Masters Champion Scottie Scheffler had a roller coaster of a first day in the TOUR Championship but managed to open a five-stroke lead over Xander Schauffele at the end of the play at East Lake Golf Course.
Being the number 1 seed in the FedEx Cup rankings, the American started with a two-stroke lead at 10-under, raised it to six and had it cut to two before a strong finish gave him a 5-under 65 and -15 lead overall.
His five-stroke lead ties the largest lead after a round since starting strokes were first introduced to the TOUR Championship in 2019.
Xander Schauffele is second at 10-under, US Open Champion Matt Fitzpatrick – making his TOUR Championship debut – is third at 9-under while Joaquin Niemann and the BMW Champion Patrick Cantlay are tied for fourth at 8-under.
Two-time FedEx Cup champion Rory McIlroy and the debuting British Open Champion Cameron Smith highlight the pack tied for sixth at a 7-under total.
Smith missed the last week’s tournament due to a hip ailment.
The Irishman, starting at six shots behind, quickly fell further courtesy of a triple bogey on the opening hole and a bogey on the next but remarkably recovered in time to finish at 3-under for the round.
Scottie Scheffler revealed an injury was the cause of his uncharacteristically sluggish play before the TOUR Championship but now sits just 54 holes away from becoming winning the FedEx Cup.
