Nearly man Rory McIlroy ready to ‘flip the script’ in FedExCup Playoffs

Rory McIlroy faces a critical period as he seeks to shed his reputation as a “nearly man” and return to winning Major titles. Although he’s hesitant to downplay a year in which he’s secured three victories on the global stage, he acknowledges that capturing a fourth FedEx Cup title could reshape the narrative he himself fueled in Paris by lamenting his recent close calls.

Reflecting on his season ahead of the FedEx St. Jude Championship in Memphis, the first of three Playoff events, McIlroy said, “I’ve got three tournaments coming up to turn a pretty good year into a very good year. There’s an opportunity over these three weeks to change the story of what this season means.”

McIlroy currently sits third in the rankings, trailing Masters and Olympic champion Scottie Scheffler and PGA and Open champion Xander Schauffele. Although he won the FedEx Cup in 2022 and finished fourth last year, McIlroy sees the FedEx Cup as more of a consolation prize, albeit one worth $25 million.

“I just need to finish tournaments better,” McIlroy admitted, referencing the “nearly man” label he gave himself after narrowly missing out at the Olympics, the 2022 Open, and the last two US Opens. “There have been moments where I’ve done it, like at Quail Hollow. But in the US Open and Olympics, for example, I’ve just managed to hit the wrong shot at the wrong time.”

McIlroy is determined to reverse this trend starting this week. He holds Scheffler’s seven-win season, which includes victories at the Masters, The Players, and the Olympics, in high regard, seeing it as more impressive than Schauffele’s two Major victories. However, he won’t downplay the significance of winning a fourth FedEx Cup in Atlanta, even if Scheffler enters with a two-shot lead as the 30 qualifiers begin in a staggered start.

Addressing the structure of the FedEx Cup, McIlroy remarked, “Is it the fairest reflection of who’s been the best player of the year? Probably not. But at this point, we’re focused on entertainment and putting on the best product we can.”

Scheffler, who could potentially be sidelined by injury in Atlanta and finish as low as 30th in the FedEx Cup, expressed his concerns: “You can’t call it a season-long race and have it come down to one tournament.” Despite his reservations, he’s determined to win it, though the focus remains on the two Playoff events before East Lake, with only the top 50 advancing to next week’s BMW Championship in Colorado.

Shane Lowry, ranked tenth, has secured his place, but Séamus Power, currently 67th, likely needs a top-10 finish this week to guarantee his top-50 status and a spot in next year’s signature events.

Meanwhile, on the DP World Tour, Tom McKibbin aims to inch closer to securing his PGA Tour card at the D+D REAL Czech Masters in Prague. Ranked seventh in the race to win one of ten PGA Tour spots at season’s end, McKibbin is the fourth highest-ranked player in a field that includes European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald and newly-named US vice-captain Brandt Snedeker.

In women’s golf, Leona Maguire, Stephanie Meadow, and Lauren Walsh are preparing for next week’s AIG Women’s Open at St Andrews by competing in the ISPS HANDA Scottish Open at Dundonald Links.

Additionally, Mark Power heads the Irish contingent, alongside John Murphy, Conor O’Rourke, Daniel Mulligan, and Cormac Sharvin, in the Vierumäki Finnish Challenge.