August marks a loud start of the FedEx Cup Playoffs, with the FedEx St. Jude Championship kicking off the postseason. For the same reason, it carries more weight than any other PGA Tour stop outside the majors. Most Tour pros have treated the opener as a must-play, like a tradition. Rory McIlroy, however, despite already cutting his schedule all year, skipped the event entirely last August. His own math justified the call, but it didn’t stop the Tour-wide debate about star power and playoff commitment. However, after the controversy, he has responded by making a different choice for the $20 million event.

The FedEx St. Jude Championships official account confirmed it on X, posting a graphic of McIlroy in Memphis colors with a simple caption. “The roars just got louder in Memphis,” it said.

His presence in the competition becomes extremely important given the controversy that followed him last year. The Northern Irishman skipped the FedEx St. Jude Championship in 2025, becoming the only player among the top seven in the standings to sit out the tournament.

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Naturally, it was a big call-out, as it highlighted a major problem with the PGA Tour’s priorities for its Tour pros. As many are aware, playoff points are weighted four times heavier than a regular event. The win is worth 2,000 FedExCup points, and the 70-man field is narrowed down to 50 by Sunday night. It decides who keeps a run at the Tour Championship and who doesn’t.

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Although his miss at last year’s championship raised concerns, McIlroy was blunt in his response. He told the Telegraph in November 2024 that a tied-for-68th finish at the TPC Southwind barely moved him in the standings. So another week away carried little cost. He held his position comfortably inside the top 50 needed for the BMW Championship, which meant St. Jude offered him nothing to the chase.

“I need to be in the top 30 going in there to have a chance to win the FedEx Cup. So why would I care about the first two?” he had said.

Even PGA Tour Policy Board Player Director Peter Malnati went public with his frustration within days, as reported by ESPN. “Very concerned,” he said, adding that the changes could follow to stop top players from skipping playoff events in the future.

Now, McIlroy is back on the course, and he’s not the only one. World number one Scottie Scheffler has also committed to Memphis, returning after tying for third there last year and chasing his second straight FedEx Cup title.