Rory McIlroy made it clear that, despite his impressive start at the BMW Championship, he still believes there is considerable work left to do on his game. The Northern Irish star shot a remarkable 64 in the first round of the second FedExCup Playoff event, propelling himself into a tie for the lead, yet he cautioned that his recent performances have highlighted a gap between where he is now and where he aspires to be as the season progresses. McIlroy’s recent form has been a mixed bag. He missed the cut at The Open Championship in July and, just a week earlier at the FedEx St.
Jude Championship, he finished 66th out of the 68 competitors who completed the tournament. After that event, he was outspoken about feeling "far away" from the level he needs to maintain for a successful PGA Tour campaign. Those comments underscored the frustration he has felt over the past few months, even as he continues to work closely with his longtime coach Michael Bannon at their Florida base.
The duo traveled to Bellerive Country Club in St. Louis for the BMW Championship, hoping to translate their practice sessions into tangible results on the course.
The opening round proved to be a turning point. McIlroy opened with a series of aggressive, well‑placed shots that resulted in six birdies, ultimately posting a six‑under‑par 64.
He began the round by sinking a 15‑foot birdie putt on the fourth hole, a shot that set the tone for his aggressive approach. A mis‑hit off the tee on the par‑five eighth could have derailed his momentum, but McIlroy quickly recovered, taking advantage of the hole’s generous layout to secure another birdie. He continued his strong play on the par‑three 13th, rolling in an eight‑foot putt for birdie and breaking a string of pars that had characterized his early rounds this season.
The momentum carried forward to the back nine. On the 15th hole, McIlroy tapped in a five‑foot putt, and he capped his round with a back‑to‑back birdie finish that left him at six under par.
This score placed him in a four‑way tie for the clubhouse lead alongside American players Gary Woodland, Wyndham Clark, JJ Spaun, and Chris Gotterup. In the post‑round press conference, McIlroy reflected on his performance, saying, "I felt like I'm at least back on the right path of what I'm doing with my game and with my swing. 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." His remarks highlighted a blend of optimism and realism, acknowledging the quality of his round while reminding fans and critics that consistency over the long season remains his ultimate goal. The leaderboard after round one featured a tight cluster at the top.
Woodland, who had set the early benchmark despite finishing his round with a bogey, had earlier produced a dramatic hole‑out eagle on the 11th. Spaun also slipped back to six under after a late‑round bogey, while Clark surged with five birdies in his final six holes to share the lead.
Gotterup threatened to break away after a three‑birdie stretch beginning at the 13th, but a clutch 20‑footer on the 18th saved par and kept him level with the leaders. Matt Fitzpatrick posted a solid 65, sitting just one shot behind the leaders, while Ludvig Åberg and Alex Fitzpatrick each recorded 66s. Veteran Bob MacIntyre, who had withdrawn from the previous event, rebounded with a two‑under 68, and former major champions Justin Rose and Tommy Fleetwood found themselves five strokes off the pace. The tournament also featured a stark contrast in fortunes for pre‑tournament favorite Scottie Scheffler.
After dominating the FedEx St. Jude Championship with an eight‑shot victory, Scheffler’s start at Bellerive was anything but smooth. 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.
The early struggles highlighted the unpredictable nature of golf, where even the most dominant players can encounter difficult stretches that test their mental resilience. The BMW Championship will continue with live coverage on Sky Sports+, beginning Thursday at 3 p.m., with a secondary broadcast on Sky Sports Golf at 5:30 p.m. For viewers without a Sky subscription, the event can be streamed via NOW with a no‑contract option, ensuring that fans worldwide can follow the drama as the FedExCup Playoffs progress. Looking ahead, McIlroy’s early success provides a promising sign that his recent work with Bannon is bearing fruit.
However, his own comments serve as a reminder that a single round, no matter how spectacular, is only a piece of the larger puzzle. The next few weeks will test his ability to maintain consistency, manage expectations, and continue refining the technical aspects of his swing that he feels are still evolving. For Scheffler, the challenge will be to rebound from a rough opening round and re‑establish the form that made him the clear favorite heading into the playoffs.
Overall, the BMW Championship has set the stage for an exciting climax to the FedExCup Playoffs, with multiple players within striking distance of the top spot and the narrative of redemption and perseverance playing out across the fairways of Bellerive Country Club.