“The Bomb” McIlroy
Rory McIlroy did not appear in Memphis (Tennessee, USA), where the PGA Tour kicked off the 2025 FedEx Cup play-offs through the St. Jude Championship (Par70; starting at 7:20 p.m. on August 7, Hanoi time).
The absence was long planned, but it became a shocking explosion. Not because the action was so sudden, but because the decision collapsed a system that had spent years trying to patch up its fragile shell.
People like to believe that the FedEx Cup is the pinnacle of the PGA Tour , where stars are forced to show up and fight for glory.
However, McIlroy – who holds the record for three wins (2016, 2019 and 2022) – has made many question its true value by… staying home.
The Northern Irishman’s withdrawal is nothing new, having missed the play-offs in 2015 and 2018.
Tiger Woods did it in 2007 and still won the trophy (the FedEx Cup is a three-legged affair). Phil Mickelson skipped an event despite leading the points table.
No one objected, no one called it a crisis. But this year, when McIlroy did the same thing, the reaction was as if the world golf order had collapsed.
Peter Malnati – representative of the Golfers Council – spoke out expressing “big concerns” and hinted at the possibility of new regulations to force stars to fully participate in the play-off.
On social media, people call it “Rory’s Law.” The nickname doesn’t hide the system’s confusion, where one individual who doesn’t follow the script is enough to make the stage shake.
August is a quiet month on the global sports calendar. No World Cup, no Olympics, no Super Bowl. Just the heat of Memphis (33-34 degrees Celsius) and a story big enough to shake up golf.
McIlroy suddenly became the protagonist – not because he was playing golf, but because he chose not to play.
The truth is, the PGA Tour has spent two decades trying to convince the public that the FedEx Cup matters.
Now, when it comes to relying on the presence of a few stars to maintain appeal, the question to ask is not “Why is Rory out?” , but “Why does no one care when others play?” .
FedEx Cup Questions
Comparing it to other sports is misleading. No one can imagine an NFL quarterback missing the playoffs.
Golf is completely different, where the sacredness lies in the four majors (The Masters, PGA Championship, US Open and The Open Championship), the Ryder Cup, or sometimes The Players Championship.
The FedEx Cup, despite its $25 million prize money, is a product of money. It has no tradition, no emotion.
McIlroy wasn’t the only one tired. But he was the only one who dared to rest. Of the 70 golfers who qualified for Memphis ($20 million prize pool; $3.6 million for the winner), he was the only one who didn’t show up.
The world No. 2 golfer chose to rest before the schedule, including the remaining two play-off events (BMW Championship and Tour Championship; taking place consecutively in the next 2 weeks), Ryder Cup (late next month) and European Tour.
He didn't protest, but just wanted to preserve reasonable physical strength during the exhausting competition year.
The PGA Tour has reason to be concerned. With television partners spending hundreds of millions of dollars to see McIlroy play, and FedEx pouring money into the tournament in its home base (headquartered in Memphis), Rors’ absence is a hole that could become a dent in its sponsorship relationship.
But if a league exists only because of one individual, then perhaps it will never be stable enough.
McIlroy isn't entirely blameless. He was a pioneer in calling for star engagement with the special events system, especially when many switched to LIV Golf, and then skipped a few tournaments himself. But life isn't monotonous.
The post-Masters collisions, physical and mental fatigue, and many changes off the golf course make this decision irresponsible.
Ultimately, the question remains the same: after nearly 20 years of tweaking the format, scoring, and venues, why hasn't the FedEx Cup become a must-see destination?
Perhaps because it was never built on faith, but only on money and calculation. On that foundation, when one person withdraws, the whole building shakes.
McIlroy didn't ruin the PGA Tour. He just helped us see the truth.
Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/rory-mcilroy-bo-play-off-fedex-cup-cai-tat-cho-pga-tour-2429654.html
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