Scheffler seven clear after Tour Championship first round

First information leaderboard

-16 S Scheffler (US); -9 C Morikawa (US), X Schauffele (US); -8 A Scott (Aus), S Burns (US), W Clark (US), H Matsuyama (Jpn), K Bradley (US).

Selected: -6 R McIlroy (NI); -5 A Rai (Eng), S Lowry (Irl); -4 R MacIntyre (Sco)

Full leaderboard

World number 1 Scottie Scheffler made nan perfect commencement to his bid to triumph a first FedExCup title by moving into a seven-stroke lead aft nan first information of nan Tour Championship successful Atlanta.

The American changeable a bogey connected nan first hole, but went from spot to spot aft that by hitting 7 birdies, including 1 connected nan par-five 18th.

Scheffler signed for a six-under-par 66 but is 16 nether overall.

The Tour Championship's staggered building meant nan 28-year-old, nan leader successful nan FedExCup points standings, started nan tourney astatine 10 under.

Compatriot and world number 2 Xander Schauffele, who started nan title astatine 8 under, could only unfastened pinch a one-under-par 70.

He is tied successful 2nd spot connected 9 nether pinch chap American Collin Morikawa, who climbed nan leaderboard acknowledgment to a 5 nether 66, aft starting connected 4 under.

Elsewhere, Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy is successful a stock of 10th spot connected six under.

He began nan tourney connected 4 under, but 4 birdies and 2 bogeys meant he completed his opening information 2 shots amended off.

"I'm happy pinch really I hung successful location and had a bully finish," McIlroy told Sky Sports.

"When I saw Scottie had gotten to 14, I was like, 'oh, sewage to effort to conscionable bent connected to nan coattails a small bit'.

"Still consciousness for illustration I've sewage a chance, and it was bully to decorativeness nan measurement I did."

The 30-man section return to nan people connected Friday erstwhile scattered thunderstorms are forecast.

There is nary 36-hole trim for nan tournament, while nan victor aft 72 holes will return location nan FedEx Cup and a $25m (£19m) prize.