Atlanta, GA ….
World No. 1 Justin Rose is projected to end the season as the PGA Tour No. 1 after signing for a 66 and just one shot off the lead on day one of the season-ending Tour Championship in Atlanta.
Rose teed-up on the East Lake course lying second on the FedEx Cup standings but is projected to leapfrog American Bryson DeChambeau after the American produced a horror debut display in the elite 30-player field.
DeChambeau, 25 and the winner of the opening two Play-Off Series events, struggled with the driver in hitting just six of the 14 fairways on the famed East Lake course.
DeChambeau doubled the fourth and eighth holes and after dropping a shot at the ninth he headed to the back nine at four-over par but then produced a contrasting inward half of three birdies in his eventual one-over par 71.
World No. 1 Justin Rose now projected to end the year at PGA Tour No. 1
No such concern for Rose whose round of 66 was his equal-lowest Tour Championship starting round since a similar first day 66 and on route to an eventual second place result in 2012.
“I am really happy with my round today as I played fantastically, if I’m honest,” said Rose in his first round as World No. 1.
“I drove the ball unbelievably well today, which obviously sets up the opportunity to score well. With a couple of holes to play, I was a little frustrated I hadn’t gotten more out of my round.
“I felt like it was a day that I could have gone low. There were a few opportunities on the lead. I felt like I putted okay, but there were a few opportunities on the greens that I would have liked to have taken advantage of.
“But the birdie-birdie finish made me feel like I got enough out of the day to make me happy.”
Rose heads to the second round just a stroke behind the leading duo of Rickie Fowler and Tiger Woods, and with Woods saving his best for last in holing a 30-foot eagle putt in a round of 65.
It is the second PGA Tour event in succession Woods has shared the first-round lead while the 14-time Major winner has gone to win 14 of 29 times when either leading or sharing the lead on day one of a PGA Tour event.
Fowler’s 65 is his lowest in 17 East Lake rounds since making his Tour Championship debut in 2012.
Past East Lake winner Rory McIlroy was clearly disappointed to have let slip leading by two shots after just six holes, and thanks to four birdies, to eventually sign for a 67 and be sharing fifth place.
“I played well and it was a great start to be four-under through six holes,” he said.
“It was just unfortunate I just didn’t keep it going. But if I keep swinging and hitting the ball like that and giving myself chances, I should be right up there at the end of the week.”
And Keegan Bradley, who captured the recent BMW Championship, shares last place in the 30-player field with Phil Mickelson and Australia’s Marc Leishman in posting three-over par 73s.
