Rory McIlroy believes this week's FedEx St. Jude Championship will be a good chance for him to assess the current standard of his game, as the Northern Irishman returns to PGA Tour action for the first time since The Open. He is ranked 12th in the FedEx Cup standings and can wrap up his 2026 PGA Tour season on a high note, bidding to win a record-extending fourth FedEx Cup title.\n\nThe 37-year-old chose to skip last year's FedEx St. Jude Championship but explained he was excited to tee up as one of 69 players in the field at TPC Southwind, adding it was "important" to feature in the opening Playoffs event. "Having four weeks off going into the last two events of the year was probably going to be a little too much for me... it's also a good week to see where my game is," McIlroy said.\n\nMcIlroy has been open about his desire to reduce his schedule, but enjoyed a solid 2026, successfully defending his Green Jacket while finishing inside the top 10 in four of his 11 PGA Tour starts. He views the Playoffs as "one long golf event," a 12-round tournament requiring pacing and energy conservation.

After the FedEx Cup, he will defend his Irish Open title before heading to the BMW PGA Championship.