Robert MacIntyre’s FedExCup Playoffs campaign has taken a sudden turn after the Scottish star withdrew from the FedEx St. Jude Championship before the start of Friday’s second round at TPC Southwind in Memphis.
MacIntyre had endured a nightmare opening round on Thursday, carding a career-worst 12-over-par 82 that left him at the bottom of the leaderboard and 17 strokes behind the co-leaders. He was scheduled to return to the course for the second round, but his name was removed from the field before play began.
MacIntyre’s difficult opening round
The two-time PGA Tour winner struggled almost from the beginning of his opening round.
After bogeys on the second and third holes, the Scot suffered an especially damaging stretch from the fourth through sixth holes. He recorded a double bogey on the fourth, another double bogey on the fifth and then a triple bogey on the par-4 sixth.
The difficult sequence immediately put him in serious trouble, and he never managed to recover fully.
MacIntyre did find some stability later in the round, producing eight consecutive pars, but his problems returned during the closing stretch.
He made a double bogey on the 15th before finally recording his only birdie of the round on the 16th. A bogey on the 17th was followed by another double bogey on the 18th after he found the water off the tee.
In total, MacIntyre found the water four times during his opening round.
His final score of 82 was enough to leave him 12 over par and dramatically behind the early leaders.
Why did MacIntyre withdraw?
The exact reason for MacIntyre’s withdrawal was initially unclear.
PGA Tour communications did not list an official reason when he withdrew before the second round. Reuters also reported that no official reason had been provided for the decision.
However, a subsequent report from Yahoo Sports, citing the PGA Tour, said MacIntyre withdrew with a knee injury after his opening-round 82.
That means the withdrawal should not simply be attributed to his disastrous score. While the 12-over round clearly put him in an extremely difficult position, the reported knee issue is the reason now being associated with his decision to leave the tournament.
A costly exit from a $20 million event
MacIntyre’s withdrawal comes at an important point in the PGA Tour season.
The FedEx St. Jude Championship is the opening event of the 2026 FedExCup Playoffs and carries a $20 million purse, with the winner receiving $3.6 million. The tournament features the top 70 players who qualified for the playoffs, although the field was reduced after Daniel Berger also withdrew before the tournament.
There is no traditional 36-hole cut at the FedEx St. Jude Championship, meaning players who remain in the tournament normally have four rounds to improve their position.
MacIntyre, however, will now receive no opportunity to recover from his opening-round disaster.
FedExCup consequences
The withdrawal could also have consequences for MacIntyre’s position in the FedExCup standings.
He entered the week ranked 31st in the FedExCup standings. According to GolfMagic, his position was projected to drop to around 37th following his difficult start.
The top 50 players at the end of the FedEx St. Jude Championship advance to the BMW Championship, while the field is subsequently reduced to the top 30 for the season-ending Tour Championship.
MacIntyre was already in a relatively secure position to advance to the BMW Championship, but his withdrawal means he will miss the opportunity to collect additional FedExCup points and potentially improve his position heading into the second playoff event.
Another frustrating moment in MacIntyre’s season
The withdrawal adds another frustrating chapter to what has been a mixed 2026 season for the Scottish golfer.
MacIntyre has produced several strong performances, including top-five finishes at the Sony Open and The Players Championship. He also came close to winning the Valero Texas Open, entering the final round with a one-shot lead before J.J. Spaun overtook him.
His major championship campaign, however, was much less consistent.
He missed the cut at the Masters and PGA Championship, while finishing 39th at the U.S. Open. He then found better form at the Scottish Open, where he finished third in front of his home crowd, before making the cut at The Open Championship.
MacIntyre’s playoff campaign now in jeopardy
The timing of the withdrawal makes the situation particularly disappointing for MacIntyre.
The FedExCup Playoffs are designed to give the leading players one final opportunity to climb the standings and compete for the season-ending title.
MacIntyre had entered the playoffs with a chance to continue his run toward the Tour Championship, but his early exit from Memphis means he will have to wait for the BMW Championship to make another push.
For now, the biggest concern will be his reported knee injury and whether it affects his ability to compete in the next stage of the playoffs.
MacIntyre’s withdrawal also leaves a major question hanging over his playoff campaign: will he be fit enough to return for the BMW Championship?
For a player who finished runner-up at the 2025 U.S. Open and has established himself as one of Europe’s leading golfers, the sudden exit from a $20 million playoff event is undoubtedly a disappointing development.
What began with one of the worst rounds of his PGA Tour career has now ended with MacIntyre leaving the opening playoff event altogether.
