Eagle Lifts Jordan Spieth Into First-Round Lead at FedEx St. Jude

Jordan Spieth pitches on the 17th hole during the first round of the FedEx St. Jude Championship golf tournament at TPC Southwind in Memphis on Aug. 10, 2023. Mark Weber/Daily Memphian via AP

Jordan Spieth chipped in for eagle to take the first-round lead at the FedEx St. Jude Championship, the first leg of the FedEx Cup playoffs, on Thursday, August 10, in Memphis, Tenn.

Spieth’s eagle at the par-5 16th hole at TPC Southwind vaulted him into the driver’s seat at 7 under, and he made two pars to finish off a bogey-free 63.

Jordan Spieth of the United States and Sungjae Im of Korea finish on the 18th green during the first round of the FedEx St. Jude Championship at TPC Southwind in Memphis on Aug. 10, 2023. Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

Tom Kim of South Korea is in second at 6–under 64, and Collin Morikawa and Argentina’s Emiliano Grillo are tied for third at 5–under 65. Lucas Glover, who qualified for the playoffs by winning last week’s Wyndham Championship, is part of a massive tie at 4–under 66.

The top 70 players from the season-long FedEx Cup points race earned berths into the playoffs, and only the top 50 in the standings after this tournament will advance to next week’s BMW Championship. There is no 36-hole cut at the FedEx St. Jude Championship for the first time.

FedEx Cup points leader Jon Rahm of Spain had a double bogey and four bogeys en route to a forgettable, 3–over 73, putting him tied for 65th. Were he to finish the tournament that far down the leaderboard, he is still projected to hold onto the No. 1 spot. Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland, entering the week Nos. 2 and 3, each shot 3–under 67 on Thursday.

Spieth, the 2015 FedEx Cup champion, has not won on tour since the RBC Heritage in April 2022.