Scottie Scheffler sits second, two shots off the Tour Championship lead, after a stunning nine-under 61 from Russell Henley in the race for the FedExCup.
World No 1 Scheffler, bidding to become the first player to successfully defend the Tour Championship title, closed with three birdies in his final four holes – plus a vital par save at 16 – to sit alone on seven under.
One stroke further back in a tie for third are Collin Morikawa, Justin Thomas, Patrick Cantlay and British hopefuls Robert MacIntyre and Tommy Fleetwood.
Rory McIlroy made a lucky birdie on the 18th during his first round at the Tour Championship
Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy is four under after a mixed opening round, one which the world No 2 signed off with a remarkable birdie at the par-five 18th after his chipped third out of the bunker deflected off the grandstand and back onto the green.
McIlroy, playing in the final pairing with Scheffler, eagled the par-five sixth to get his round up and running, following that up with a further birdie at seven, while he moved to four under with another at 11.
Dropped shots at 14 and 17 proved costly, though he at least followed them both up with birdies at each of the subsequent holes – including that stunning finish at 18.
Watch the funny moment McIlroy was left in disbelief after giving Scottie Scheffler the perfect read for birdie
Scheffler, meanwhile, returned a blemish-free card, his birdie surge down the stretch interspersed with a crucial par save at 16, where Thomas and JJ Spaun had earlier carded double and triple bogeys, respectively.
But it still was not enough to earn the four-time major winner the lead, with that honour belonging to Henley after he too finished strongly, signing off his round with three straight birdies.
Thomas had been out in front on his own for much of the opening round, the 2017 FedExCup champion carding a career-best front-nine score of six under round East Lake, before later faltering at 16.
Morikawa held a share of the lead at one point, while Cantlay, Fleetwood and MacIntyre are all firmly in the mix as part of that grouping at six under – the latter bouncing back brilliantly from the disappointment of losing his large lead to Scheffler on the final day of last week’s BMW Championship.
With storms anticipated on Friday, starting times for the second round have been brought forward, with live coverage on Sky Sports Main Event starting at 3pm.
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