Jordan Spieth opened the FedExCup Playoffs with a bogey-free 5-under 65 on Thursday, earning a five-way share of the FedEx St. Jude Championship lead at TPC Southwind.

Spieth joined Michael Thorbjornsen, Jake Knapp, Michael Kim and Kurt Kitayama at the top in Memphis. Five first-round co-leaders set a record for a FedExCup Playoffs event, surpassing the previous high of four.

The 65 was a strong start for Spieth, who arrived 54th in the FedExCup standings. Next week’s BMW Championship at Bellerive Country Club in St. Louis awaits only the top 50 after Sunday, with those players also qualifying for every 2027 Signature Event.

Spieth is seeking his first BMW Championship appearance since 2023. He began last year’s Playoffs at No. 48 but dropped outside the qualifying positions after finishing tied for 38th at TPC Southwind.

“I’m just in a very different place about the game of golf than I was the last couple seasons heading into this event,” Spieth. “Again, if it’s going to work out, great. If it doesn’t, I know next year is going to be an awesome year for me. So it takes a lot of the stress off of this week.”

Spieth stays patient before birdie run

Spieth opened with eight consecutive pars before making four birdies in five holes. He made a birdie putt from about 40 feet at the par-3 14th, while his clean card made him the only player in the 69-man field to avoid a bogey.

He also made par at the third after driving left near the trees, recovering and hitting his third shot from 225 yards to about 20 feet. He described that approach as his best swing of the day.

The 65 extended his run to nine consecutive rounds of 70 or lower since he missed the cut at The Open. It was also his 14th opening-round lead or co-lead on the PGA Tour. He has converted three of the previous 13, winning the 2015 Masters, 2017 Travelers Championship and 2017 Open Championship.

Spieth has gone more than four years without a victory, having last won the 2022 RBC Heritage. He underwent wrist surgery after the 2024 season and reached these Playoffs without recording a top-10 finish, although he has four top-15 results in 2026.

“I just tried to come into this week and just be as patient, non-reactive as possible, dumb it down to try to win the golf tournament and not worry about anything else,” Spieth said.

Crowded  leaderboard leaves little margin

Seven players finished one shot behind the leaders on 66, including reigning FedExCup champion Tommy Fleetwood, Hideki Matsuyama, Gary Woodland and Adam Scott. Another four players opened with 67.

Thorbjornsen entered the FedEx St. Jude in strong form after winning his first PGA Tour title at the Rocket Classic, where a closing 63 moved him from 69th to 38th in the FedExCup standings.

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler shot 68 to sit three strokes back. Rory McIlroy struggled late, closing bogey-bogey-double bogey for a 74, while defending champion Justin Rose opened with 73.

Michael Kim, another co-leader facing elimination, began the week 61st in the standings and is likely to need at least an 11th-place finish to advance. Spieth’s position is stronger after one round, but the congested leaderboard leaves 54 holes between him and a place at Bellerive.

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