Robert McIntyre grabbed the softer cave valley after a two-hour storm delay and rode the perfect placing spherical with six straight birdies to put up Tommy Fleetwood at 8 beneath 62 with a three-shot lead at BMW Championship on Thursday.
McIntyre completed with a 5-foot birdie putt on the 18th gap. This was the simplest of his final six birdies, and the longest successful streak for gamers ending the FedEx Cup playoff spherical for the reason that begin of the playoffs in 2007.
He went on on the PGA Tour till he matched his low rounds, and after the opening spherical of his penultimate postseason occasion, everybody chased.
“The final six holes are in all probability nearly as good as I’ve put them in a sequence of holes ever,” stated Macintyre, who completed with a 195-foot, 2-inch putt.
Scotty Schaeffler was tied as much as the lead when he returned from the delay and birded three of the final 4 holes for 66. Ricky Fowler was one other shot, an enormous step in the direction of making a tour championship for a shot on the FedEx Cup.
Macintyre appeared unstoppable besides that he had exhausted the outlet.
“Once I got here again, I had a seven footer for a birdie. It was going to set the tone for the remainder of the afternoon and I rolled it properly,” Macintyre stated.
It was a special course when the FedEx Cup High 50 arrived at Caves Valley, the place the BMW Championship was held in 2021.
Caves Valley was modified to par 70 after main renovations and performed powerful sufficient for 67-year-old Viktor Hovland to have a low morning rating earlier than darkish clouds and heavy rain hit the course.
The softer greens made all of the distinction, however the 62 Macintyre was so spectacular. He additionally shot 62 eventually yr’s Vacationers Championship.
“The course was a lot softer so I had an opportunity to movie the rating,” stated Fleetwood, who was on gap 16, the place Macintyre completed. “Did he find yourself with a substantial variety of birdies?”
Six of them.
“That helps,” Fleetwood stated with a smile.
It was an incredible begin for Fleetwood too. Particularly after one other powerful ending final week when he took a two-shot result in play one shot within the playoffs on the FedEx St. Jude Championship in his first PGA Tour title bid.
The objective was to return to competitors as quickly as attainable. This was only one spherical, nevertheless it was an excellent begin. Fleetwood had one among two rounds with out bogeys, the opposite belonging to Matsuyama Hideki (69).
“I used to be an expert — I do not know the way lengthy I am not going to do math, however I had a fairly good proportion of enjoying trash,” Fleetwood stated. “I’ve performed badly for weeks, so it is a privilege to play properly and compete. It’s good to get pleasure from these occasions. So whereas I am doing properly, I get pleasure from it too.”
Schaeffler performed within the FedEx Cup as Rory McIlroy and first seed and two sorts of seed respectively. This implies nothing at this stage because the 30 gamers who advance to Eastlake begin from zero once they play within the FedEx Cup.
McIlroy struggled from the tee, had three bogeys on six holes and put it collectively for a 70 that included eight straight pars on the finish. Schaeffler wobbles a bit on the flip, and the greens are made twice, and he cannot fall up or down. Nevertheless, he had three birdies on 4 holes first and three birdies on 4 holes final.
“The golf course has positively been just a little simpler, nevertheless it did an excellent job of benefiting from the holes I left behind,” stated Schaeffler, who posted 14 consecutive rounds within the ’60s.
Hovland entered the BMW Championship within the FedEx Cup, twenty eighth place. This appeared within the bubble to be within the high 30 to succeed in the tour championship. He believes that good play cherishes it.
This was a extra essential begin for Fowler, who barely entered the highest 50. Michael Kim and Jason Day are exterior the highest 40. They every shot 68.
Xander Schauffele, who has by no means missed a Tour Championship since successful a rookie in 2017, could finish his successful streak. He is at quantity 43, he is looking out and that exhibits. He opened with 4 bogeys in six holes, fought and closed with a double bogey of 74.
This report used data from ESPN Analysis and Related Press.
