Scheffler chases Lee at Tour Championship after McIlroy's mixed start

Tour Championship: Min Woo Lee leads FedExCup finale with Scottie Scheffler chasing after Rory McIlroy's mixed start Thursday 27 August 2026 23:15, UK Min Woo Lee raced into the early lead at the PGA Tour’s season-ending Tour Championship, as Rory McIlroy made a mixed start to his bid for FedExCup glory. Lee carded eight birdies in a bogey-free 62 at East Lake Golf Club, where preferred lies were used due to overnight rain and none of the 29 players who completed the round failed to break par. The Australian holds a two-shot advantage over Chris Gotterup, Viktor Hovland and Collin Morikawa, as world No 1 Scottie Scheffler produced a birdie-birdie finish to his opening-round 65 to get within three of the lead. - Recap: Tour Championship - R1 as it happened - Tour Championship: Latest leaderboard [external] - Latest PGA Tour news, reports and highlights - Get Sky Sports or stream golf with no contract Ludvig Åberg, Akshay Bhatia and Ryan Gerard are alongside Scheffler on five under, while defending champion Tommy Fleetwood is a further shot adrift in the group containing compatriot Matt Fitzpatrick and Open winner Ryan Fox. Last week's BMW Championship winner Wyndham Clark is five behind after a three-under 67, as McIlroy sits tied-20th after beginning his bid for a record-extending fourth FedExCup title by mixing five birdies with three bogeys in an eventful 68. How Lee grabbed early lead at East Lake Lee posted back-to-back birdies from the fourth and was left undisrupted by playing the remainder of the round on his own, following playing partner JJ Spaun's withdrawal on the sixth hole due to a shoulder injury. The 28-year-old kept trading top spot with Hovland, playing two groups ahead, with Lee closing out a bogey-free front nine by holing a 20-foot birdie at the eighth and picking up another shot at the ninth. Lee posted back-to-back birdies from the 12th and added another from close range at the 16th, moving her two ahead when Hovland ended his blemish-free day by carding a three-putt bogey from 25 feet at the 17th. Hovland responded by getting up and down from the greenside bunker to birdie the par-five last, setting the clubhouse target at six under, before Lee matched his closing birdie to restore his two-shot cushion and equal the lowest round of his PGA Tour career. "It was a little strange at first, just like looking for a playing partner and you're just there by yourself," Lee admitted. "It was more just maintaining speeds and not rushing. I had to just slow down a little bit, but it worked out." Morikawa responded from an opening-hole bogey to register seven birdies and pull level with Hovland, while Gotterup birdied three of his last five holes to make it a three-way tie for second. More to follow… Who will win the FedExCup? Watch all four rounds of the Tour Championship exclusively live on Sky Sports. Live coverage continues Friday from 6pm on Sky Sports Golf. Get latest Sky Sports deals or stream with no contract on NOW.