Rory McIlroy came to East Lake chasing a record fourth FedExCup title, but a costly short-game mishap on the third hole disrupted his second round of the 2026 Tour Championship.
An ESPN+ broadcaster criticized McIlroy after he left 2 consecutive chip shots short, saying the 6-time major champion had gotten too “cute” instead of making sure his second attempt finished long of the trouble.
The sequence led to a double bogey and sent McIlroy tumbling down the leaderboard. He recovered over the weekend and eventually finished tied for 4th at 11-under, earning $1,707,142.86.
Rory McIlroy struggles at the Tour Championship
Rory McIlroy arrived at the 2026 Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club seeking a record fourth FedExCup title. During the second round, however, an unusual short-game mistake on the third hole temporarily knocked him toward the bottom of the leaderboard.
The Tour Championship features the top 30 players in the FedExCup standings after the BMW Championship. Since the format changed in 2025, every qualifier has started the 72-hole event at even par, with the tournament winner also becoming the FedExCup champion.
McIlroy entered East Lake ranked No. 11 in the FedExCup standings and No. 2 in the Official World Golf Ranking. He ultimately recovered from his difficult second round to finish tied for 4th.
The third hole meltdown explained
On the tricky par-four third hole, McIlroy faced a delicate chip from just off the putting green. He tried to finesse the shot, but the ball rolled right back down to his own feet.
Rather than adjust his approach, McIlroy attempted almost the exact same tricky chip a second time in a row. Once again, the ball lacked enough power, bounced once, and rolled back near the same spot.
On his third attempt, McIlroy finally found the putting surface at East Lake. The damage was already done, and he walked away from the hole with a frustrating and costly double bogey on his card.
Announcer criticizes McIlroy for getting too cute
An ESPN+ broadcaster criticized McIlroy after his second unsuccessful chip on the third hole. The announcer said McIlroy had gotten too “cute” twice in a row and argued that he needed to err on the long side, particularly after the first attempt had already rolled back toward him.
The criticism reflected the unusual nature of the mistake: McIlroy attempted 2 similar shots from nearly the same position before finally getting his third attempt onto the green and making double bogey.
Andy North weighs in on McIlroy’s mistakes
ESPN analyst Andy North praised McIlroy’s talent but criticized the avoidable mistakes that have occasionally hurt him. North said McIlroy cannot keep short-siding himself or making mistakes with wedges.
North contrasted McIlroy with world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, saying Scheffler does not make as many forced mistakes. The comments came after McIlroy’s costly double bogey on the third hole.
McIlroy shot a 1-under 69 in the second round to reach 3-under for the tournament. He finished the day tied for 23rd, 7 strokes behind co-leaders Viktor Hovland and Ryan Gerard.
McIlroy closes in on Tiger Woods’ career earnings total
McIlroy remains close to Tiger Woods on the PGA Tour’s career earnings list, but Woods no longer holds the overall record. Scottie Scheffler passed Woods by winning the 2026 Tour Championship and taking the $10 million first prize.
Scheffler now leads the PGA Tour’s career earnings list with $130,390,661, ahead of Woods’ $120,999,166. McIlroy has $117,848,372 in official PGA Tour career earnings, leaving him a little more than $3.1 million behind Woods.
McIlroy had an opportunity to pass Woods at East Lake, but his 7-way tie for 4th earned him $1,707,142.86, leaving him short of the former record-holder’s total.
Fun fact: McIlroy became the youngest player to spend 500 weeks inside the top 10 of the Official World Golf Ranking, breaking Woods’ previous mark.
How the FedExCup payout works
The 2026 Tour Championship carried a $40 million purse, with winner Scottie Scheffler earning $10 million in official prize money.
The Tour Championship format changed in 2025 when the PGA Tour eliminated Starting Strokes and made the season finale a conventional 72-hole stroke-play event with every player beginning at even par. The FedExCup bonus structure was also separated from the Tour Championship purse, with nearly $100 million in season-long bonus money distributed according to the FedExCup standings.
Under the Tour Championship payout schedule, 30th place was allocated $355,000, while the winner received $10 million.
Rory’s history with costly big moments
This was not the first time McIlroy faced criticism for a costly shot at a crucial moment in his career. Golf fans still remember his difficult final-round collapse at the 2011 Masters tournament.
Despite these occasional stumbles, McIlroy remains one of the most accomplished golfers of his entire generation. He has won multiple major championships and captured the FedEx Cup title on several occasions over the years.
What the result meant for McIlroy’s season
McIlroy recovered impressively from his second-round setback, shooting a 7-under 63 on Saturday before ultimately finishing tied for 4th at 11-under in the Tour Championship.
Scottie Scheffler won the event at 16-under to capture his second FedExCup title. McIlroy’s T4 finish earned him $1,707,142.86 and left him just short of overtaking Tiger Woods on the PGA Tour’s career earnings list.
Every FedExCup champion since the competition began in 2007 has been crowned at East Lake. The Atlanta course is also the city’s oldest golf course and is closely associated with Bobby Jones, who learned the game there.
Fun fact: East Lake Golf Club is actually the oldest golf course in Atlanta and was once the home course of legendary amateur champion Bobby Jones.
TL;DR
- McIlroy left 2 consecutive chips short on the third hole during the second round of the Tour Championship and made double bogey.
- An ESPN+ broadcaster criticized him for getting too “cute” and said he needed to err on the long side.
- ESPN analyst Andy North contrasted McIlroy’s forced mistakes with world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler’s more controlled play.
- McIlroy eventually finished tied for 4th, while Scheffler won the Tour Championship and replaced Tiger Woods as the PGA Tour’s career earnings leader.
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This article was made with AI assistance and human editing.
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