Robert MacIntyre closes with six straight birdies to lead BMW Championship after round one

The Scot produced a putting clinic following a two-hour afternoon thunderstorm delay at Caves Valley in Maryland to produce a barnstorming finish and sign for a stellar eight-under-par 62 in the penultimate event of the FedEx Cup playoffs.

Two-under after a bogey at the 12th, MacIntyre ignited his charge with a 66-foot birdie at the par-three 13th, then rolled in a 40-footer at 14 and a 17-footer at 15. He fired from the rough to 12 feet at 16 and made that putt, drained a 22-footer at the tough 17th, and capped the run with a five-foot birdie at the last.

"The last six holes is probably as good as I've ever putted in a stretch of holes, just so consistent," MacIntyre said after posting an eight-under par 62.

"When you get the eye on, it's free flowing and it's nice."

Lying in second place is Tommy Fleetwood, fresh from his near miss at last week's St. Jude Championship. The Englishman continued his quest for a maiden PGA Tour title by signing for a bogey-free 65 - good enough for sole second place.

Scottie Scheffler, the world number one and four-time winner this season, including majors at the PGA Championship and British Open, posted a four-under 66 to sit third.

He opened hot with three birdies in the first four holes, stumbled with back-to-back bogeys at nine and 10, then rallied with three birdies in his final four, including a 26-footer at the last.

"Golf course definitely got a bit easier [after the storm] but did a good job of taking advantage of the holes I had left," Scheffler said.

World number two Rory McIlroy carded what he called an "awful" even-par 70 with three birdies and three bogeys.

"Drove the ball terribly," he said after his round.

Justin Rose, fresh off his playoff win over J.J. Spaun in Memphis, reached two-under through 10 before finding water at 11 and 12 for a bogey-double bogey stretch, finishing with a 71.

Fifty players are in the BMW field, with only the top 30 advancing to Atlanta.