Rory McIlroy being willing to be completely honest when speaking to the media has, once again, prompted plenty of debate in the golfing world, with the Northern Irishman opening up on his plans for his schedule in 2025.
Rory McIlroy is making his 27th start of the year at the DP World Tour Championship this week. So it is no surprise that McIlroy is planning to skip a number of events next year, including the St. Jude Championship.
It was predicted that McIlroy’s comments will set alarm bells ringing at PGA Tour headquarters, with the 35-year-old feeling that missing the first FedEx Cup play-off event is worthwhile. Max Homa was the only player to finish lower than McIlroy at the event in 2024, and yet, he remained in the top five in the FedEx Cup standings heading into the BMW Championship.
What Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele may do as Rory McIlroy eyes sitting out the St. Jude Championship
The top 70 players were all in the field this time around. But speaking on the Golf Channel Podcast, Ryan Lavner believes that McIlroy could end up being the first of several heavyweights to decide against featuring in the tournament next year.
“The one that raised the most eyebrows was he said he would most likely skip the FedEx St. Jude Championship, which is the play-off opener in Memphis, home to FedEx, the PGA Tour’s biggest sponsor. When I talked to Rory at the BMW Championship about his schedule, he said then that he was most likely to skip it,” he said.
“I think he dropped down from third to fifth if I’m not mistaken by having a poor finish. He said I might as well have just stayed home, rested, recovered, worked on my game, tried to get as sharp as possible for the final two events of the PGA Tour schedule, instead of playing a tournament at a golf course that’s really not going to help me for East Lake. It’s sweltering, humid conditions; I’d rather just take the week off in the future.
“I do not think Rory will be the only player who does that calculous and is like, after a long year, after a year in what is now a condensed PGA Tour schedule, I’m probably better off taking that week. I wouldn’t be surprised if Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele – assuming they have the season that they have had in 2025 – make that same decision.”
The change the PGA Tour may be forced to make
McIlroy is probably not trying to inspire sweeping changes to the system with his comments. And it would be naive of the PGA Tour to think that winning the FedEx Cup again would mean as much to McIlroy as a fifth major.
But the play-off structure will surely change if McIlroy and the likes of Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele decide to miss the same event. It does not feel as if any side can afford to lose one of their main sponsors, so the PGA Tour will be keen to keep FedEx happy.
It may perhaps be that the PGA Tour change the play-off structure where there is an Order of Merit for the majority of the season, and then significant financial rewards are also on offer for the play-offs – with players only eligible should they play in each of the events.
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