To qualify as a QCD, the funds must be sent directly from the IRA custodian to the charity. If paid to you first, it would not qualify as a QCD, would not be excludible from your AGI and you would have to claim it as a charitable deduction on Schedule A instead.
Note that some IRA custodians will make the check payable to the charity, then mail the check to you for you to forward to the charity. This still meets the requirement that the payment be made directly to the charity because the check is not payable to you, only the charity can cash the check.
