Scheffler retains FedEx St Jude Championship lead as McIlroy struggles

Scottie Scheffler enters the final round of the FedEx St Jude Championship at TPC Southwind in Memphis with a two-shot lead, seeking his first victory since January. The world number one reduced his advantage from three strokes to two after carding a two-under 68 on Saturday, closing the tournament at 13 under par.

Scheffler’s round included a bogey on the 17th hole, which trimmed his lead. He had previously held a commanding three-stroke advantage at the halfway stage following a course-record 61 in the second round.

Sam Burns surged up the leaderboard with a bogey-free eight-under 62, finishing on 11 under par. Sungjae Im also challenged with a three-under 67, ending on 11 under par alongside Burns.

England’s Tommy Fleetwood shot a two-under 68, finishing five shots adrift of Scheffler on eight under par, sharing fourth place with Jake Knapp. Fleetwood’s round featured a notable birdie putt at the 13th hole.

Rory McIlroy struggled to a two-over 72, leaving him in tied-67th place, 19 shots off the lead. The three-time FedExCup Playoffs champion finished even par through 17 holes before a double bogey on the final hole.

The FedEx St Jude Championship is the first event of the FedExCup Playoffs, with only the top 70 players in the season-long standings qualifying. The top 50 players progress to the BMW Championship, and only the top 30 advance to the Tour Championship.

Winners of the first two playoff events earn 750 FedExCup points. Points reset to zero ahead of the Tour Championship, where all players start at even par. The starting-strokes model based on FedExCup placings was axed in 2025.

The winner of the Tour Championship becomes the 2026 FedExCup champion, earning $10m and a five-year PGA Tour exemption. Scheffler has recorded five runners-up finishes and nine top-five results since his last win at The American Express in January.

The final round will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Golf from 4pm on Sunday.