BMW Championship – round one leaderboard
-6 R McIlroy (NI), W Clark (US), C Gotterup (US), J.J. Spain (US), G Woodland (US); -5 R Hisatsune (Jpn)
Selected others: -4 A Fitzpatrick (Eng), L Aberg (Swe), M Thorbjornsen (US); -3 M Fitzpatrick (Eng); -2 R MacIntyre (Sco), A Rai (Eng); -1 T Fleetwood (Eng), J Rose (Eng)
Rory McIlroy said a bit of “good work” with his team helped him rediscover his form and take a clubhouse lead in the first round of the BMW Championship.
The world number two, who finished 66th at the St Jude Championship last weekend, finished six under par at Bellerive Country Club.
Having reached the turn at two under, McIlroy birdied the 13th and then three of the last four holes, sharing his lead with the American quartet of Gary Woodland, Wyndham Clark, JJ Spaun and Chris Gotterup.
McIlroy stated that working with his swing coach Michael Bannon and caddie Harry Diamond helped him restore his touch after last week’s tournament in Memphis.
“I felt at least like I got myself back going in the right direction, and what I wanted to do with my swing, but still you never know when you turn up here,” McIlroy told the Golf Channel.
“This golf course sets up a lot better for me than Memphis did last week. You can miss it a little bit off the tee, and the playing corridors are a lot wider, so you can get away with it, which I needed to get away with it a couple of times today.
“But this set-up suits my game a little bit better, and I definitely feel a little bit more comfortable on this golf course than I did last week.”
Japan’s Ryo Hisatsune came in at five under, while Englishman Alex Fitzpatrick, American Michael Thorbjornsen and Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg were in a group tied for seventh on four under.
Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre closed on two under, having withdrawn from the St Jude Championship before the second round following an opening 12-over 82.
World number one and defending champion Scheffler, who had also triumphed in Memphis on Sunday, suffered a run of four bogeys through the opening seven holes, finding himself far down the field.