Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley grabbed a shock early lead at a weather-affected BMW Championship, as Hideki Matsuyama impressed and Rory McIlroy made a stable begin.
Bradley, fiftieth within the FedExCup standings and the final participant within the area for the second of three season-ending Playoffs, posted six birdies in a bogey-free 66 to prime the leaderboard at Fort Pines Golf Membership.
Final week’s FedEx St. Jude Championship winner Hideki Matsuyama is a shot again in second after a weather-affected opening day, the place storms induced a three-hour suspension, whereas former world No 1 Adam Scott is 2 again in a share of third with Sungjae Im, Alex Noren and Corey Conners.
Xander Schauffele is inside three of the lead and McIlroy is an additional stroke adrift, whereas world No 1 Scottie Scheffler is 5 off the tempo after carding a one-under 71.
Bradley units early tempo in Denver
Bradley missed an ideal eagle alternative on the par-five first however tapped in for the primary of successive birdies, then took benefit of the par-five eighth to succeed in the flip in 33.
Keegan Bradley might go as excessive as fourth within the season-long standings with a win
A 15-foot birdie on the thirteenth was adopted by one other from shut vary on the par-five subsequent, earlier than Bradley rolled in from 10 toes on the final to set a clubhouse goal that would not be matched.
“If you put the ball in the fairway, you’re going to have a lot of scoring clubs,” Bradley stated. “You’ve got to really have a good grasp on your numbers with the altitude. We did a good job of that today. You’ve just got to hit as many fairways as you can.”
Matsuyama was inside one of many lead and on the ultimate gap when play was suspended, with the 2021 Masters champion lacking a two-foot birdie likelihood to seize a share of the lead when the opening spherical resumed.
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Ludvig Åberg hits a formidable 418-yard three-wood, making the most of the altitude on the tenth gap
McIlroy was simply settling over a 20-foot par putt on the 18th when he heard the horn to cease play, earlier than returning to make a two-putt par and shut an opening-round 70, whereas Scheffler labored by some “soreness”.
“I woke up a little sore this morning. I just didn’t feel great, I was labouring a little bit today,” Scheffler stated. “On 17, I was trying to hit a high draw, and that’s a shot where I’ve really got to use a big turn, big motion. Really just felt it a little bit. But other than that, all good.
“I am going to go get some restoration, get some relaxation.”
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Each occasion is dwell on Sky Sports activities, with early protection from the BMW Championship beginning on Sky Sports activities +. The motion picks up on Sky Sports activities Golf at 7pm, following the conclusion of the AIG Ladies’s Open on Friday.
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