the American, who has not tasted success since January, signing for a two-under 70 to be just inside the top 20 while McIlroy ended his round in an ambulance in posting scores of bogey, bogey and an 18th hole double-bogey.
Though the double Masters effort of McIlroy has not near as bad at McIntyre in producing easily his highest in 96 PGA Tour sacntioned events dating back to a first at the 2019 Open Championship. His prior poorest round was an 80 on day three of the 2022 PGA Championship
Hereunder is McIntyre’s St. Jude FedEx Play-Off opening round scorecard:
