Rory McIlroy’s Jack Nicklaus snub could cost $12.5M as Scottie Scheffler reels him in

Scottie Scheffler’s victory at the PGA Championship saw him snatch the FedEx Cup lead from Rory McIlroy, and the world No. 1 has a big chance to stretch his advantage at the Memorial Tournament

Few could argue that Rory McIlroy has been the outstanding player in world golf this year, but his decision not compete in the $20 million Memorial Tournament has come at a cost.

McIlroy skipped The Sentry and the RBC Heritage did not take part in last week’s Charles Schwab Challenge and he is skipping his third signature event of the year this week. The Northern Irishman McIlroy which is hosted by the iconic Jack Nicklaus at Muirfield Village in Dublin, Ohio.

McIlroy made it clear earlier in the season that he would be playing in tournaments in Australia, and he has already said he would play fewer events in America this year – missing two of the PGA Tour’s limited field events with $20 million purses on the line.

Despite being a driving force behind the inception of the signature event model two years ago, McIlroy’s priorities lie elsewhere. He has shared his desire to spend more time with his family and play a more global schedule, and over the past fortnight, he has committed to India later in the year. and India later in the year.

But McIlroy’s decision to cut back on his PGA Tour schedule has come at a cost, with world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler taking the lead in the FedEx Cup standings. McIlroy made a sensational start to the season by winning the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and The Players before his Masters triumph.

But Scheffler has responded in style with dominant victories at the PGA Championship and The CJ Cup Bryon Nelson before finishing in a share of fourth place at the Charles Schwab in Fort Worth, Texas, on Sunday. That result means the three-time major champion stretched his lead over McIlroy to 135 points at the top of the standings.