Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre continued his superb start to the BMW Championship to move five shots clear of Scottie Scheffler at the halfway point of the FedExCup Playoffs event.
Having led Scheffler by three after shooting 62 on a rain-interrupted opening day at Caves Valley Golf Club in Maryland, MacIntyre maintained his form with a superb 64 on Friday to extend his advantage at the top of the leaderboard by two shots.
The Scot completed a bogeyless round with six birdies taking him to 14 under for the tournament, as world No 1 Scheffler carded a 65 to keep in touch at nine under.
MacIntyre, who is on the verge of joining Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood and Justin Rose in qualifying for Europe’s Ryder Cup team, struck three birdies on each nine in another controlled display.
Ludvig Aberg (eight under) and Hideki Matsuyama (seven under) both matched MacIntyre for the lowest round of the day to move up the leaderboard to third and fourth, respectively.
England’s Fleetwood’s had to settle for a 69 after bogeying three of the last four holes to drop back to six under for the tournament, which left him tied for fifth with American duo Michael Kim and Maverick McNealy.
England’s Harry Hall is a shot further back in a tie for eighth alongside Viktor Hovland and Sam Burns.
McIlroy produced a strong finish to reach four under for his round and the tournament.
The Masters champion was one over after eight holes following a double-bogey at the par-three third, but started a run of three successive birdies at the ninth hole before adding a superb eagle at the par-five 16th.
The Northern Irishman skipped last week’s FedEx Cup event knowing he is guaranteed to be in next week’s Tour Championship.
The Playoffs were launched in 2007 and have received multiple tweaks to the qualification and format since, with this year’s edition having three tournaments that all offer limited field sizes.
Only the top 70 in the season-long standings qualified for last week’s FedEx St. Jude Championship, with the top 50 after that progressing to this week’s BMW Championship.
Highlights from day four of the FedEx St Jude Championship from TPC Southwind, Memphis, Tennessee.
Both events offer 2,000 FedExCup points to the winner – four times the amount awarded for a regular PGA Tour event, with both also not having a 36-hole cut.
The top 30 in the standings after the two tournaments qualify for the Tour Championship, taking place from August 21-24 at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, with all three events exclusively live on Sky Sports.
How to watch BMW Championship live on Sky Sports this week?
Sky Sports will have extended coverage from all three of the FedExCup Playoffs, with all tournament rounds on Sky Sports Golf and bonus coverage on Sky Sports+.
Early coverage from the third round of BMW Championship begins on Saturday at 2.15pm on Sky Sports+, ahead of full coverage from 6pm on Sky Sports Golf.
Sunday’s final round coverage is live from 4pm on Sky Sports Golf.
Rasmus Hojgaard boosts Ryder Cup push in Denmark
Rasmus Hojgaard delighted the home fans and boosted his Ryder Cup push by opening up a two-shot lead at the Danish Golf Championship.
Hojgaard added a seven-under-par 64 to his opening 66 at Fureso Golf Klub to take the lead at the halfway mark of his home tournament.
The 24-year-old Dane is currently eighth on Team Europe’s Ryder Cup points list, just outside the automatic top six spots, with Luke Donald making six captain picks after the British Masters on August 24.
Highlights from round two of the Danish Golf Championship in Copenhagen.
“You feed off each other a little bit,” Hojgaard, the 2023 champion was quoted as saying on the DP World Tour website about the Danish fans.
“I was obviously feeling good out there. Trying to make as many birdies as possible and with them cheering me on, I just wanted to keep it going for as long as possible.
“It died a little towards the end when I made that annoying bogey at eight, but it was a great atmosphere out there.”
Hojgaard, who started at the 10th hole, began with six straight pars before backing up a birdie at the 16th with an eagle at the par-five 18th after hitting his approach shot to three feet.
A run of five birdies in the opening six holes on his back nine gave him breathing space at the top.
Hojgaard’s solitary bogey at the eighth cost him the outright course record, instead matching Marco Penge’s first-round score on Thursday.
“I didn’t try to do too much out there,” said Hojgaard. “I was just striking the ball well, had an idea of where it was going and set up a lot of chances.”
Englishman Penge is two shots adrift on 10-under after a 68 consisting of six birdies and three bogeys, while Canadian Aaron Cockerill sits in third, three strokes further back.
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