In an effort to reduce his overall workload on the season, Masters champion Rory McIlroy decided not to play in this week's St. Jude Championship at TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tennessee. As such, the first leg of the FedEx Cup Playoffs will run with 69 of the top 70 players in the world -- McIlroy the lone missing piece from the start of the three-week postseason.

I think there is stuff in the works, and I’ll leave it at that,” Peter Malnati told Golfweek when asked if there would be a rule implemented to prevent playoff absences.