GOLF
2023 Tour Championship: Round 1 tee times, pairings and featured groups
With eyes on the top positions vying to become the FedEx Cup champion, we look ahead to the opening schedule at East Lake Golf Club.
With the culmination of the season looming, the 2023 Tour Championship gathers 30 skilled golfers for an intense competition. The journey towards crowning a new FedEx Cup champion is set to unfold against the backdrop of East Lake Golf Club, in Atlanta, Georgia. Established in 1904, this venerable club holds the distinction of being Atlanta’s oldest golfing institution. It also holds a special place as the home course of the legendary Bobby Jones.
But who’s teeing off and when on Thursday? Let’s take a look...
Scottie Scheffler aims for redemption
The tournament commences much like the previous year, with Scottie Scheffler, the world’s top-ranked player, leading the pack at East Lake Golf Club with a commanding 10-under score. Scheffler seeks to make amends for past setbacks as he tees off on Thursday at 2 p.m. E.T.
He is accompanied by Viktor Hovland, who secured victory at the BMW Championship and holds the No. 2 spot in the FedEx Cup standings. Both players will be part of the 30-player contingent, situated at the rear of the group.
European star pairing: McIlroy and Rahm
Directly preceding Scheffler and Hovland, the duo of Rory McIlroy, a three-time defending FedEx Cup champion, and Jon Rahm, the regular season’s leader, will tee off at 1:49 p.m. This notable pairing adds excitement to the competition and is likely to draw a crowd.
At 1:16 p.m., the tee time belongs to the last two U.S. Open winners, Wyndham Clark and Matt Fitzpatrick. Clark aims to elevate himself to Player of the Year status with a FedEx Cup victory, while Fitzpatrick seeks to maintain the momentum from his remarkable second-place finish at the BMW Championship.