Rory McIlroy teed off at TPC Southwind this week; there is no clear goal to chase. His spot at East Lake was already secure before the first ball was struck. However, McIlroy arrived, treating the FedEx Cup Playoffs less like a sprint and more like a long haul to pace himself through. However, three rounds in, that patient approach has met a golf course that isn’t working out for him.

McIlroy explained his mindset before starting the FedEx St. Jude Championship. “I’ve always tried to view the playoffs like almost like one big long tournament, like a 12-round event. And you’ve got to pace yourself. Like, it’s three long weeks. We are going to go from here to St. Louis to Atlanta.”

McIlroy began the third round at 4 over par, tied for 60th, already well off the pace set by leader Scottie Scheffler.

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Rory McIlroy opened his first round with a 4-over 74. The round had flashes of promise buried in a rough finish. He made a birdie on the par-3 fourth and another on the par-3 11th, showing signs of the ball-striking that has carried him for years.

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But a bogey at the 16th, a bogey at the 17th and a double bogey at the 18th turned the manageable round into a damaging one. His putting was the clearest problem, with strokes gained putting at -1.737, only good enough to rank him 61st in the field.

His second round was a bit stronger, as he responded with an even-par 70. He carded birdies on the third, fourth, 10th, and 14th holes, with his Strokes Gained: Approach ranked 19th for the round. It looked like the turnaround he needed. But once again, he derailed with bogeys on the seventh, 17th, and 18th.

His putter wasn’t the only culprit. His approach play was a bigger challenge. His round one had a strokes-gained approach of -2.055. But round two was slightly better with 1.096. Across the tournament, his strokes gained total sits at minus 5.172, ranking 62nd out of the field.

The Northern Irishman is currently underway in his third round, making a step toward stabilizing his week rather than salvaging his outright. Moreover, McIlroy is no stranger to TPC Southwind. He is a three-time FedExCup champion and has a history of contending in Memphis, including a third-round 62 that gave him the 54-hole lead at the 2019 WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational. He ultimately finished tied for fourth as Brooks Koepka won the title.

With no cut in the FedEx St. Jude Championship, there’s no danger of an early exit. But a top finish now looks unlikely for him without a significant turnaround in his third round. The bigger question is whether these struggles carry into next week’s stop at St. Louis, the second leg of a three-week playoff run he’s been trying to treat as one long, strong event.