McIlroy Bounces Back From St Jude Disappointment to Share BMW Championship Lead
Rory McIlroy shot a 6-under-par 64 to grab a share of the lead after the first round of the BMW Championship at Bellerive Country Club in St. Louis, Missouri — a sharp reversal from his 66th-place finish at the St Jude Championship last week (PGA Tour).
The Northern Irishman found himself in a five-way tie at the top alongside J.J. Spaun, C. Gotterup and two others, with the $20 million purse — and a $3.60 million first-place cheque — on the line across the August 20–23 tournament (PGA Tour).
McIlroy's round was a study in recovery. He hit only seven fairways all day, leaving himself in the rough and in tricky spots off the tee. But his short game bailed him out repeatedly. He birdied four of his final six holes, including a crucial burst at the 17th, where he reached the par-5 in two shots — meaning he needed only two strokes to reach the green on a long hole, setting up an eagle chance (PGA Tour). He closed with birdies on his final two holes to climb into the tie.
That finish was a stark contrast to the previous week, when McIlroy finished 66th at the St Jude Championship — the first event of the FedEx Cup Playoffs, the three-tournament series that determines the PGA Tour's season champion. A 66th-place finish means he was near the bottom of those who made the cut, a poor week by any measure for a player of his calibre.
The BMW Championship is the second of those three playoff events. Both McIlroy and world number one Scottie Scheffler had already secured their spots at the Tour Championship — the playoff finale — before teeing off at Bellerive, meaning their places in the finale were safe regardless of this week's result (CBS Sports).
Scheffler, though, had a quieter opening round. The Texan faded after a strong start, unable to build momentum on a Bellerive course that was yielding low scores to those who kept the ball in play.
What makes McIlroy's round notable is the manner of it. Seven fairways is a low number — most tour professionals expect to hit ten or more in a round. To shoot 6-under from that position requires a short game in top order and a putter that cooperates under pressure. McIlroy found both on Thursday.
For fans, the leaderboard sets up a compelling weekend. Five players bunched at the top, the world number one chasing from behind, and a course in St. Louis that rewards aggressive play when the wind stays calm. Three rounds remain, and a five-way tie after one day is a starting point, not a verdict. But after the disappointment of Memphis last week, McIlroy has put himself exactly where he wants to be.
