Adam Scott has put himself within the body for victory at this weekend’s TOUR Championship after a promising first spherical, however it’s American Scottie Scheffler who has a snug lead.
Scott is one in all 30 golfers remaining within the FedExCup standings, taking part in this weekend for the prospect to be topped the FedExCup champion and pocket $36.90 million ($25 million US).
There’s a whole prize pool of $147.5 million ($100 million US) on provide and Scheffler entered the primary spherical with a two-shot lead over Xander Schauffele beneath the match’s staggered scoring begin.
Scott, in the meantime, was seven strokes again from Scheffler and that jumped to eight after Friday’s play, though he moved up from a share of seventh coming into the opening spherical to a tie for fourth alongside 4 different rivals.
TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP LEADERBOARD: Scheffler leads at six-under
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Scott made a robust begin to the day, recording three-straight birdies — together with one from 28 toes on the seventh — to maneuver to six-under general and three off Scheffler who leads at 16-under.
The Australian added one other birdie on the twelfth earlier than closing the primary spherical out together with his fifth to complete the day five-under.
It was a bogey-free opening spherical for Scott, who even made the choice on the seventeenth to putt the ball in as a substitute of chipping after hitting his strategy shot nicely wanting the inexperienced.
“On that seventeenth gap I simply felt like I actually in all probability would have chipped it the place my putt ended anyway, except I received actually cute after which I might have left it wanting the inexperienced,” Scott later mentioned, explaining the pondering behind that transfer.
“So, I form of hedged my bets just a little with the putt and it rolled fantastically by means of there — too nicely — and it rolled proper previous. However I made the one coming again.”
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Scott mentioned he was “shocked” at how low the scoring was throughout the board.
“The scoring in the present day is best than I believed it is likely to be,” he mentioned.
“Possibly it’s as a result of there’s no wind. I feel if the wind will get up we’re actually going to battle however I feel there are loads decrease scores than I believed on the market.
“I performed nicely and had a very good rating, so I’m happy with that. However (I’m) simply making an attempt to get a really feel for the golf course. The greens are so agency and people aprons are so tight, they’re like a inexperienced even.”
Whereas Scheffler is the clear participant to beat at this level, he has led the FedExCup standings in 2022 and 2023 and been chased down on each events, so there will probably be a psychological barrier for the American to clear within the coming days.
In the meantime, two-time main champion Collin Morikawa made fairly the begin to the day to complete tied for second at nine-under general — seven strokes off the lead.
It got here after Morikawa recorded six consecutive birdies to start out the again 9 (holes 10 to fifteen), turning into the primary participant to take action in a single spherical on the Tour Championship.
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Morikawa nearly prolonged the streak to seven straight, coming near holing one other from 40 toes however pulling up simply brief.
Elsewhere, Rory McIlroy finds himself going through an uphill climb to get again into rivalry after an opening-round 69 left him 9 pictures off the lead.
McIlroy made a gradual begin with two bogeys on the primary 5 holes however blended in 4 birdies all through the day to get well and nonetheless believes he has an opportunity to push for a file fourth FedExCup victory.
“Nonetheless really feel like I’ve received an opportunity, and it was good to complete the way in which I did,” he mentioned.
TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP LEADERBOARD — TOP 10
1. Scottie Scheffler (-16)
T2. Colin Morikawa (-9)
T2. Xander Schauffele -9
T4. Adam Scott -8
T4. Sam Burns -8
T4. Wyndham Clark -8
T4. Hideki Matsuyama -8
T4. Keegan Bradley -8
9. Sahith Theegala -7
T10. Taylor Pendrith -6
T10. Russell Henley -6
T10. Patrick Cantlay -6
T10. Rory McIlroy -6