Scottie Scheffler fired a 9-under-par 61 to rocket into the lead at the FedEx St. Jude Championship, the first leg of the playoffs, on Friday in Memphis.
The World No. 1 birdied the first five holes at TPC Southwind and added a sixth at No. 7. Bogeys at Nos. 8 and 12 around one birdie at No. 10 took him off the pace for a possible sub-60 round. He carded four more birdies over the final six holes to break from the pack.
At 11-under 129 at the halfway mark, Scheffler caught Friday’s early leader, South Korea’s Sungjae Im, and gained a three-shot advantage as he seeks his first win since January.
Scheffler was No. 1 in the FedEx Cup points race entering the week, so a victory changes nothing about his position.
Im, however, is No. 53 in points and trying to climb into the top 50 to qualify for next week’s BMW Championship.
His second consecutive 66 puts him in striking distance entering the weekend. Im birdied the first three holes Friday and went out in 5-under 30 before two bogeys sandwiching one birdie late in his round.
Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg shot a 65 to get to 7 under, and Viktor Hovland of Norway was tied with him for third with three holes to go as play wound down on another hot afternoon.
None of the five Round 1 co-leaders replicated their opening rounds of 65. Jordan Spieth carded a 1-under 69 to get to 6 under, where he was tied with reigning FedEx Cup champ Tommy Fleetwood of England (66) and Colombia’s Nico Echavarria (66).
Michael Thorbjornsen went from a tie for first to a tie for 39th (subject to change) by following his 65 with a 75.
Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland fared better after a rough 4-over 74 to begin the tournament. But back-to-back bogeys at Nos. 17 and 18 left him with an even-par 70 and 4 over for the week. There is no 36-hole cut at any playoff event.
–Field Level Media
