Jordan Spieth stumbles late, fails to advance in FedEx Cup playoffs after disappointing finish at TPC Southwind

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Jordan Spieth knew he had work to do this week in Memphis to keep his PGA Tour season alive. And for a while at TPC Southwind, it looked like he was going to pull it off. 

But then, Spieth fell apart. 

Spieth made back-to-back bogeys shortly after making the turn in his final round at the FedEx St. Jude Championship, including one after a brutal break on the par-3 11th. He posted an even-par 70 and got to 4-under for the week.

By the time he hit the clubhouse, Spieth was sitting in a tie for 20th, well back of leader Scottie Scheffler. That had him projected to finish at No. 52 in the FedExCup standings.

Only the top 50 in the FedExCup standings after Sunday advance to next week's BMW Championship in St. Louis, which marks the second of the three playoff stops.

Spieth entered the week at No. 54 in the FedExCup standings. While he's only missed three cuts, the 33-year-old has yet to win on the PGA Tour this season or even finish inside the top 10. While Spieth opened the week with an impressive 5-under 65, he stalled out on Friday and Saturday. He didn't make a birdie until the 11th hole on Moving Day and ended up finishing with a 2-over 72. That dropped Spieth outside of the projected top 50. 

Spieth was hanging around the top 50 mark for quite a while on Sunday, thanks to a 2-under front nine that kept him in the mix. But things fell apart at the 11th, when Spieth's tee shot on the short par 3 rolled next to the bridge that leads to the green. That left Spieth trying to putt it from well off the putting surface, and eventually the first of back-to-back bogeys.

Though Spieth recovered briefly with a birdie at the 13th, his drive on the 15th landed in the creek along the left side of the fairway. That set him up for another bogey, ended up pushing him out of contention for good. 

Spieth has won 13 times in his career, and was once a dominant fan-favorite on the Tour. But Spieth has slowed down in recent years. He hasn't won anywhere since the 2022 RBC Heritage, and only has seven top 10 finishes over the past three seasons combined. He entered this week at No. 57 in the Official World Golf Rankings. Spieth is just a PGA Championship away from completing the Career Grand Slam, though he hasn't truly been in the hunt for the Wanamaker Trophy since before the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The former top-ranked golfer in the world is absolutely capable of joining the small list of golf greats and finding a second life in his career. He's only 33, after all. But now, with his 2026 campaign officially over, he'll have to wait at least a few months before getting the opportunity to pick up a win on Tour once again.