Min Woo Lee fired an electric 8-under 62 at East Lake, grabbing a two-shot Tour Championship lead over a loaded group that includes Hovland and Morikawa.
Min Woo Lee didn’t arrive at East Lake Golf Club playing his best golf. He arrived ready to change the conversation.
Lee stormed through the opening round of the 2026 Tour Championship with a bogey-free, 8-under 62, matching the lowest PGA Tour round of his career and taking a two-shot lead in his East Lake debut. Viktor Hovland, Collin Morikawa and Chris Gotterup sit tied for second at 6 under.
Not bad for a player whose previous three finishes were T59, T55 and T47.
Lee’s sudden turnaround wasn’t simply the product of a hot putter or a few fortunate bounces. He made a bold equipment change Tuesday, switching to heavier iron shafts after a blind testing session revealed he could better control his swing and ball flight with the added weight.
The gamble paid off immediately.
Lee hit 16 of 18 greens in regulation, gained nearly three strokes putting and produced eight birdies without surrendering a bogey. He made four birdies on each nine and looked nothing like the frustrated player who struggled through the closing weeks of the FedEx Cup Playoffs.
Now he’s 54 holes away from potentially winning the FedEx Cup without previously capturing a PGA Tour event this season.
The chase behind Lee is packed with dangerous names. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler finished birdie-birdie to shoot 65, joining Ryan Gerard, Akshay Bhatia and Ludvig Åberg at 5 under. Scheffler rarely appeared to be pressing, which might be the most unsettling development for everyone above him.
Adam Scott, Ryan Fox, Gary Woodland, Tommy Fleetwood, Sam Burns and Matt Fitzpatrick opened with 66s. Scott’s presence is especially notable as the 46-year-old seeks his first PGA Tour victory since the 2020 Genesis Invitational.
Rory McIlroy endured a far more complicated afternoon. The three-time FedEx Cup champion slipped to 2 over early before recovering to shoot 68. He begins Friday tied for 20th, six strokes behind Lee.
Lee owns the lead, but Scheffler may still control the tournament’s temperature. DraftKings installed the world No. 1 as the 3-1 favorite after one round, with Lee at 7-1.
That makes Friday’s assignment clear: Lee must prove Thursday wasn’t merely a brilliant opening act. At East Lake, with Scheffler already looming, standing still is the fastest way to get passed.
