As the PGA Tour heads into the second leg of the playoffs, it’s worth taking a quick rewind to see what went down in the first. Justin Rose’s playoff win over the reigning U.S. Open champion stole most of the headlines, but there was plenty more to unpack. Kurt Kitayama’s T9 finish vaulted him 15 spots up the FedExCup standings, while Chris Kirk’s own T9 came with a sting: a missed chance at bigger opportunities in the weeks ahead. And that’s just the start of the stories you might have overlooked from the St. Jude Championship.

Jordan Spieth’s 2025 season has already come to a stop

Jordan Spieth was on a comeback trail in 2025 after the offseason wrist surgery. Returning to competitive golf in February at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, Spieth took a long view of his goals for the season and beyond. With a goal to get back into the top 50 of the FedEx Cup rankings, a spot he hadn’t occupied since 2023, Spieth entered the FedEx St. Jude Championship ranked 48th. He needed a solid performance to stay in the hunt. He struggled to make that happen, however.

Through the season, he showed flashes of his potential, finishing fourth at the Waste Management Open, tying for ninth at the Cognizant Classic, and tying for fourth at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson. But, inconsistency in ball-striking forced him to play strategically in the season’s final events. Only he failed to do so.

After a T31 at the Wyndham Championship and a T38 at the FedEx St. Jude Championship, Spieth’s Sunday turned into a roller coaster. Despite birdies on 13 and 16, Spieth’s season ended when his approach on 18 went into the water, ending his hopes of advancing to the BMW Championship and TOUR Championship.

Justin Rose and Tommy Fleetwood are in for the Ryder Cup

Justin Rose and Tommy Fleetwood secured their spots on Team Europe for the upcoming Ryder Cup against the United States, thanks to their performances at the FedEx St. Jude Championship. Rose clinched the win in a playoff against J.J. Spaun, capturing his 12th PGA Tour title. Fleetwood finished T3, one shot off the pace, earning enough points to join Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy as automatic qualifiers for Team Europe.

Rose, with his playoff win, is headed to his seventh Ryder Cup. Fleetwood, making his fourth consecutive appearance for Team Europe, has a history of success. He was a part of winning teams in 2012, 2014, 2018, and 2023. Fleetwood’s Ryder Cup debut at Le Golf National was memorable, winning four out of five points, and he sealed Europe’s win in Rome in 2023.

As of now, Rose stands second in the European Ryder Cup standings with 1519.62 points, and Fleetwood right behind him at 3rd with 1483.61 points. The moment is, undoubtedly, big. In fact, following the news, Fleetwood even showed his excitement about the news, saying, “Yes!!! Very proud.” Indeed, we are proud (and excited!).

Rickie Fowler… and the endless sponsor exemptions

With 665 FedEx Cup points when entering the FedEx St. Jude Championship, 48% of Fowler’s points came from just six sponsor exemptions. These sponsor exemptions were granted by tournament organizers, BMW in this case, allowing Fowler to enter key signature events despite not qualifying through points alone. So, why did he even receive them? Well, it’s thanks to Fowler’s huge following and fan base.

At the FedEx St. Jude Championship, Rickie Fowler finished T6, beating Chris Kirk’s T9. After the Memphis event, Fowler’s FedEx points increased to 1,032. Despite Kirk’s solid finish, he ended up 51st and was eliminated from the Playoffs, missing out on next year’s Signature Events. Could he have made it had he had some sponsor exemptions like Fowler? Well, likely.

Yet, despite the blow Kirk received, Fowler made it to the BMW Championship, for the first time since 2023, by a slim 70-point margin over Kirk. Critics, such as Brendan Porath of Fried Egg Golf, have pointed out Fowler’s reliance on sponsor exemptions in Signature Events, where inflated FedEx Cup points are available. Those help him greatly, even if he tries to dismiss them by claiming, “I got a handful of spots this year, which I’m incredibly grateful for. Unfortunately, I didn’t take advantage of many of those opportunities up until Jack’s event.”

On the other hand, Fowler’s 2025 season includes eight top-25 finishes in 20 starts. His progression to the BMW Championship, thanks in part to sponsor invites, means he’s now qualified for all eight Signature Events next year by merit. So, these are three of the top moments you might have missed from the St. Jude Championship. If there were any other, let us know.