Scottie Scheffler made a dream begin to his bid for a maiden FedExCup victory after surging right into a seven-shot lead following the opening spherical of the PGA Tour’s season-ending Tour Championship.
The world No 1 has already gained six occasions on the PGA Tour this season and arrived at East Lake with a two-shot cushion over closest challenger Xander Schauffele, with Scheffler recovering from a bogey begin to take early management of the event.
Scheffler fired seven birdies – together with 5 in his final seven holes – to shut a round-of-the-day 65 and soar to 16 underneath, making the 28-year-old the overwhelming favorite to win the season finale and declare the $25m jackpot.
Schauffele’s one-under 70 leaves him tied-second alongside Collin Morikawa, who began his again 9 with six consecutive birdies, with Hideki Matsuyama and Keegan Bradley – the winners of the primary two Playoff occasion – within the group sharing fourth on eight underneath.
How Scheffler set the tempo at East Lake
Scheffler’s two-shot pre-tournament benefit quickly disappeared on the par-four first, the place he didn’t rise up and down from in need of the inexperienced to avoid wasting par and Schauffele holed an eight-foot birdie to maneuver to 9 underneath.
The FedExCup chief edged again forward with a close-range birdie on the third however missed an opportunity from inside 10 toes to double his cushion on the fifth, permitting Schauffele to drag again stage when he arrange a close-range birdie on the par-five sixth.
Xander Schauffele can be trying to win the FedExCup for the primary time
Scheffler responded by rolling in a 35-footer on the seventh to regain the solo benefit and attain the flip one forward, though he solely stayed in entrance when Schauffele squandered an eight-foot birdie alternative on the par-four tenth.
Schauffele didn’t convert from six toes to avoid wasting par on the eleventh and shortly fell additional behind, as Scheffler posted back-to-back birdies from the twelfth to leap to 13 underneath and 4 away from the sphere.
Scheffler began the Tour Championship as FedExCup chief for the third 12 months in a row
Scheffler missed his eagle try from 20 toes on the par-five 14th however tapped in for a 3rd straight birdie, as Schauffele holed from 15 toes to additionally decide up a shot earlier than bogeying the sixteenth to drop 5 strokes adrift.
The lead elevated additional when Scheffler added a 15-foot birdie on the par-four seventeenth, earlier than an excellent up and down from the greenside bunker noticed him reap the benefits of par-five final and construct the largest opening-round lead since beginning strokes had been carried out on the Tour Championship in 2019.
Extra to comply with…
Who will the FedExCup? Watch the season-ending Tour Championship dwell all week on Sky Sports activities. Early protection from East Lake begins on Friday from 4pm on Sky Sports activities+, forward of full protection from 6pm on Sky Sports activities Golf. Stream the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and extra with NOW.
