Min Woo Lee made his first appearance at the Tour Championship one to remember. The Australian fired a bogey free 8-under-par 62 on Thursday at rain softened East Lake Golf Club, matching his career low score on the PGA Tour and taking a two shot lead after the opening round of the FedEx Cup finale.
Lee entered the season ending event as one of the top 30 players in the FedEx Cup standings after a year that included runner up finishes at Pebble Beach and the Scottish Open. Those results secured his place among the players competing for the $10 million FedEx Cup prize, along with a five year PGA Tour exemption.
But Lee acknowledged that his recent form had not always made him feel like a top-30 player. There was little evidence of that uncertainty Thursday. Lee was rarely under serious pressure to save par and converted eight birdie opportunities without dropping a shot. Four of his birdies came from outside 10 feet as he took advantage of conditions that produced unusually low scoring.
The 62 gave Lee a two shot advantage over Viktor Hovland, Collin Morikawa and Chris Gotterup, who each opened with 6-under 64s. The fast start also put Lee in position to potentially follow a path similar to Tommy Fleetwood’s from a year ago.
Fleetwood won the FedEx Cup despite entering the Tour Championship without a victory during the season. Lee is in the same position this year, looking for his first PGA Tour win of the season on the biggest stage.
Only one other player among those who opened with 65 or better, Ludvig Åberg, also has yet to win this year.
Lee’s impressive round came after a relatively simple adjustment to his equipment. His coach believed Lee was swinging his irons faster than usual, prompting a switch to a slightly heavier shaft. The change was designed to slow his swing down and help him regain control.
It appeared to work immediately. Lee saved his best for the finish, making a birdie on the par-5 18th hole to complete his 62 and match the score he shot earlier this year at the Nicklaus Tournament Course at PGA West during The American Express.
That previous 62 came at a tournament known for extremely low scores in the California desert. Thursday’s performance at East Lake was just as impressive, particularly given the strength of the field.
Rain that arrived about an hour before the first tee time softened the East Lake greens, allowing players to attack pins and produce plenty of birdies. The scoring reflected those conditions. All 29 players in the field finished the opening round at even par or better, while the course played to an average score of 66.7.
Wyndham Clark, fresh off his BMW Championship victory, finished with a 67 after making birdie on two of his final three holes to salvage his round. Gary Woodland, making his first appearance at the Tour Championship since 2019, posted a 68. Adam Scott and British Open champion Ryan Fox also finished at 4-under.
Rory McIlroy, the only three-time FedEx Cup champion, opened with a 68 as he began his latest attempt to add another title to his record. Russell Henley, who grew up just over an hour south of Atlanta in Macon, Georgia, had a very different kind of opening round. Henley made 18 pars for a 70, finishing at even par.
For Lee, however, the opening day could hardly have gone better. His bogey-free 62 not only matched his career low but gave him an early cushion in the season’s final tournament. After earning his way into the Tour Championship with a strong season, Lee now has 54 holes remaining to turn an impressive debut into the biggest victory of his career.
