Rory McIlroy is not playing this week at the 2025 FedEx St. Jude Championship because he has deliberately decided to skip the first playoff event to reduce his schedule and allow his body some recovery time. McIlroy hinted at this decision back in November 2024, explaining that he finished near last at the event the previous year and only dropped one spot in the FedEx Cup standings, so there was little incentive to compete. As he is currently ranked second in the FedEx Cup standings, he can skip this week’s event and still easily qualify for the next playoff event, the BMW Championship, and ultimately the Tour Championship. McIlroy’s decision is part of a broader plan to tone down his playing schedule during the season, prioritizing rest and long-term performance over participating in every event, especially one where he has struggled and sees minimal benefit to playing this year.
