Russell Henley demonstrated just how amazing that test can be by firing a dazzling 9-under par 61 at East Lake Golf Club. This incredible display of excellence gave him a two-stroke advantage over his closest competitor, Scottie Scheffler, after the first round of the Tour Championship. The tourney opened last Thursday, and the experienced field proved more than capable of mastering the soft course conditions.
Henley closed with a strong performance, one-putting six of his final seven holes. That proved his brilliant touch around the greens. His putting prowess was evident throughout the round, as he led the field with an impressive +5.36 strokes gained: putting. His remarkable birdie stat received a big lift when he made three putts of 40-plus feet for birdie. This stunning accomplishment made an already electrifying round even more riveting.
Henley was dead last in driving distance, averaging a mere 289.8 yards off the tee. He proved that precision and short game artistry are just as important in the game of golf. He was a consummate pro and showed incredible poise and discipline all day. On one of those days, he holed a combined 207 feet of putts.
Scottie Scheffler just won his fifth tournament of the year at the BMW Championship last week. He followed that up with crafty 63 performance in Karachi. That score represented his lowest round by two shots in six trips to East Lake. Scheffler wrapped things up with two nifty birdies to cap his performance. That included a brilliant 25-foot par save on 16, which kept him within striking distance of the tournament’s leaders.
Scheffler’s consistency shined through as he hardly missed a fairway during the round, further emphasizing his solid form coming into the event. His record-setting play, sandwiched between Henley’s fantastic performance, helped establish a new single-round scoring record. To illustrate how crazy this round was, seven players shot 64 or better.
East Lake’s friendly conditions set up a great environment for some low scoring. Consequently, only two players completed the round over par. Henley and the other racers took full advantage of the best conditions with enthusiasm. They forgot to mention how they initialized a spectacular battle royale for the impending Tour Championship winner.
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