{"id":50492,"date":"2026-08-14T20:29:17","date_gmt":"2026-08-14T20:29:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/golf\/50492\/"},"modified":"2026-08-14T20:29:17","modified_gmt":"2026-08-14T20:29:17","slug":"sets-me-up-hot-scott-eyes-golfs-tour-championship","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/golf\/50492\/","title":{"rendered":"‘Sets me up’: hot Scott eyes golf’s Tour Championship"},"content":{"rendered":"

Adam Scott follows his ball during his four-under 66 in the first round of the St Jude Championship. (AP PHOTO)<\/p>\n

Adam Scott is hoping to set himself up for more major opportunities after making a hot start to the PGA Tour’s opening FedExCup playoff event in Memphis.<\/p>\n

Scott navigated the stifling conditions to fire a first-round four-under 66 to be tied for fifth, just one stroke off the pace at the FedEx St Jude Championship.<\/p>\n

Min Woo Lee, the only other Australian to make the 70-man field, is also well placed in a share of 13th after starting with a three-under 67.<\/p>\n

\"Lee\"
\n Min Woo Lee eagled the 16th during his round of 67. (AP PHOTO)<\/p>\n

Americans Michael Thorbjornsen, Kurt Kitayama, Michael Kim, Jake Knapp and triple major winner Jordan Spieth all carded 65s to set the pace at five under.<\/p>\n

Only the top 50 players in the season-long point standings after Sunday’s final round will progress to next week’s BMW Championship in St Louis before the top 30 qualify for the $US40 million ($56.3 million) Tour Championship in Atlanta from August 27-30.<\/p>\n

Scott, though, is playing for more than money.<\/p>\n

As well as the $US10 million ($A14.6 million) winner’s cheque in Atlanta, the 45-year-old former world No.1 knows the perks on offer at the season-ending showpiece.<\/p>\n

The benefits include entry to next year’s mega money Signature events, a further two-year full exemption to the PGA Tour and a start at the 2027 US Open.<\/p>\n

They are all great lures for a man riding an astonishing 101 straight majors streak already.<\/p>\n

“There’s so much to gain from a good week right now,” Scott said after offsetting a bogey at the first hole on Thursday with five birdies.<\/p>\n

“My only feeling has been like make the most of this week, then it’s all upside for me.<\/p>\n

“Not only for the remainder of this season. It’s possible to lock up a spot in the Tour Championship this week, but also what it does into next year – the Signatures and all the majors.<\/p>\n

“It sets me up for what can be a year on my terms, which will be nice.”<\/p>\n

The 2013 Masters champ started the week in 29th spot in the FedExCup standings and has provisionally risen to 27th after round one.<\/p>\n

Lee began in 17th position and has slipped back to 20th, still comfortably inside the top-30 zone for a Tour Championship start.<\/p>\n

Co-leader Spieth and Kim are sitting not so comfortably, both outside the top 50 and in need of a strong finish just to make it to the season’s penultimate event, let alone the finale.<\/p>\n

This is the second straight season that Spieth, at No.54 and winless in more than four years, has been on the bubble going into the playoffs. He was at No.48 a year ago and fell out of the top 50.<\/p>\n

Jordan Spieth brought a new approach to @FedExChamp<\/a>.<\/p>\n

After an opening-round 65, he shares an 18-hole lead on TOUR for the first time since 2023 \u2014 and he\u2019s the only bogey-free player in the field! pic.twitter.com\/ZaefCOC5wY<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) August 13, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

He said the difference is the way he feels he is playing, even though he is the only player from the top 70 who qualified yet to register a top 10 this year.<\/p>\n

“I’m just in a very different place about the game of golf than I was the last couple seasons heading into this event,” said the former No.1.<\/p>\n

“Again, if it’s going to work out, great. If it doesn\u2019t, I know next year is going to be an awesome year for me. So it takes a lot of the stress off this week.”<\/p>\n

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