Min Woo Lee Leads Tour Championship After Opening 62, Hovland Close Behind

Min Woo Lee opened the Tour Championship with a bogey-free 62, eight under par, to claim a two-stroke lead over Viktor Hovland, who posted a 64. Lee missed only two greens in regulation and gained more than two strokes on the putting surfaces, positioning himself as a potential back-to-back FedEx Cup winner without a regular-season victory.

Hovland, also at six under, continued to battle for the lead as the round progressed, while world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, who disclosed a recent bout of hand, foot and mouth disease, reported he felt 95% healthy and saved par on the opening hole after a challenging lie.

Rory McIlroy fell two over early after a missed tee shot and a bogey on the fourth hole, leaving him six strokes behind the leaders. Veteran Adam Scott posted a two-under 70, highlighted by a birdie on the par-5 sixth, and hopes to build on recent strong performances.

J.J. Spaun withdrew with a shoulder injury, reducing the field to 29 players. Alex Smalley, the only competitor without a PGA Tour win this season, recorded a birdie on the second hole and aims to emulate Tommy Fleetwood as the second consecutive first-time winner at the Tour Championship.

Rain began to fall during the round, prompting the PGA Tour to enforce preferred-lies rules, allowing players ball-in-hand relief across all holes. The challenging par-4 500-yard opening hole is expected to test the field further as conditions persist.