Hit 17 consecutive greens in regulation before missing No. 18 to card his lone bogey of the round. Cards first-round 64 for the ninth time, tying his low opening-round score on TOUR (most recent, 2026 3M Open/T10). Holds first-round lead/co-lead for the sixth time on TOUR (most recent: 2022 CJ CUP in South Carolina/T67); also held first-round lead solo-lead at 2018 PGA Championship at Bellerive (T6) and co-lead at the 2014 BMW Championship (T23); 0-for-5 to date. 2019 U.S. Open champion seeks sixth PGA TOUR victory and second this season (Texas Children’s Houston Open). Began the week at No. 31 in the FedExCup standings; projected No. 14 after the opening round; attempting to advance to the TOUR Championship for the first time since 2019. Previous best finish in nine prior starts at the BMW Championship: T12/2018. One of 17 players in this week’s field who competed in the 2018 PGA Championship held at Bellerive CC (finished T6). Holed out from 99 yards for eagle at the par-4 11th hole; one of three eagles in round one and the only eagle on a par-4 hole.

Wyndham Clark shot a bogey-free 64 in the opening round. He recorded five birdies during his final six holes. This score marks his low 18-hole total in 17 rounds at this event.

Clark holds the first-round lead or co-lead for the ninth time in individual stroke-play competition on TOUR. This represents his most recent such position at the 2026 U.S. Open, which he won. However, his record in these situations stands at 1-for-8 to date.

The reigning U.S. Open champion pursues his third victory this season at THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson.

Clark entered the week ranked No. 5 in FedExCup standings. After the opening round, he projects to No. 3 in those standings. He has advanced to the TOUR Championship twice previously: finishing 3rd in 2023 and 8th in 2024.

His previous best finish across four prior starts at the BMW Championship was T13 in 2024.

Entering this week, McIlroy ranked No. 13 in FedExCup standings with a projected rise to No. 7. He remains the only player with three FedExCup titles, winning in 2016, 2019, and 2022. McIlroy holds the first-round lead or co-lead for the 27th time in individual stroke-play events. This marks his fourth such lead this season, following The Genesis Invitational, Master Tournament, and Genesis Scottish Open. At the BMW Championship specifically, he achieves this distinction for the sixth time. His conversion rate stands at 4-for-26 to date.

McIlroy's history at this venue spans 15 prior starts, including his 2012 BMW Championship victory among seven top-10 finishes. He competes in his 16th BMW Championship, the most of any player since the FedExCup began in 2007. A victory this week would make him the first player since Tiger Woods in 1997 to win the Masters Tournament and BMW Championship in the same year.

This season McIlroy has recorded four top-10 finishes in 12 starts. He won the Masters Tournament, finished T2 at The Genesis Invitational, T7 at the PGA Championship, and T7 at the Genesis Scottish Open. He seeks his fifth consecutive season with multiple PGA Tour titles, having won three in 2021-22, two in 2022-23, two in 2024, and three in 2025.

Spaun's 64 represents his low 18-hole score across 13 rounds at the BMW Championship. This scorecard also marks the 2025 U.S. Open champion's best round at this event.

This appearance marks Spaun's fourth time competing in this tournament. He finished T45 in 2018, T23 in 2022, and T23 in 2025.

Spaun holds the first-round lead or co-lead for the 10th time on TOUR. His most recent first-round lead came at the 2026 Memorial Tournament presented by Workday. To date, he has converted just 1-for-9 of these opportunities, including his 2025 U.S. Open victory.

Spaun began the week at No. 21 in the FedExCup standings. Projections place him at No. 12 after the opening round. He seeks to advance to the TOUR Championship for the second time. His only previous appearance came in 2025, when he finished T25.

Spaun's 2026 Valero Texas Open victory marked his third win on TOUR.

Gotterup competes in his 90th PGA Tour start seeking his fourth victory this season. He won the Sony Open in Hawaii, WM Phoenix Open, and John Deere Classic. As a five-time PGA Tour winner, he aims to add another title this week.

Gotterup holds the first-round lead co-lead for the second time on Tour. He previously achieved this distinction at the 2026 WM Phoenix Open, which he won.

He began the week at No. 7 in the FedExCup standings. After the opening round, he projects at No. 5 in standings. He seeks to advance to the Tour Championship for the second time, having finished T10 in 2025.

This marks Gotterup's second appearance at the BMW Championship. He competed here in 2025, finishing T33.

Gotterup stands among six PGA Tour University alumni at the BMW Championship. His fellow alumni competitors include Ludvig Åberg, Jacob Brideman, Alex Fitzpatrick, Michael Thorbjornsen, and Michael Brennan.

The top 30 players following this week's BMW Championship will advance to next week's TOUR Championship at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, Georgia. In 2025, Harry Hall moved into the top 30 with his performance at the BMW Championship.

Gary Woodland is projected to move into the top 30, advancing from No. 31 to No. 14 after his T1 finish. Jake Knapp is also projected to move into the top 30, advancing from No. 35 to No. 29 with his T12 finish.

Kurt Kitayama is projected to fall out of the top 30, dropping from No. 28 to No. 31 after his T44 finish. Bud Cauley is also projected to fall out of the top 30, dropping from No. 29 to No. 32 with his T48 result.

The BMW Championship marks the seventh event this year with five or more first-round co-leaders. This is the second consecutive event with this distinction. Previous events included the PLAYERS Championship with 5 co-leaders, the PGA Championship with 7, the Charles Schwab Challenge with 6, the RBC Canadian Open with 6, the Genesis Scottish Open with 5, and the FedEx St. Jude Championship with 5.

Four U.S. Open champions occupy the top five positions on the leaderboard: Woodland, Clark, McIlroy, and Spaun.