The world’s No. 2 golfer finished 66th out of 68 golfers in Memphis over the weekend

Rory McIlroyCredit: Ben Jared/PGA TOUR via Getty
Rory McIlroy
Credit: Ben Jared/PGA TOUR via Getty

NEED TO KNOW

  • Rory McIlroy is questioning his golf game after a poor performance over the weekend
  • The world No. 2 golfer finished in 66th place out of 68 golfers
  • McIlroy won the Masters in April, but since then, has chosen to focus on major tournaments

Two-time Masters champ Rory McIlroy is questioning his game after a woeful performance at the FedEx St. Jude Championship over the weekend.

The world’s No. 2 golfer told reporters after his 66th-place finish at TPC Southwind in Memphis that he “felt lost” during the tournament.

“Obviously didn’t come in here with a ton of reps,” he said. “[It] almost felt like the more the week went on, the more I felt lost with my golf swing a little bit.”

The Northern Irishman, 37, continued: “The swing wasn’t in sync and obviously I didn’t do a ton of practice coming in here. I’m so far away from where I need to be to even feel like I have a chance. I’ve just got to keep working and hope it turns around a little bit.”

For McIlroy, who clinched his second straight Masters win at Augusta National in April, the kickoff event of the FedExCup Playoffs was the first tournament he had played since the Open Championship in July.

“Having four weeks off going into the last two events of the year was probably going to be a little bit too much for me in terms of wanting to be competitive,” McIlroy, who has chosen to focus on major tournaments, said before the event.

Rory McIlroy during the second round of the FedEx St. Jude Championship at TPC Southwind on Friday, Aug. 14.Credit: Ben Jared/PGA TOUR via Getty
Rory McIlroy during the second round of the FedEx St. Jude Championship at TPC Southwind on Friday, Aug. 14.
Credit: Ben Jared/PGA TOUR via Getty

Despite skipping St. Jude last year, he added: “I think it’s important to be here. It’s the tour’s playoffs, and I think it’s important for all the players to be here.”

McIlroy was paired with world No. 1 and eventual winner Scottie Scheffler during the first two rounds of the tournament, but the latter golfer’s course-tying 61 had little effect on his own game.

“I guess it’s nice to shake the rust off a little bit, but I’m going to have to work pretty hard between now and next Thursday to feel like I have any sort of golf game to compete next week,” McIlroy said.

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He added, “To me it’s more about obviously the execution of what I’m doing right now, and the execution wasn’t there this week.”

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