It's not the greatest look for the PGA Tour and its playoff format that Rory McIlroy is blowing off the first leg of the three-tournament gauntlet.

In an effort to reduce his overall workload on the season, reigning Masters champion Rory McIlroy decided not to play in this week's the 2025 St. Jude Championship at TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tennessee.

Rory McIlroy's decision to skip the first leg of the FedEx Cup playoffs -- the FedEx St. Jude Classic -- has left a PGA Tour Policy Board player director "very concerned" and could potentially lead to rule changes moving forward.