Robert MacIntyre WDs from FedEx St. Jude Championship after disaster start to $20m PGA Tour event

Robert MacIntyre will play no further part in the 2026 FedEx St. Jude Championship.

The 30-year-old Scot withdrew ahead of the second round of the PGA Tour's play-off opener in Memphis.

No official reason was given for MacIntyre's withdrawal, but it comes after a nightmare opening round in which he carded a career-worst 12-over 82 at TPC Southwind.

The Oban native finished the day at the bottom of the leaderboard, a staggering 17 strokes behind the early leaders Jordan Spieth, Michael Kim, Michael Thorbjornsen, Jake Knapp and Kurt Kitayama.

MacIntyre was expected to begin his second round at 14:55 BST alongside J.T. Poston, but the American will now play on his own. 

The European Ryder Cup star wasn't the only big name to struggle on day one. 

Masters champion Rory McIlroy returned to the sport for the first time since The Open at Royal Birkdale. 

The 37-year-old, who wasn't expected to play this week, carded a 4-over 74 after a late stumble.

Fortunately for McIlroy he will have three more rounds to shake off the rust as there is no cut this week. 

The 69-man field are jockeying for position in the FedEx Cup standings. 

Only the top 50 players at the conclusion of the FedEx St. Jude Championship will advance to the BMW Championship next week at Bellerive Country Club. 

From there, the field is whittled again and only the top 30 will have a tee time at the season-ending Tour Championship.

MacIntyre is safely through to the BMW Championship but will need to have a big week if he is to advance to the season finale. 

MacIntyre's miserable day

MacIntyre's problems began early as he bogeyed the 2nd and 3rd holes before a disastrous run from the 4th to 6th saw him go bogey-double-triple.

The Scot also found the water multiple times throughout his round.

He eventually appeared to settle himself with eight consecutive pars, but another late collapse ensured there would be no recovery.

MacIntyre double-bogeyed the 15th before making his only birdie of the day on the 16th. 

He then bogeyed the 17th before finishing with another double bogey on the 18th after finding the water off the tee.

In total, the Scot found the water four times during the first round. 

The two-time PGA Tour winner began the week 31st in the FedEx Cup standings and is currently projected to fall six places to 37th.

Robert MacIntyre's mixed season

Statistically, MacIntyre is a better player this season but the results haven't been there. 

He posted top-five finishes at the Sony Open and The Players Championship and almost won the Valero Texas Open a week before The Masters. 

MacIntyre led by one shot with 18 holes remaining at TPC San Antonio but was overtaken by J.J. Spaun. 

He then missed the cut at Augusta National whereby his conduct on the course was criticised. 

MacIntyre directed a middle finger towards the 15th green after making a quadruple-bogey and was reprimanded by tournament officials. 

In the other men's majors, MacIntyre missed the cut at the PGA Championship and shared 39th at the U.S Open. 

He returned to form at the Scottish Open, finishing third in front of his home fans and made the cut at The Open. 

Once again, though, his temper got the better of him at Royal Birkdale and he was given a code of conduct warning for slamming his club in anger during the final round. 

An unrepentant MacIntyre later told of how he didn't care about his critics as he wears his heart on his sleeve. 

"Everyone's got an opinion," he told Today's Golfer. 

"You see the people that I've employed that are closest to me – friends, family, they’re the ones I trust. 

"That’s why they’re in my team. If they tell me something, if I do something wrong, they are going to tell me. 'That was out of line, Bob.' 

"They understand that I wear my heart on my sleeve and I'm volatile at times.

"But it sounds daft, I think golf needs that. 

"I think golf needs personalities and sometimes it can cross the line. Yes, there's two-shot penalties here and there now. It used to be fines."