MacIntyre posts a 64 and builds
5-shot lead over Scheffler at BMW Championship
[August 16, 2025]
By DOUG FERGUSON
OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) — One day it was the putter, another day it
was the irons. No one had a lower score than Robert MacIntyre both
of those rounds at the BMW Championship, and his reward for his
6-under 64 on Friday was a five-shot lead over Scottie Scheffler
going into the weekend.
MacIntyre closed with six straight birdies in the opening round for
a 62, and he started the second round with a shot into 5 feet on the
476-yard first hole for another birdie. He kept bogeys off his card
this time and set a daunting target at 14-under 126.
Scheffler spent the steamy afternoon trying to keep in range. He had
to settle for six pars at the end for a 65 and was at 9-under 131,
at least booking a spot in the final group.
Ludvig Aberg shot 64 and was another stroke back.
It was the largest 36-hole lead at the BMW Championship since Jason
Day led by five shots in 2015 at Conway Farms. Day went on to win by
six.
“It's only 36 holes gone. There’s a long way to go,” MacIntyre said.
“I’m comfortable with who I am. I’m comfortable with the team around
me, and I’m comfortable on this golf course. Just go and play golf.”
He has made it look as easy as it sounds on a Caves Valley course
that has been renovated, lengthened, has new greens and still hasn't
put up too much resistance without much wind.
MacIntyre still putted well, except for the 5-foot birdie he missed
on the 18th and another birdie chance inside 8 feet on the eighth
hole. He has gained 6.8 shots on the field in putting through 36
holes to lead the key putting statistic.
But he was rarely out of position even when he missed a fairway or
green.
“Yesterday the putter was on fire. Today I felt like my iron play
was exceptional,” MacIntyre said. “Obviously, coming from links golf
back out to throwing darts is a bit different technique-wise,
turf-wise, so it took a little bit of readjusting, but I’ve got the
hang of it.”
Scheffler had his 15th consecutive sub-70 round and pulled within
five shots on No. 12 when he hit a 4-iron from 221 yards to 7 feet
for birdie. But he had only two reasonable chances from the 15-foot
range the rest of the way.
“Bogey-free is always nice,” Scheffler said. “I would have liked to
get 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.”
[to top of second column] |
Robert MacIntyre, of Scotland, gauges his putt on the 16th hole
during the second round of the BMW Championship golf tournament
Friday, Aug. 15, 2025, in Owings Mills, Md. (AP Photo/Stephanie
Scarbrough)
Hideki Matsuyama has yet to make bogey over 36
holes, even more remarkable because he has been feeling ill this
week. That much was clear when he came out of scoring and headed
straight for the car, a Japanese television crew hustling to try to
catch up with him. He shot 64 and was alone in fourth place, still
seven shots behind.
Michael Kim had a 66 and was in the group tied for fifth that
included Tommy Fleetwood (69), still eight shots behind. The
position on the leaderboard is more meaningful to Kim than how far
he is behind. The top 30 in the FedEx Cup advance to the Tour
Championship next week, and Kim needs to finish around this spot to
advance.
Kim and Harry Hall, who had a 67 and was tied for eighth, were the
only two projected to move into the top 30 with 36 holes still to
play.
Hall, the Englishman who played his college golf at UNLV, has
quietly had a good year and is turning heads with his efficient
swing and improved putting. He has four top 10s and has missed only
three cuts in 23 starts.
Hall has finished out of the top 25 only once in his last 10 starts.
As much as he wants to be at East Lake, he now is in the
conversation for the Ryder Cup. He says he has received a few text
messages from European captain Luke Donald, but he has not been
fitted for a uniform.
Rory McIlroy, playing for the first time since the British Open, was
paired with Scheffler for two days. He overcame an early double
bogey to post a 66, leaving him 10 shots behind.
“I think I’m just playing my own tournament at this point,” McIlroy
said. “I just want to try to play a good weekend and feel a little
bit better about my game going into the Tour Championship.”
All contents © copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved
 |
