Scottie Scheffler heads into the weekend with a three-shot lead after matching the course record at TPC Southwind – here’s how to follow the rest of the FedEx St. Jude Championship from the UAE.
The PGA Tour’s FedExCup Playoffs are underway, and the opening leg, the FedEx St. Jude Championship, has already delivered its first big swing in the standings. Scottie Scheffler put together a 9-under 61 at TPC Southwind on Friday, matching the course record and taking control of a leaderboard that had been shared five ways just 24 hours earlier.
For fans in the UAE and wider MENA region, that means the weekend broadcast windows are worth clearing the calendar for. Here’s the story so far, and everything you need to know to watch the rest of the tournament live.
What Is the FedEx St. Jude Championship?
The FedEx St. Jude Championship is the first of three events in the FedExCup Playoffs, the PGA Tour’s season-ending run that decides the 2026 FedExCup champion. It’s being played from August 13-16 at TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tennessee, a par-70 layout stretching to 7,288 yards.
Only the top 70 players from the regular-season FedExCup standings qualified for the field, and there’s no 36-hole cut. Every player who tees it up plays all four rounds, but only the top 50 in the standings after Sunday move on to next week’s BMW Championship. From there, the field narrows again to the top 30 for the season finale, the Tour Championship, from August 27-30.
The purse this week is $20 million, with $3.6 million going to the winner, who also picks up 750 FedExCup points, the same points on offer at The Players Championship and the majors. Justin Rose is the defending champion after beating J.J. Spaun in a playoff last year, while Tommy Fleetwood arrives as the reigning FedExCup champion from 2025.
The Story So Far
Round 1 produced a five-way share of the lead at 5-under 65, with Jordan Spieth, Michael Thorbjornsen, Kurt Kitayama, Jake Knapp and Michael Kim all in the mix. Scheffler, the World No. 1 and FedExCup points leader heading into the week, opened with a 4-under 66 that included a rare mid-round outburst after his only bogey of the day, leaving him tied for fifth.
Friday told a different story. Scheffler birdied five of his first six holes on the way to a 9-under 61, matching the TPC Southwind course record and turning a three-shot deficit into a three-shot lead. He finished the round with 11 birdies against just two bogeys, and leads the field in both Strokes Gained: Approach and Strokes Gained: Putting through 36 holes.
He takes an 11-under total into the weekend, three shots clear of Sungjae Im and Viktor Hovland at 8-under. Ludvig Åberg sits alone in fourth at 7-under, with Spieth, Tommy Fleetwood, Nico Echavarria and Brian Harman grouped at 6-under. Rory McIlroy, playing his first FedEx St. Jude Championship since skipping the event last year, has had a tougher time of it, sitting four over par after rounds of 74 and 70.
Beyond the top of the leaderboard, the real tension of the week is happening further down the standings, where players hovering around the top-50 line are playing four rounds that could end their season.
How to Watch in the UAE and MENA
For live scores, leaderboard updates and the latest from Memphis, head to Golf Digest Middle East’s Live Golf hub.
FAQ
When is the FedEx St. Jude Championship 2026?
It’s being played from Thursday, August 13 to Sunday, August 16, 2026, at TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tennessee.
How many players make the cut for the BMW Championship?
There’s no 36-hole cut at the FedEx St. Jude Championship. Instead, the top 50 players in the FedExCup standings after Sunday’s final round advance to the BMW Championship.
Who is leading the FedEx St. Jude Championship?
Scottie Scheffler leads after 36 holes at 11-under par, three shots clear of Sungjae Im and Viktor Hovland, following a second-round 61 that matched the TPC Southwind course record.
How can I watch the FedEx St. Jude Championship in the UAE?
Follow live scores and updates throughout the tournament via Golf Digest Middle East’s Live Golf hub.
What is the FedExCup Playoffs format?
Three tournaments narrow the field from 70 players (FedEx St. Jude Championship) to 50 (BMW Championship) to 30 (Tour Championship), with the winner of the Tour Championship becoming FedExCup champion.
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Main Image: Ben Jared