World number one Scottie Scheffler heads into the final round of the St Jude Championship at TPC Southwind in Memphis with a two-stroke advantage, aiming to end a winless run that stretches back to 27 January 2026, when he claimed the American Express Open. The American carded a two-under-par 68 on Saturday to reach 13 under overall, putting him ahead of compatriot Sam Burns and South Korea's Im Sung-jae, who share second place at 11 under.
Burns produced the standout round of the day, a bogey-free 62, to force his way into contention at the opening event of the FedEx Cup play-offs. According to a live leaderboard tracker, Scheffler's overall total of 13 under has come from rounds of 68 and 61, a detail not reflected in Saturday's official scorecard reporting, which listed his third-round score as 68. Im Sung-jae also sits alongside Burns at 11 under heading into Sunday's final round.
How does the leaderboard look behind the leaders?
Defending FedEx Cup champion Tommy Fleetwood of England is grouped with Jake Knapp of the United States at eight under, three shots further back. Sweden's Alex Noren and Norway's Viktor Hovland are positioned for potential late charges at seven and six under respectively. Other notable positions include Billy Harman at seven under, Wyndham Clark at five under, and Matt Fitzpatrick and Jordan Spieth tied at four under.
What is at stake in this FedEx Cup play-off opener?
The tournament forms the first leg of a three-event FedEx Cup play-off series running from 13 to 30 August 2026, according to the Official World Golf Ranking. This year's event carries a $20 million purse and is being staged over a par-70, 7,288-yard layout at TPC Southwind with no cut after 36 holes, according to a tournament preview and course details published separately. Scheffler arrived at the event already holding the FedExCup points lead and has secured a $10 million season-long points bonus, according to a breakdown of the FedExCup format.
The top 50 players in the FedEx Cup standings after the weekend will progress to next week's BMW Championship, with the leading 30 from that event advancing to the season-ending Tour Championship.
What did Scheffler say about facing his close friend Burns?
Scheffler, 30, described the prospect of contesting Sunday's final round in the last pairing alongside Burns, a close friend, as both familiar and unusual.
Strategy is still the same, just go out there and execute.
He added that the format of the course leaves little room for deviation from a straightforward game plan.
This is a golf course where that's really all it comes down to. It's always a little weird just because I want him to have success so much and I think he wants the same for me.
Reflecting further on the dynamic of competing against a friend for the title, he said the round would carry an unusual mix of normal competitiveness and personal warmth.
It will be a competition like normal. It will be fun being out there with your friend but it's also a bit weird.
How does this compare with Scheffler's recent 54-hole leads?
Saturday's round marked the first time since the 2025 Open Championship that Scheffler has taken a lead into the final round of a tournament after 54 holes, underlining how rare his position at the top of a leaderboard has been in the months since his American Express Open victory in January 2026.
What happened to McIlroy and Rose?
Six-time major champion Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland and 2013 US Open winner Justin Rose of England both suffered costly finishes on the 18th hole. McIlroy carded a double-bogey six after finding the water off the tee, while Rose fared worse, hitting the same hazard twice en route to a triple-bogey seven. Both players sit well off the pace at six over par heading into the final round.
What happens next?
The FedEx St Jude Championship is scheduled to conclude on 16 August 2026, after which the top 50 players in the FedEx Cup standings will advance to the BMW Championship, according to tournament scheduling details. That event is set for 20-23 August 2026 at Bellerive Country Club in St Louis, Missouri, according to the same FedExCup format report. The top 30 finishers there will then progress to the Tour Championship, closing out the play-off series on 30 August 2026.
Key Facts
- Scottie Scheffler leads the St Jude Championship at 13 under after Saturday's third round, two shots clear of Sam Burns and Im Sung-jae at 11 under.
- Scheffler's last tour victory came at the American Express Open on 27 January 2026.
- The event carries a $20 million purse and is being played at TPC Southwind, a par-70, 7,288-yard course with no cut.
- Rory McIlroy and Justin Rose both dropped shots on the 18th hole to finish at six over par.
- The BMW Championship follows on 20-23 August 2026 at Bellerive Country Club, with the Tour Championship closing the play-offs on 30 August 2026.
