The opening round of the 2025 BMW Championship at Caves Valley Golf Club in Owings Mills, Maryland, delivered drama, surprises, and a leaderboard packed with some of golf’s biggest names. With the race to East Lake and the coveted top 30 spots in the FedEx Cup Playoffs on the line, Thursday’s action set the stage for a weekend where every shot could mean the difference between glory and heartbreak.
Robbie MacIntyre stole the show with an electrifying eight-under par 62, the lowest round of the day, birdieing holes 13 through 18 in a back-nine blitz that left fans and competitors in awe. MacIntyre, currently 18th on the PGA Money list and 16th in the Official World Golf Ranking, has often flirted with the top of the leaderboard this season, but his Thursday performance may finally be the breakthrough he’s been chasing. If he can sustain this momentum, MacIntyre could be the story of the tournament and a legitimate threat at East Lake.
"Birdieing six holes in a row to end the round? That’s the stuff dreams are made of," one commentator remarked, summing up the Scottish star’s statement round. MacIntyre’s 62 put him three shots clear of Tommy Fleetwood, who sits in second at five-under par, and four ahead of 2025 PGA Championship and Open winner Scottie Scheffler.
Scheffler, the betting favorite and world No. 1, put together a typically composed round of 66, carding birdies on holes 1, 2, 4, 15, 16, and 18. Despite a minor stumble around the turn, Scheffler finished strong and heads into Friday’s play in third place. "Playing consistent golf out here and making it to the Tour Championship without winning a golf tournament is pretty difficult," Scheffler commented, reflecting on the season-long grind. He also weighed in on the ongoing debate about playoff formats, saying, "Look at what LIV is doing with their final tournament. I tried to read about it the other day; I still can’t figure out what they’re trying to do with the final tournament." Scheffler’s focus remains on the FedEx Cup, where he’s chasing a second consecutive crown.
Rickie Fowler, another fan favorite, continued his resurgence with a three-under 67, tying for fourth after 18 holes. Fowler’s round included five birdies and only two bogeys, a testament to his improved form after sneaking into the BMW Championship with a T-6 finish last week in Memphis. Now projected to move from No. 48 to No. 26 in the FedEx Cup standings, Fowler is well on his way to returning to East Lake after missing out last year. "Nice solid start. That’s really all I wanted out of a Thursday," Fowler said. "I know what I need to do. I need to have a solid finish and play well, but if we can keep continuing what we’ve been doing, it shouldn’t be an issue."
Michael Kim, who shot a two-under 68, is another golfer on the rise, projected to jump from No. 40 to No. 28. The former Cal Bear credited his swing coach, Sean Foley, for helping him maintain perspective. "That’s kind of the approach I’m taking this week," Kim said, referencing Foley’s advice to be "grateful but not satisfied." For Kim, a first trip to the Tour Championship is suddenly within reach—an achievement he once thought unlikely. "Tour Championship I feel like is the No. 1 goal on everyone’s mind at the start of the year, along with top 50 here. To be completely honest, I was probably – if you had told me I’d be top 50, I would have just signed right there and just watched everyone else play," Kim admitted. "But once I had a really good stretch in that beginning to the middle part of the season, I really wanted to make the push for the Tour Championship, which I’ve never been to."
Jason Day, the Australian veteran, opened with a two-under 68, tying for seventh after a rollercoaster finish. Day was in contention for the lead until back-to-back bogeys on the 17th and 18th holes dropped him back. Despite the late stumble, Day’s performance vaulted him from No. 44 to No. 29 in the projected FedEx Cup standings. With the top 30 advancing to the Tour Championship, Day knows what’s at stake. "It is on my mind but not really. Obviously I’ve just got to play well. If I don’t play well, then I’m going home. There’s no in between," Day said. He added, "That’s the biggest thing for me is just to try to get myself into position to be able to at least win here this week because thinking about just getting inside the top 30, it’s never a good combination. You’ve got to go out there and try and win this week, and if it falls your way, then great. The win would take care of everything."
Day, who has made the Tour Championship every year since 1998, is determined to keep that streak alive. He’s even set his sights on playing until age 50, which would mark an incredible 30-year run on tour. "East Lake will be the end of my 18th season out here on the Tour, so that’s quite a long time," Day reflected. "I feel like if I can keep myself healthy, not only physically but also mentally, I feel like I can stay out here until I’m 50."
Not everyone enjoyed a positive start. Jacob Bridgeman shot a 74 and is projected to fall from No. 27 to No. 32, while Akshay Bhatia’s 75 has him dropping from No. 29 to No. 35. Lucas Glover, who began the week as the "Bubble Boy" at No. 30, also struggled with a 75 and is now projected to fall to No. 40. Chris Gotterup, after a 73, sits precariously at No. 30, while Harry Hall’s impressive season has him climbing from No. 45 to No. 31—just outside the cut for East Lake.
The first round wasn’t without its challenges. A weather delay of over two hours pushed the final groups to finish around 6 PM, leaving players battling not just the course but also the elements. Rory McIlroy, paired with Scheffler, shot even par and described his round as "awful," admitting, "I got off to a bad start. Sort of pieced it together a little bit in the middle of the round and clawed it back to even par. But drove the ball terribly. Then when you’re sort of hitting out of the rough from the fairway bunkers here -- when I hit the fairways, I give myself chances. I need to hit more fairways the next three days."
As the BMW Championship heads into Friday, all eyes are on the bubble. With the top 30 advancing to the Tour Championship at East Lake and a $10 million winner’s check awaiting, the pressure is only going to ramp up. Jason Day will tee off with Harry Hall at 9:21 AM ET, while the marquee pairing of Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler will take to the course at 1:38 PM ET. There’s still everything to play for, and with so many storylines in play, the next three days promise fireworks at Caves Valley.
For now, the leaderboard is crowded, the cut line is razor-thin, and every shot matters. The chase for East Lake—and PGA Tour immortality—continues.
