A back injury has forced the FedEx Cup to open with an unusual 69-man field. The FedEx Cup playoffs kicked off this week with a field stacked enough to draw back stars like Rory McIlroy, who sat out last year. But the season’s opening $20 million event enters TPC Southwind one player short. Four-time PGA Tour winner Daniel Berger will not be teeing up at Memphis, shrinking the field.
Watch What’s Trending Now!
PGA Tour Communications on X had confirmed the final 70-man field just a day ago at the FedEx St. Jude Championship. Now, they have released an update: “The 2026 FedEx St. Jude Championship will be a 69-player field. Daniel Berger qualified at No. 60 in the FedExCup standings but did not commit to the event.”
Because the playoffs lack an alternate list, unlike regular-season tournaments, Berger’s missing spot will remain unfilled.
A PGA Tour official confirmed Berger’s absence stems from a serious back injury, with no further details released. Berger did not play last week’s Wyndham Championship either. He had to sit out the final regular-season event but impressively held at number 60, comfortably inside the top 70 needed to qualify.
But that ranking no longer matters. The FedEx St. Jude Championship will trim the field to the top 50 for the next leg of the playoffs. Berger’s season ends at TPC Southwind. He had a similar result last year.
Berger withdrew from the 2025 BMW Championship before his final round after hurting a finger during his swing. Cameras had caught him on an NBC broadcast icing his hand between shots. He had entered that week at No. 33 in the FedExCup standings and needed a two-way tie for 33rd place to make it to the top 30 and reach the Tour Championship. But his early exit cost him a trip to East Lake.
The 69-man field isn’t unprecedented. Last year, 2x Masters winner Rory McIlroy’s absence from the FedEx St. Jude Championship created the same situation. The move sparked a massive controversy.
Apart from McIlroy, Memphis has plenty of other storylines. Justin Rose returns as the defending champion, looking to become the first repeat winner at the event since 2007. Tommy Fleetwood is also rejoining the field. Jordan Spieth, Scottie Scheffler, Justin Thomas, and Cameron Young are also looking to improve their season.