Scheffler threatens to make Tour Championship a cakewalk
ATLANTA—As usual, the best players on the PGA Tour are looking up at Scottie Scheffler.
The No. 1 player in the world opened a seven-shot lead after one round of the Tour Championship, thanks to a hot back nine for a day-best six-under-par 65 on Thursday at East Lake Golf Club.
The tournament began with Scheffler at 10-under par and Xander Schauffele in second place two strokes behind, as a staggered scoring start based on the season-long points race will help determine the FedEx Cup champion at week’s end.
Playing in the final pairing Thursday, Schauffele hung with Scheffler for 10 holes before several wayward tee shots brought him down a few spots. Scheffler then hit the gas with three straight birdies at Nos. 12-14 and finished his round birdie-birdie to get to 16 under for the tournament.
“I wasn’t thinking about the lead out there today,” Scheffler said. “There’s no reason to. It’s the first day of the tournament. It’s 72 holes. It’s a long time out there to be playing with a lead or whatever it is. I was just focused on staying in my own world and continuing to just try to execute.”
Schauffele had to settle for a 70 to share second with Collin Morikawa (66). Hideki Matsuyama of Japan, who began the tournament in third at 7 under, also posted a 70 to join a tie for fourth, eight shots behind like Sam Burns (67), Wyndham Clark (67), Keegan Bradley (69), and Australia’s Adam Scott (66).
The 30-man field will return to the course Friday, when scattered thunderstorms are in the forecast. There is no 36-hole cut with the winner taking home the FedEx Cup and a staggering $25 million prize.
