Min Woo Lee matched his lowest round on the PGA Tour with an 8-under 62, taking a two-shot lead on his Tour Championship debut at East Lake Golf Club.

Lee made eight birdies without a bogey on Thursday, including four from outside 10 feet. A closing birdie at the par-5 18th moved him clear of the field in the final event of the FedExCup Playoffs.

Viktor Hovland and Collin Morikawa opened with rounds of 64. Chris Gotterup joined them at 6-under after completing his round without a bogey.

It was Lee’s third 18-hole lead or co-lead of the season. He had previously occupied that position at The American Express, where he also shot 62, and the PGA Championship.

Equipment Change Helps Lee Regain Control

Lee arrived at East Lake ranked 21st in the FedExCup after four top-10 finishes across 19 starts. He finished tied second at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and runner-up at the Genesis Scottish Open, but struggled during the first two Playoffs events.

“Very average two weeks the last two weeks. It was probably the saddest I’ve been on the golf course, which is not good,” Lee said. “We’re really lucky to be out here and play some good golf to get into the Playoffs. It just felt so hard.”

His coach identified that Lee had been swinging faster than usual and suggested a slightly heavier shaft in his irons. The adjustment helped slow his swing and improve his control at East Lake, where he was rarely under pressure to save par.

Lee is seeking his second PGA Tour title in his 88th start. His first came at the 2025 Texas Children’s Houston Ope. A victory would also make him the first player since Xander Schauffele in 2017 to win the Tour Championship on his debut.

Soft Conditions Produce Low Scoring 

Rain about an hour before the first tee time softened East Lake’s greens and gave players receptive targets. The par-70 course played to a scoring average of 66.7, with all 29 players who completed the round finishing at even par or better.

Hovland holed 141 feet, 3 inches of putts during his 64, the third-highest total of his PGA Tour career. Morikawa led the field in Strokes Gained: Putting at 3.384, while Gotterup continued the form that produced a tied-fourth finish at the BMW Championship.

FedExCup leader Scottie Scheffler opened with a bogey-free 65 despite continuing to recover from hand, foot and mouth disease. The illness caused blisters on his hands and feet, along with problems in his throat, during the BMW Championship. His hands had recovered by Thursday, although some throat symptoms remained.

Under the current format, every player begins the Tour Championship on level terms. Any player in the 30-man field who wins at East Lake also becomes FedExCup champion, earning the $10 million prize and a five-year PGA Tour exemption.

Defending champion Tommy Fleetwood began with a 66 as he attempts to become the first player to win consecutive FedExCup titles. Wyndham Clark shot 67, while Rory McIlroy and Adam Scott were among those opening with 68.

J.J. Spaun withdrew after five holes because of pain around his right shoulder blade. Spaun said the shoulder had improved since he first felt a sharp pain on Tuesday, but the force of the golf swing left him unable to compete at full strength.

Related: 2026 TOUR Championship Preview: Scheffler Leads a Level Start at East Lake

The FedExCup finale gives all 30 qualifiers an equal starting score, leaving four rounds to decide who claims the trophy and its $10 million prize.

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