Thursday, August 26, 2021. 8:13 PM
A trio of world No.1 Spaniard Jon Rahm, Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy and American Sam Burns share the lead in the BMW Championship after the first round played Thursday at Owings Mills near Baltimore, Maryland.
The three competitors returned a convincing card of 64, eight strokes under par. Rahm and Burns, thanks to eight birdies each, McIlroy after a beautiful eagle succeeded at hole 16, came to compensate, with seven birdies, the bogey committed three holes earlier.
The latter, who recently confided in feeling a great mental fatigue at the end of the season, believing to have played too many tournaments this year, being far from his family including his almost one-year-old daughter, seems to have found the resources to remain competitive.
Behind, at a length, points the Spaniard Sergio Garcia, author of his sixth and seventh birdies at no 16 and 17.
On two counts are the Mexican Abraham Ancer and the American Patrick Cantlay.
Former world No. 1 Dustin Johnson is in a group of twelve competitors totaling -5, in the company of Xander Sc Chaudele, gold medalist at the Tokyo Olympics, Japanese Hideki Matsuyama, winner of the Augusta Masters in April, and Tony Finau who won the Northern Trust on Sunday, the first stage of the FedEx Cup play-offs.
The triptych that continues with the BMW Championship, will end next week for the top 30, as part of the Tour Championship, in Atlanta (Georgia), with a check for $ 15 million for the winner.
Classification after the 1st round (par 72):
1. Sam Burns (USA) -8 (64)
. Rory McIlroy (NIR) -8 (64)
. Jon Rahm (ESP) -8 (64)
4. Sergio Garcia (ESP) -7 (65)
5. Abraham Ancer (MEX) -6 (66)
. Patrick Cantlay (USA) -6 (66)
7. Keegan Bradley (USA) -5 (67)
