Adam Scott surged to the top of the leaderboard at the BMW Championship in Denver, while Rory McIlroy struggled with his game. The Australian veteran, now 44, delivered a stunning round, setting a new course record with a nine-under 63 at Castle Pines. Scott made an impressive 125 feet of putts, including 12 single-putts, to establish a commanding five-shot lead in the clubhouse at 13-under par. Sweden’s Alex Noren trailed him by five shots.
Scott, who won the Masters in 2013, needs to finish no worse than solo seventh to secure a spot in the top 30 for next week’s Tour Championship. Currently projected to jump to fourth place, just behind Hideki Matsuyama, who withdrew due to a lower back injury, Scott is confident in his putting, which has been a key factor in his success.
“I can play fairly conservatively and choose my moments, and if I keep putting well, that helps a lot,” Scott said. “Putting a little better than average goes a long way out here.”
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On the other hand, McIlroy continued to struggle on the greens, losing strokes for the second consecutive day. He managed just one putt from outside eight feet, adding a one-under 71 to his opening 70, leaving him 10 strokes behind Scott at three-under-par. His frustration boiled over when he threw his driver into the water after a poor tee shot on the 17th hole.
Meanwhile, Shane Lowry, who has already secured his spot at East Lake for next week, rebounded from a disappointing first-round 75. He made six birdies in a five-under 67, placing him just one shot behind McIlroy at two-under.