Rory McIlroy sinks to new low as PGA Tour season falling apart after St. Jude Championship

Rory McIlroy’s struggles continued this past weekend at the FedEx St Jude Championship, where he endured one of the toughest tournaments of his career. The Northern Irishman finished tied for 68th place, an alarming result for the world number three, who found himself ahead of only two other competitors, Jordan Spieth and Max Homa. The performance added to an already challenging season, with McIlroy himself recently acknowledging his frustrations by labeling himself as golf’s “nearly man.”

Throughout the tournament in Memphis, McIlroy’s game faltered in several critical areas. He recorded the second-worst driving performance of his career, losing 4.015 strokes in that category. His approach game also suffered, with a loss of 3.126 strokes, marking the 21st-worst of his career. Most concerning, however, was his putting, where he lost 7.833 strokes—his third-worst performance ever on the greens.

McIlroy’s final score of nine-over-par left him 26 shots behind tournament winner Hideki Matsuyama, dropping him to fifth place in the FedEx Cup standings. He now trails leader Scottie Scheffler by a significant margin of 3,974 points.

Sunday’s round was particularly brutal for McIlroy, who managed only one birdie and endured a triple-bogey six on the par-three 14th after sending his tee shot into the water. This poor finish is just the latest in a string of disappointing results for McIlroy, who has been struggling to close out tournaments despite flashes of brilliance.

Earlier in the week, McIlroy spoke candidly about his recent difficulties, admitting that he has started to see himself as the sport’s “nearly man” after falling short in several high-profile events. His frustrations were magnified at the US Open, where he came agonizingly close to ending his decade-long wait for another major title but bogeyed three of his last four holes, missing a two-foot putt that could have kept him in contention. Just weeks later, McIlroy narrowly missed out on an Olympic medal for Ireland, finishing two shots short.

Reflecting on his struggles before the FedEx St Jude Championship, McIlroy told reporters, “I just have to finish off tournaments better. There have been glimpses where I’ve done it, like Quail Hollow, for example, but obviously, the US Open and the Olympics stand out.”

He continued, “This year, and maybe the last couple of years, I’ve just found a way to hit the wrong shot at the wrong time. That might be down to preparation or needing to practice more under pressure at home. You go through these things in golf, and you face these little challenges, and you just have to figure out a way to get through them.”

McIlroy acknowledged that he’s been doing some soul searching, saying, “My game is really good, but not quite good enough to take home the silverware. It’s something I’m working through.”

As McIlroy looks ahead, his focus will undoubtedly be on regaining the form that once made him one of the most dominant players in the world. However, with his recent struggles fresh in his mind, the road back to the winner’s circle might be more challenging than ever.