'Still feel like I've got a chance', says McIlroy as Scheffler takes Tour Championship lead

Scottie Scheffler is in prime position to win his first FedEx Cup title after storming into a seven-shot lead at the Tour Championship.

The world number one, who started on 10 under due to the FedEx Cup's staggered structure, carded a superb 65 in the first round of the PGA Tour's season-ending tournament, after recovering from an early bogey at East Lake.

Scheffler's haul included seven birdies, with five of those coming from his last seven holes, as he bids to win a seventh PGA Tour event of the season.

His main FedEx Cup challenger Xander Schauffele is tied for second on nine under par, along with Collin Morikawa, while Rory McIlroy is three shots back in T10.

However, the Northern Irishman has not given up hope of applying pressure to Scheffler as the tournament goes on.

Leaderboard after Round 1 @TOURChamp 1. Scottie Scheffler -16 T2. @Collin_Morikawa -9 T2. @XSchauffele -9 T4. @AdamScott -8 T4. @SamBurns66 -8 T4. @Wyndham_Clark -8 T4. @HidekiOfficial_ -8 T4. @Keegan_Bradley -8

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) August 29, 2024

"I'm happy with how I hung in there and had a good finish," McIlroy told Sky Sports.

"When I saw Scottie had gotten to 14, I was like, 'Oh, got to try to just hang on to the coattails a little bit'.

"Still feel like I've got a chance, and it was nice to finish the way I did."

Scheffler, also speaking to Sky Sports, said: "Yeah, I'm pleased with the day.

"I tried not to think about any sort of lead or anything like that, my job was to go out there and execute and I felt like I did a really good job of that. I felt like I was doing some good stuff to start the day.

"I had the bogey on one but after that I felt like I played some really good golf."