Scottie Scheffler Shoots 5-Under 65 to Open Tour Championship at East Lake

Scottie Scheffler carded a 5-under 65 at East Lake Golf Club to secure a share of fifth place after the opening round of the Tour Championship.

Scottie Scheffler opened the Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club with a bogey-free 5-under 65, placing him in a tie for fifth. The world No. 1 trails first-round leader Min Woo Lee by three strokes following 18 holes of play in Atlanta. This performance marks Scheffler’s third consecutive opening-round score of 65 or better at this specific event. During the round, he successfully hit 10 of 14 fairways and reached 16 of 18 greens in regulation.

Scheffler’s statistical profile for the day included gaining 1.5 strokes on approach, which ranked second among the field, and adding nearly a half-stroke on the greens. His scoring began with a 6-foot birdie putt on the third hole, followed by another birdie on the par-5 sixth to reach the turn at 2 under. On the back nine, he converted a 9-foot birdie attempt on the 12th hole and a 5-foot putt on the 17th. He closed the round by pitching out of a greenside bunker on the 18th to within 10 feet, where he sank the birdie putt to finish 5 under par.

Recovery from Viral Illness

The performance follows a week where Scheffler struggled at the BMW Championship due to hand, foot and mouth disease. The viral illness caused blisters on his hands that made gripping the club difficult, leading to an opening-round 2-over 72 at Bellerive Country Club in St. Louis. Despite the physical limitations, he finished that tournament tied for 12th. Scheffler noted that while he still has ulcers in his throat, he is now able to speak, eat, and drink normally.

Matt Fitzpatrick, who played alongside Scheffler during the first two rounds of the FedEx Cup playoffs' second leg, remarked on the visible improvement in Scheffler's condition. During the previous week, Scheffler was unable to communicate on the course, leading Fitzpatrick to jokingly suggest he thought he had offended the world No. 1. Scheffler clarified that his silence was due to the inability to speak rather than any personal grievance.

Statistical Dominance at East Lake

Scheffler’s bogey-free card was supported by a critical 6-foot par save on the opening hole at East Lake. He emphasized the importance of finding fairways to avoid the thick Bermuda rough, noting that missing the short grass at this venue typically results in a struggle for par. The 2024 FedEx Cup champion relied on his feel for his iron play, stating that he judges his swing's quality by internal sensation rather than strictly relying on strokes gained metrics.

Reflecting on his ball-striking, Scheffler mentioned that numbers can sometimes be misleading if a player hits close to the hole from the rough, but he feels his swing is currently in a good spot. As the final tournament of the FedEx Cup season progresses, the world No. 1 has moved past the symptoms that hampered his grip just seven days prior. He currently sits within striking distance of the lead as he pursues the season-long title.