Justin Rose Continues Strong Finish as Chris Kirk Leads in FedExCup Play-Off Opener
Justin Rose maintained his upward momentum in the FedExCup standings as Chris Kirk took the early lead in the opening round of the FedEx St. Jude Championship, the first event of the FedExCup Play-Offs. Kirk’s impressive round of 64 in the sweltering heat of Memphis was highlighted by a hole-in-one on the 16th hole. Despite a bogey on the 18th, Kirk’s performance was enough to give him a one-shot lead over Canada’s Taylor Pendrith, France’s Matthieu Pavon, and Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama.
Matsuyama, notably playing without his regular caddie Shota Hayato—who had his passport stolen in London after the Olympics—delivered a strong performance to stay in contention. Meanwhile, Rose, who started the tournament ranked 55th in the FedExCup standings, needed a solid showing to secure his place among the top 50 and advance to the BMW Championship. He delivered just that, carding a blemish-free 66 that included birdies on three of his last four holes.
Rose’s recent resurgence, which included a tie for second at The Open, has moved him closer to the coveted top 50 after a challenging season. Reflecting on his performance, Rose commented, “This year has felt like a bit of a grind. All my weeks off have been quite hardworking. I’ve been seeing signs on the range and in practice that I feel like there are moments where I’m as good a player as I’ve ever been, but the results haven’t always shown that this year.”
Joining Rose at four-under-par are fellow Englishman Tommy Fleetwood, Olympic champion Scottie Scheffler, and double major winner Xander Schauffele, making for a tightly packed leaderboard. In fact, 57 of the 70 players in the field are within six shots of the lead, underscoring the level of competition.
Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre made headlines with a remarkable 58-foot putt for par on the 17th, finishing his round at three-under-par. He was joined by Ireland’s Seamus Power at the same score. Rory McIlroy, who recorded an eagle and two birdies in his round of 68, was a shot further back and opted to unwind with a game of tennis afterward.
England’s Aaron Rai, fresh off his first PGA Tour win at last week’s Wyndham Championship, opened his campaign with a solid round of 69, keeping him within striking distance of the leaders.