Robert MacIntyre jumped to the top of the BMW Championship Friday, making a run of 6-under 64. This was the worst score of the field in both the semi-final and final round. It moved him five shots clear of Scottie Scheffler as the major championship turns toward the weekend. After posting an overall score that turned heads, MacIntyre now hopes to distance himself from the pack and hang on to a narrow lead.
MacIntyre’s round was a combination of his phenomenal putting and iron play. He was brilliant, gaining a remarkable 6.8 shots on the field in putting over just 36 holes. His putter ramped up to a whole new level, and he said he was very pleased with the state of his game.
“Yesterday the putter was on fire. Today I felt like my iron play was exceptional,” – Robert MacIntyre
MacIntyre hasn’t taken his foot off the pedal or lost sight of the race’s difficult course. He acknowledged the unpredictability of the sport, stating, “It’s only 36 holes gone. There’s a long way to go.” His mindset mirrors perhaps the most intuitive approach to the golf game, that anything can happen in golf.
Scheffler, who enters the final day in second place, had a great round but came up a few shots short of MacIntyre’s hot round. Looking back on his own round, he reflected on what it takes to play consistently well.
“Bogey-free is always nice. I would have liked to have gotten a couple better looks down the stretch, but didn’t hit as many fairways the last few holes, and out here with the way the holes are shaped, you’ve got to be in play. Did a good job of saving pars when I needed to on the back,” – Scottie Scheffler
Besides MacIntyre and Scheffler, other players took impressive leaps during the big dance. Harry Hall’s 67 earned him a T8 finish. And talk about some recent consistency, Hall has finished no worse than 28th in his last five starts. He’s only missed the top 25 once in his past ten starts. This continuing strong performance might just be a sign that Hall is finally on a breakthrough year as he looks to better his high water marks even more.
Another surprise, Michael Kim, strong with a 66 to join Tommy Fleetwood in a four-way T5 as they head into Sunday’s action. Notables Both players are eight shots behind MacIntyre. Their odds of winning are shrinking as the tournament progresses.
Ludvig Åberg showcased his skills on Friday, shooting a 64 and placing himself just one stroke back from MacIntyre. The young player’s performance last week is what made his match up with Djokovic this weekend all the more enticing.
The BMW Championship has been the backdrop for some thrilling drama over the years. In 2015, Jason Day was unstoppable at Conway Farms, taking a five-shot lead after two rounds. He kept playing great and eventually won by six shots. Such historical context only increases the excitement surrounding MacIntyre’s work as he seeks to land that first elusive victory.
As competitors prepare to play the last few holes of one of golf’s greatest tournaments, everyone will be watching MacIntyre. Will he be able to hold onto his large lead, or will his challengers pull off a massive upset? With conditions firming up for the weekend this should be another exciting stretch of golf as players will try to shoot their way up the leaderboard.
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