England's Justin Rose shot a stunning 63 to take the first round lead at the BMW Championship and boost his FedExCup hosts.
Englishman enters FedExCup picture with stunning 63
England's Justin Rose shot a stunning eight-under 63 to take the first round lead at the BMW Championship at Cog Hill in Illinois and put himself in position to have a crack at the $10m jackpot for winning the FedExCup.
Rose had teed off in the 70-man field at the BMW - the third of the four playoffs - ranked 34th in the FedExCup standings.
It meant he needed a big finish to assure himself of a place in the top 30 who head to next week's finale - the Tour Championship at East Lake - and he made the perfect start with a superb display of ball-striking which saw him hit every single fairway and miss just two greens in regulation.
The 31-year-old, who started at the 10th, was out in 33 after four birdies and a solitary bogey and he came back in just 30 to post 63 and finish two shots clear of in-form Webb Simpson and Mark Wilson. KJ Choi is in solo fourth, two shots further back at four-under.
Rose is projected to rise to third on the FedExCup standings if he can take victory here and that is significant as the top five going to East Lake will control their own destiny; that is, if any of them win the Tour Championship they will win the FedExCup and that massive $10m bonus prize.
"I certainly probably didn't expect that going out there today," Rose said. "I looked to the weather, looked at the temperature and I thought today was going to be a day to hang in there. Little did I know I was about to play so well.
Best round
"It's certainly my best round of the year by a long, long way, and could have been top five, top 10 rounds I've ever played for sure. That was really, really good out there."
"(I started the tournament) with the mindset I've got nothing to lose this week," Rose added. "That's my strategy. That's my attitude.
"Right now I'm not going to Atlanta (as he's outside the top 30). I've got everything to gain this week."
Simpson, a winner of the previous playoff event at the Deutsche Bank two weeks ago, currently holds top spot in the FedExCup rankings and is on course to maintain his lead after an excellent six-under 65.
The American, who has two wins in his last three starts, didn't make a single bogey as he again thrived with his belly putter on the smooth greens at the Dubsdread course at Cog Hill.
Struggled
But while Simpson had another great day at the office, a number of big-name FedExCup hopefuls struggled badly.
Second-ranked Dustin Johnson had seven bogeys in a five-over 76 while world number one Luke Donald, ranked four, didn't manage a single birdie in his four-over 75.
Jason Day (sixth) fired a 77 while Steve Stricker (eighth), who criticised Rees Jones' re-design of the course in the build-up, shot a 76.
