BMW Championship: Rory McIlroy makes fast start to share early lead as Scottie Scheffler impresses

0

Rory McIlroy, chasing a fourth FedExCup victory, posts a bogey-free 65 to set the early pace in Illinois; Scottie Scheffler and Jon Rahm among the other big names in contention; watch second round live on Friday from 3pm via the red button and 6pm on Sky Sports Golf


        BMW Championship: Rory McIlroy makes fast start to share early lead as Scottie Scheffler impresses

Highlights from the opening round of the BMW Championship in Illinois, where Rory McIlroy is in a share of the lead

Rory McIlroy overcame an erratic day off the tee to set a share of the lead after a weather-delayed opening round at the BMW Championship.

McIlroy, currently third in the season-long standings as he chases a record fourth FedExCup victory, found just three fairways but registered five birdies in a blemish-free 65 at Olympia Fields Country Club in Illinois.

The four-time major champion failed to take advantage of the par-five first and missed a six-foot birdie attempt at the fourth as he opened with six straight pars, only to follow a 12-foot gain at the seventh by rolling in from 15 feet at the ninth to reach the turn in 33.

    BMW Championship: Latest scores | Who is fighting for FedExCup glory?Stream the best golf and more for £26 a month for 12 months with NOWTeam Europe’s Ryder Cup contenders | PGA Tour’s full 2024 schedule


        BMW Championship: Rory McIlroy makes fast start to share early lead as Scottie Scheffler impresses

McIlroy whacked the ball through the trees from the rough and then chipped in for birdie at the 17th in Illinois

The world No 2 started his back nine with a birdie and got up and down from a greenside bunker to add another at the par-five 15th, then chipped in from off the back of the 17th green to help close out a bogey-free start to the tournament.

McIlroy said: “There’s a few courses on the PGA Tour where you can swing away at it and know if you miss the fairway you’re usually going to be okay.

What to watch on Sky Sports this week

Enjoy live action from the Premier League, EFL, Scottish Premiership and more

Leeds v West Brom – August 18 – LIVE on Sky Sports Football
Plymouth v Southampton – August 19 – LIVE on Sky Sports Football
Tottenham v Man Utd – August 19 – LIVE on Sky Sports Premier League
Norwich v Millwall – August 20 – LIVE on Sky Sports Football
Aston Villa v Everton – August 20 – LIVE on Sky Sports Premier League
West Ham v Chelsea – August 20 – LIVE on Sky Sports Premier League
The Hundred – August 1 to 27 – LIVE on Sky Sports Cricket
BMW Championship – August 17 to 20 – LIVE on Sky Sports Golf

“I rode my luck a little bit. I got decent lies in the rough and from there I was able to get club on the ball and control my distance okay.”

McIlroy was joined on five under by Open champion Brian Harman, who birdied two of his opening three holes to match the Northern Irishman’s 65, while Rickie Fowler briefly made it a three-way tie at the top until he bogeyed his penultimate hole after finding water off the tee.


        BMW Championship: Rory McIlroy makes fast start to share early lead as Scottie Scheffler impresses

McIlroy feels he has been lucky to play on a soft golf course after hitting only three fairways on the opening day of the PGA Championship

Fowler finished in a group of six players a shot off the pace that contains world No 1 Scottie Scheffler, who made four birdies in a five-hole stretch from the 11th and missed further chances over his closing holes, with Sahith Theegala also one back after an unlikely hole-out eagle at the par-four 14th.

England’s Matt Fitzpatrick, US Open champion Wyndham Clark and Chris Kirk complete the group on four under, with Collin Morikawa, Corey Conners and Cameron Young all within two of the lead.


        BMW Championship: Rory McIlroy makes fast start to share early lead as Scottie Scheffler impresses

Sahith Theegala grabbed an eagle at the 14th, sinking his approach from 167 yards

Fitzpatrick was 40th in the FedExCup standings heading into the BMW Championship, with only the top 30 at the end of this tournament advancing to next week’s Tour Championship in Atlanta.

The 2022 US Open champion has risen to a projected spot of 29th after his opening 66 in Illinois, a round which featured six birdies in nine holes between the seventh and the 15th, plus bogeys at the third and the 17th.

Patrick Cantlay, looking to win this event for a third successive season and go one better than last week’s runner-up finish at the FedEx St Jude Championship, is in the group on two under that also includes Masters champion Jon Rahm and former FedExCup champion Jordan Spieth, with 22 of the 50-man field under par after the opening day.

Watch the BMW Championship live throughout the week live on Sky Sports. Early coverage begins on Friday from 3pm via the red button on Sky Sports Golf, ahead of full coverage from 6pm.

Don’t miss the Solheim Cup, the Ryder Cup, the PGA Tour and DP World Tour exclusively live over the coming months on Sky Sports Golf. Stream the best sport with NOW for £26 a month for 12 months.


        BMW Championship: Rory McIlroy makes fast start to share early lead as Scottie Scheffler impresses

Get the best prices and book a round at one of 1,700 courses across the UK & Ireland

location

Courses

Содержание статьи:

View More Courses

Locations

View More Locations

Search
Source

Leave A Reply

Your email address will not be published.