Justin Rose steals the show and a playoff at the FedEx St. Jude Championship (and yes, he’s still ageless) 🏆⛳ 

Justin Rose wins FedEx St. Jude Championship in thrilling playoff. The top 50 head to the BMW Championship at Caves Valley. Who’s in, who’s out, favorites and dark horses, plus a quick explainer of how the FedExCup Playoffs work. 

The headlines 

Justin Rose birdied his way into playoff glory at TPC Southwind and came out on top in a dramatic playoff to win the FedEx St. Jude Championship. His big FedEx Playoffs statement after a gutsy final round. The victory came with the usual playoff spoils, 2,000 FedExCup points and a hefty winner’s payday. If you missed the TV replay, Rose and J.J. Spaun squared off on the final hole as Fleetwood who was leading all week fell off at the end, Rose held his nerve, and the Memphis crowd got the kind of finish we file under “instant classic.”  

Who’s coming to Maryland (the big names who  

Made the cut for the BMW Championship) 

The top 50 in the FedExCup standings after Memphis advance to the BMW Championship and that roster includes a mix of heavyweights and hot streakers. Notables headed to Caves Valley include, Scottie Scheffler (still atop the FedExCup leaderboard) a short list favorite. Rory McIlroy (skipped Memphis but very much alive in the standings and expected to play at BMW). Justin Rose (fresh off the playoff win, momentum alert). J.J. Spaun, Tommy Fleetwood, Sepp Straka, Russell Henley and others who either contended or sit comfortably in the top 50. A handful of players fought tooth-and-nail to move up the list late in Memphis Rickie Fowler, Bud Cauley, Kurt Kitayama, Jhonattan Vegas and J.T. Poston were among the names who played their way into the top 50 at the wire.  

Ouch — the big names who will not be teeing it up at the BMW 

Playoffs are ruthless. Some familiar faces won’t be at Caves Valley next week including Jordan Spieth, Wyndham Clark and Min Woo Lee (among others) failed to move into the top 50 and therefore won’t advance to the BMW. For several of them, a missed BMW also means losing a shot at the $10M race in Atlanta. 

Quick, friendly primer: how the FedExCup Playoffs actually work 

Short and sweet so you can drop this at the bar. The Playoffs start with the top 70 players from the regular-season FedExCup standings (that’s the FedEx St. Jude Championship). After St. Jude, the field shrinks to 50, those 50 head to the BMW Championship. After BMW, the top 30 move on to the season finale, the Tour Championship (East Lake), where the FedExCup champion is crowned. Points at playoff events are massive (2,000 points at these legs), so one hot week can vault you up the leaderboard, which keeps everything especially tense.  

Preview: BMW Championship at Caves Valley, who to watch next week 

Caves Valley Golf Club, Owings Mills, Maryland is a repeat host that rewards ball-strikers who can scramble under pressure. Who the bookmakers love (the favorites). Scottie Scheffler is the betting favorite and the man to beat given season-long form and FedExCup points cushion. Rory McIlroy is always in the conversation when healthy, rested and motivated. Odds put him near the top if he shows. Dark horses (fun picks who could make you look brilliant). Justin Rose being the winner at Memphis carries a load of confidence. A playoff win = momentum + clutch putts = danger. Viktor Hovland (another hot ball-striker) someone with length and scrambling can leap into contention at Caves Valley. Betting previews have flagged him and other “in-form” names as sneaky plays.   

What to expect. Tight scoring, veteran savvy, and a few late surges. Caves Valley favors players who can shape a ball, hit the right misses and putt when it counts. If you’re filling out a fantasy card, mix a chalky favorite with one or two “momentum” picks (Rose, someone fresh off a top week) and a longshot to spice it up.   

Final tee-shot (aka why this matters) 

The FedExCup Playoffs turn a long season into a three-week carnival of pressure-packed golf, big paydays, career moments and as we saw in Memphis, emotional playoff finishes. Justin Rose’s win is the perfect kickoff for the drama to come. Next stop, Caves Valley and the BMW Championship, where 50 players will battle for the 30 Tour Championship berths. Expect fireworks.