Justin Rose produced a stunning late comeback to win the FedEx St. Jude Championship on Sunday, erasing a three-shot deficit over the final five holes and beating U.S. Open champion J.J. Spaun in a playoff. The win marked Rose’s 12th PGA Tour title, his 24th worldwide, and his first since the 2023 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. At 45 years old, Rose becomes the oldest PGA Tour winner since Phil Mickelson at the 2021 PGA Championship, the oldest winner in the postseason since Vijay Singh, and the first player in his 40s to win on tour this season.
Rose’s charge began on the back nine at TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tennessee, where he birdied four straight holes from Nos. 14–17. He narrowly missed a 13-foot birdie putt on the 18th that would have sealed the win in regulation, ultimately carding a 3-under 67 to finish at 16-under for the week. In total, Rose made six birdies over his last eight holes, overcoming an early bogey on the first and a costly shot in the water at the ninth for the second straight day. His late run forced a playoff with Spaun, who posted a final-round 65 and birdied two of his final three holes in regulation.
The playoff extended to three holes. On the opening playoff hole, Rose nearly found the water off the tee but escaped with a par alongside Spaun. The second hole also ended in a tie after Spaun drained a long birdie putt that Rose matched. On the third playoff hole, Rose rolled in a 10-foot birdie putt to take the title after Spaun missed a 7-footer to extend the match. The win not only vaulted Rose back into the top 10 of the Official World Golf Ranking, but also secured his spot in the upcoming Ryder Cup and moved him inside the top five in the FedEx Cup standings, guaranteeing a return to the Tour Championship for the first time since 2019.
The final round was a disappointment for Tommy Fleetwood, who briefly held a two-shot lead on the back nine before faltering down the stretch. Fleetwood, still searching for his first PGA Tour victory, was undone by late bogeys that left the door open for Rose’s comeback. Rose’s win caps a season in which he also finished runner-up at the Masters, proving that even in his mid-40s, he remains one of the game’s best closers.
