Robert MacIntyre runs off 6 birdies
in a row for 62 to lead BMW Championship
[August 15, 2025]
By DOUG FERGUSON
OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) — Robert MacIntyre seized on a softer Caves
Valley after a two-hour storm delay and rode the best putting round
of his year with six straight birdies to post an 8-under 62 for a
three-shot lead over Tommy Fleetwood in the BMW Championship on
Thursday.
MacIntyre finished it off with a 5-foot birdie putt on 18th hole,
and that was the easiest of his final six birdies. He holed a
65-foot birdie putt on the 12th and followed that from 40 feet.
And he kept right on going until he matched his low round on the PGA
Tour and left everyone chasing after the opening round of the
penultimate postseason event.
“The last six holes is probably as good as I’ve ever putted in a
stretch of holes,” he said.
Scottie Scheffler was tied for the lead when he returned from the
delay and birdied three of his final four holes for a 66. Rickie
Fowler was another shot behind, a big step toward making the Tour
Championship for a shot at the FedEx Cup.
MacIntyre looked to be unstoppable except that he ran out of holes.
“When I went back out, I had a 7-footer for birdie which was going
to set the tone for the rest of the afternoon, and I rolled that in
nicely,” said MacIntyre, who then rolled along quite nicely.
It was a different course when the top 50 in the FedEx Cup arrived
to Caves Valley, which hosted the BMW Championship in 2021. Patrick
Cantlay won in a playoff over Bryson DeChambeau after both finished
at 27-under 261.
It has gone through a big renovation, changed to a par 70, and it
was playing tough enough that Viktor Hovland at 67 had the low score
of the morning before a bank of dark clouds and heavy rain pounded
the course.
Softer greens made all the difference, but the 62 by MacIntyre was
no less impressive. The Scot also shot 62 at the Travelers
Championship last year.
“The course was a lot softer, so we did have a chance of shooting a
score,” Fleetwood said, who was on the 16th hole when MacIntyre
finished. “Did he finish with quite a few birdies maybe?”
Six of them.
“That helps,” Fleetwood said with a smile.
It was a nice start for Fleetwood, too, particularly after another
tough ending last week when he had a two-shot lead with three holes
to play and finished one shot out of a playoff at the FedEx St. Jude
Championship in his bid for his first PGA Tour title.
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Scottie Scheffler hits from the seventh tee during the first round
of the BMW Championship golf tournament Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025, in
Owings Mills, Md. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
The goal was to get back into contention as quickly
as possible. This was only one round, but it was a good start.
Fleetwood had one of only two bogey-free rounds, the other belonging
to Hideki Matsuyama (69).
“I've been a pro for — I don’t know how long, I’m not going to do
the math — but I’ve had my fair share of playing rubbish,” Fleetwood
said. “I’ve spent weeks playing terrible. So playing well and being
in contention is a privilege. You’ve got to enjoy those times. So
while I’m playing well, I’m kind of enjoying it as well.”
Scheffler played with Rory McIlroy as the Nos. 1 and 2 seeds in the
FedEx Cup, which means nothing at this stage because every one of
the 30 players who advance to East Lake will start from scratch as
they play for the FedEx Cup.
McIlroy struggled off the tee, had three bogeys in six holes and
pulled it together for a 70 that included eight straight pars at the
end. Scheffler wobbled a bit at the turn, twice missing greens and
failing to get up-and-down. But he had three birdies in four holes
at the start, and three birdies in four holes at the end.
“Golf course definitely got a bit easier but did a good job of
taking advantage of the holes I had left,” said Scheffler, who
posted his 14th consecutive round in the 60s.
Hovland came into the BMW Championship at No. 28 in the FedEx Cup,
right on the bubble for being in the top 30 to reach the Tour
Championship. He figures good will take care of that.
It was a more significant start for Fowler, who barely got into the
top 50. Ditto for Michael Kim and Jason Day, both outside the top
40. They each shot 68.
Xander Schauffele, who has never missed the Tour Championship since
he won it as a rookie in 2017, might see that streak end. He was at
No. 43 and is searching, and it showed. He opened with four bogeys
in six holes, battled back and closed with a double bogey for a 74.
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