Rory McIlroy made it clear that, despite catapulting himself into a tie for the lead early in the PGA Tour’s BMW Championship, he still believes there is considerable work left to do on his game. The Northern Irish star, who recently missed the cut at The Open and finished a disappointing 66th out of the 68 competitors who completed last week’s FedEx St.
Jude Championship, said he feels "far away" from the level he needs to sustain for the remainder of the season. The world number two has been working closely with his long‑time coach Michael Bannon back in Florida, fine‑tuning his swing and overall approach before heading to Bellerive Country Club for the second FedExCup Playoff event.
McIlroy’s preparation paid off on day one, as he carded a brilliant six‑birdie round of 64. He opened with a 15‑foot birdie putt on the fourth hole, recovered from a mis‑hit drive on the par‑five eighth, and then broke a string of pars by sinking an eight‑foot putt on the par‑three 13th. Continuing his momentum, the Masters champion made a short five‑foot birdie on the 15th and followed it with a birdie‑birdie finish that brought his score to six under par. That effort placed him in a shared clubhouse lead alongside an American quartet consisting of Gary Woodland, Wyndham Clark, JJ Spaun and Chris Gotterup.
"I felt like I’m at least back on the right path with my game and my swing," McIlroy told the press after his round. "It’s certainly a work in progress. Days like this are encouraging, obviously, but there’s still a lot of work to be done. For the first round, with what I’m trying to do, it went as well as it could have today." The leaderboard after the opening round reflected a tightly packed field.
Woodland, despite finishing his round with a bogey, set the early benchmark after an eagle on the 11th hole. Spaun also faltered at the end, dropping a shot and slipping back to six under.
Clark, meanwhile, surged with five birdies over his final six holes to join the leaders. Gotterup threatened to pull ahead after a three‑birdie burst starting at the 13th, but he was forced to make a 20‑footer to save par on the final hole, leaving him tied at six under. Matt Fitzpatrick posted a solid 65 and sat just one shot behind the leaders.
Other notable performances included Ludvig Åberg and Alex Fitzpatrick, both posting 66s, while Bob MacIntyre rebounded from a withdrawal the previous week with a two‑under 68. Veteran players Justin Rose and Tommy Fleetwood found themselves five strokes off the lead, still within striking distance. In stark contrast, pre‑tournament favorite Scottie Scheffler, who dominated the FedEx St.
Jude Championship with an eight‑shot victory, endured a nightmare start at the BMW Championship. Four bogeys in his first seven holes left him two over par after a 72, dropping him to a tie for 44th out of a 50‑player field and eight strokes behind the leaders. Scheffler’s early struggles highlighted the unpredictable nature of tournament golf, where even the most dominant players can stumble. The BMW Championship will continue with live coverage beginning Thursday at 3 p.m.
on Sky Sports+ and at 5:30 p.m. on Sky Sports Golf. For viewers without a Sky subscription, the tournament can be streamed through NOW with a no‑contract deal. Overall, McIlroy’s resurgence at Bellerive offers a glimpse of the form that could propel him back into contention for the remainder of the season, while Scheffler’s setback serves as a reminder that consistency at the highest level requires both skill and mental resilience.
The tournament’s next rounds promise further drama as the field battles for the coveted FedExCup points and a chance to solidify their standing on the PGA Tour leaderboard.