Justin Rose Wins FedEx St Jude Championship in Playoff

Rose seizes victory after a late burst and a three hole playoff with Spaun, while Fleetwood fades from the lead.

Justin Rose Wins FedEx St Jude Championship in Playoff

Justin Rose won the FedEx St Jude Championship in a three-hole playoff against J.J. Spaun after a late burst of birdies left him tied with Spaun at TPC Southwind in Memphis. Rose, who started the day two behind, rattled off four straight birdies late to force extra holes, while Fleetwood could not close the deal and finished 1-under 69. Spaun pressed with late birdies that made the playoff inevitable as Rose and Spaun traded momentum in regulation. In the playoff, Rose nearly sent his opening tee shot into the water, but both players two-putted for par, and Spaun answered with a long birdie to stay alive. On the third playoff hole Rose rolled in a birdie to seize the title while Spaun’s 7-footer to extend the event slid past the cup. Rose finished strong, birdieing six of his last eight holes to seal the win.

Rose’s victory adds a late-career surge that challenges the stereotype that age traps a golfer at the margins. At 45, he became the oldest winner on the PGA Tour since 2021 and the oldest European to win on tour in the modern era, underscoring how experience and steady practice still shape big moments. Fleetwood’s return to the podium kept a familiar pattern alive: elite form can exist without a major breakthrough in the United States, a storyline that coaches patience for his supporters. Spaun’s resilience — repeatedly finding himself in the thick of it and finishing runner-up again — illustrates how the playoff format can elevate consistency into near misses that stick in fans’ minds. The week also offered a behind-the-scenes reminder of Tour life, as Scottie Scheffler relied on a temporary caddie, Brad Payne, after his regular caddie had to leave for a family matter. The result keeps the playoff race lively and sets up an intriguing BMW Championship next week with big implications for the Tour Championship.

Highlights

Memphis will remember this finish as a reminder that patience pays in golf.