Tour Championship: The 10 biggest winners and losers from the 1st round, including Scottie Scheffler

After a difficult tournament last week at elevation, Scottie Scheffler came back on track Thursday with the best round of the day at 6-under 65. Despite an opening bogey, Scheffler had a clean card after that, shooting 7-under the rest of the way. That included making five birdies over his final seven holes to end the day. Scheffler, who began the tournament at 10-under par because of the starting strokes format, has a seven-shot lead heading into round two. Scheffler is the first player to hole a seven-stroke lead or more after 18 holes dating back to 1983.  

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Xander Schauffele was unable to keep up with Scheffler, shooting just 1-under 70 on the day. Despite being 2-under through 10, he bogeyed the par-3 11^th as a result of missing the green. He then made a birdie on the par-5 14^th but gave that stroke back two holes later with a bogey. It definitely was not Schauffele’s best day, who started the tournament at 8-under par, but he has time to rebound with 54 holes remaining to decide a FedEx Cup Champion.

Collin Morikawa had a strong first round at East Lake. Overall, Morikawa was one of five players to shoot 5-unnder 66 in the opening round. It marked the best round before Scheffler’s 6-under 65. Morikawa’s 5-under round also included making six consecutive birdies to begin his back nine. That ties his longest birdie streak since the 2023 Sentry, also in the first round. He goes into Friday at 9-under par, along with Schauffele.

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Adam Scott was also part of the group that shot 5-under 66. Scott made three consecutive birdies on holes No 5-7 on the front nine. On the back nine, Scott birdied the par-4 12^th and the par-5 18^th to cap off a bogey free round. Scott, who entered at 3-under par, led the field with 3.793 strokes gained putt and was second with 1.040 strokes gained off the tee. He hopes to keep it rolling on Friday as is tied for fourth and seven strokes back of Scheffler.

All season long, Ludvig Aberg has been learning new courses week after week. The tour Championship is no different. However, everyone in the field is equal to Aberg in terms of competing on this newly renovated course for the first time. However, things did not go Aberg’s way as he was one of two players to shoot even par. Despite starting the tournament at 5-under par, he would make birdie and then give that stroke back and vice versa. Aberg is hoping to turn things around tomorrow and into the weekend to get into the hunt.

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Taylor Pendrith had one of the best rounds of the Thursday with a 5-under 66. Pendrith, who entered at 1-under par, was one of two players to birdie the opening hole. Despite a bogey on the par-4 eighth for an even par front nine, he turned it on the back nine. He made four birdies in a five-hole stretch, including three straight from holes No. 10-12. After making a second bogey on the par-4 17^th, he recorded an eagle by getting his 231-yard approach to 11 feet. This week is huge for Pendrith, who needs a captain’s pick he wants to play in his home country for the Presidents Cup next month.     

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It was not the first round that Billy Horschel was looking for as he was the only player to shoot over par Thursday. Horschel, who entered at 1-under par, played from behind all day. After a bogey on the first hole, he bogeyed the seventh followed by a birdie on the ensuing hole. That bogey-birdie stretch continued on holes No. 13 and 14 as he was unable to capitalize. He was last in the field in strokes gained off the tee, second-to-last in strokes gained approach and third-to-last in strokes gained around the green.

Aaron Rai has had a good season, highlighted by winning the Wyndham Championship, the final event before the FedEx Cup playoffs. Rai, who started the tournament at even par, recorded a birdie on the par-4 third. However, his only blemish came on the ensuing hole with a double bogey. He then shot 6-under the rest of the way with three different two-consecutive birdie stretches. Rai’s first two-birdie stretch came to close the front nine. That was followed by four birdies across the final six holes. He shaved a stroke on 13 and 14 before the final two holes. As a result, he made birdies on both par-5s on the back nine, the 14^th and the 18^th.

The other player to shoot even par on Thursday was Christiaan Bezuidenhout. Bezuidenhout, who started the tournament at 29^th in the standings and at even par, opened with a double bogey. However, he got back to even par with birdies on the par-4 fourth and the par-4 seventh. But Bezuidenhout gave those two strokes back with back-to-back bogeys on 11 and 12 before back-to-birdies to finish. Bezuidenhout needs to figure out how to climb the leaderboard if he wants to have a chance. Although it might not be a victory being 16 shots back of Scheffler but finishing the season on the high note.

Justin Thomas was the last player into the Tour Championship field at No. 30 in the FedEx Cup. As a result, he started 10 shots back of the lead because of the starting strokes format. So, for Thomas, it is all about chipping away to get in a potential position to try and win. He did that on Thursday with a 5-under 66, including finishing with back-to-back birdies. Despite a bogey on the first hole, Thomas made birdies on the front nine. Then on the back nine, he had a bogey sandwiched between four birdies.