Jordan Spieth Falls Short at FedEx St. Jude Championship

In Memphis, Tennessee, Jordan Spieth aimed for 67 points during the final round of the FedEx St. Jude Championship, believing it would secure him a top 50 finish in the FedEx Cup and a spot in the following week’s event. However, in the end, he only required a score of 69, which he couldn’t quite achieve.

Spieth and Keith Mitchell found themselves struggling on the 18th, trying to salvage their postseason ambitions. Unfortunately, neither managed to clinch a spot in the PGA Tour playoffs on Sunday, alongside the lucrative $20 million championship in 2027.

It was quite simple: Spieth needed just one birdie out of his last three holes, while Mitchell had to lower his score by two strokes. Yet, on the 18th, Spieth faced a bogey after hitting from the water.

“I think I’m playing pretty well, it’s almost like the season’s about to kick off,” Spieth noted after finishing with an even-par 70, making three pars in a row. “I don’t really see myself competing in tournaments for a while after this.”

Entering this playoff event ranked 54th, Spieth was aware he’d likely need a top-15 finish to qualify for the BMW Championship for the first time since 2023.

He navigated the tricky holes from 11 to 14 at TPC Southwind, managing two bogeys and sinking a 30-foot birdie putt.

“Getting through those holes without too much damage, we felt we had chances on the other side,” Spieth said.

However, things went awry on hole 15 when he missed his tee shot, landing wide left and into the water, which led to a bogey. On the 16th, a miscalculated chip sent his ball rolling off the green, and he also missed a similar birdie opportunity on the 17th.

On the 18th, needing a birdie to stay in contention, he attempted a 35-foot putt but came up just short, ultimately settling for par.

“I just didn’t execute as needed…a couple of bounces here and there might have changed everything,” he reflected. “Today had to be nearly flawless.”

Mitchell, meanwhile, has yet to finish in the top 30 to qualify for the Tour Championship in his nine-year PGA Tour career. This week, he started in 49th place and felt the pressure throughout. He mentioned he didn’t check the leaderboard until after leaving the 17th green.

For him, there was no safety net; he had to roll up his pants and step into the water, trying to recover from a tough situation. The second shot didn’t go as planned, bouncing left and back into the water. Despite a respectable bogey 72, he missed out, finishing less than one point shy of No. 50 Matt McCarty.

“I thought I executed the first shot perfectly, but then the wind came in,” Mitchell explained. “Things didn’t go right on my second shot.”

With the new point system focusing more on overall season performance, the postseason may have less unpredictability. Lim Sung-jae, starting the final round in 53rd place, shot up to tie for 2nd place and won comfortably.

Ultimately, Mitchell was the only player to drop out of the top 50.