2022 BMW Champion leaderboard: Keegan Bradley leads after Round 1 with lots of large players near leading

August 19, 2022

The BMW Champion left to a wonderful beginning Thursday as the most effective gamers on the planet functioned their means up the leaderboard and also probably the leading golf player on the planet kicked away a chance at the first-round lead (a lot more on that particular later). Keegan Bradley is the leader after shooting a 7-under 64 over the very first 18 openings and also is seeking his 2nd BMW Champion success in the last 5 years.

Bradley might have a great deal of prominent firm on top of the leaderboard over the following 54 openings. Justin Thomas, Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Xander Schauffele, Patrick Cantlay and also Jordan Spieth all had good days and also are done in an excellent setting to win what might be a 2nd wonderful playoff occasion today.

Wilmington Nation Club was, as anticipated, a bombing plane’s heaven. Bradley enjoys regarding that due to the fact that it is just one of the greatest components of his video game and also the top of the leaderboard is cluttered with the greatest players in the sporting activity. Though we can question whether that’s a good idea for PGA Scenic tour configurations, what we can not actually concern is that it’s a truth today which has ramifications for just how the remainder of the competition will certainly play out.

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Allow’s have a look at Bradley’s preliminary and also what to seek over the following 3 days.

The leaders

1. Keegan Bradley (-7): His 64 in Round 1 was highlighted by among the much better placing days of his profession. He led the area in placing, did his common lights-out regular with his iron play and also therefore, caught yet an additional first-round lead on the PGA Scenic tour. Remarkably, Bradley routes just Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm and also Justin Thomas in first-round leads over the last 3 years.

Equally as crucial for Bradley, that entered into the day placed No. 44 in the FedEx Mug standings, he is forecasted to delve into the leading 5 mosting likely to the Scenic tour Champion at East Lake. Certainly there’s a lengthy means to go, however this would certainly be simply his 2nd Scenic tour Champion because 2014 (with the various other being available in 2018 when he won the BMW Champion).

“I never ever want to see what I need to do [to make it to the Tour Championship],” Bradley claimed. “Whether I play in this competition or Sony or any type of competition, I constantly intend to do the most effective I can, whether it’s 35th rather than 36th or initially, whatever it is. I never ever seem like that assists me, I seem like it harms me in fact. Yet this is an excellent beginning, certainly.”

Various other challengers

2. Adam Scott (-6)

T3. Justin Thomas, Shane Lowry, Harold Varner III (-5)

T6. Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Tyrrel Hatton, Cameron Youthful, Russell Henley, Xander Schauffele, Collin Morikawa, Chez Reavie (-4)

Thomas has actually ended up being the competition preferred after Round 1. He’s had a little an up-and-down couple of months (a minimum of for him) because he won the PGA Champion in Might. He almost won in Canada, however every little thing else has actually been quite sub-par. He did stand out off at the FedEx St. Jude Champion recently where he completed in the leading 15 and also was remarkable Thursday. Something to watch on is that he just struck 8 fairways and also shed strokes to the area off the tee. I’m uncertain he can putt his escape of that like he did Thursday, however he’s been so regularly near the top of the FedEx Mug race lately — initially, 7th, 3rd, 2nd and also 4th over the last 5 years — that I anticipate even more of the exact same mosting likely to East Lake.

Rory’s only miss out on

It sought a little bit in the mid-day like the most effective gamer on the planet over the in 2015 (a minimum of statistically) would certainly lead this competition after the very first day. After that McIlroy attempted to strike a cut right into the par-3 15th, made a three-way after it landed in the center of a fish pond and also gone for a 3-under 68. Extremely, this was not the only location he went down 3 strokes. The 5 relocated him from 3rd to nine in the FedEx Mug standings, which indicates that he additionally shed 3 strokes off following week’s beginning numbers at the Scenic tour Champion. Still, it was an outstanding day for McIlroy, that definitely bludgeoned Wilmington Nation Club with his motorist and also possibly ought to have obtained a lot more from it than he did.

“Far better than recently,” McIlroy claimed of his efficiency. “Kind of seem like I got rid of the corrosion a bit. Simply that a person tee shot on 15. I seemed like I had possibly half a club excessive, so I was attempting to strike like a cut in there over the water, and also I simply double-crossed it and after that intensified that by the three-putt.

“Yet generally the remainder of it was respectable. I suggest, I understood as soon as I obtained right here last weekend break, I understood it was a golf links that was mosting likely to fit me much better than recently. It kind of would certainly have behaved to turn them, like have my very first occasion back after 3 weeks be this program and then Memphis next week. But it was much better. Pleased with my game. Disappointed with how I finished, but encouraged with the rest of it.”

Tough day with the putter

Statistically, Luke List had one of the worst putting days I’ve ever seen. He somehow gained strokes from tee to green and still shot 78. That’s because he lost 9.05 strokes putting, or over a half stroke per hole. Next worst was Si Woo Kim at -5.14 and after that you have to go to Mito Pereira at -3.40. List should have shot 68 or 69 based on just how he hit it, and he probably will Friday.

2022 BMW Championship updated odds and picks

  • Justin Thomas: 6-1
  • Rory McIlroy: 9-1
  • Keegan Bradley: 11-1
  • Cameron Young: 12-1
  • Xander Schauffele: 12-1
  • Scottie Scheffler: 12-1
  • Collin Morikawa: 14-1
  • Adam Scott: 14-1

I like Rory here, however I like Cameron Young more at 12-1, according to the latest odds from Caesars Sportsbook. He’s going to feast on this course, was positive strokes obtained in every category Thursday and also he’s an all-or-nothing guy. Each of his last 12 starts has been either inside the top three or outside the top 30, which is a truly incredible streak that I think will continue this weekend.

Rick Gehman and also Kyle Porter recap Thursday’s action at the BMW Champion. Follow & listen to The First Cut on Apple Podcasts and also Spotify.