Maverick McNealy signed for a bogey-free 8-under 62 at the Seaside Course featuring an eagle at the par-5 15th to take a share of the lead at The RSM Classic.
“I feel like we kind of did everything really well,” said McNealy. “I drove it awesome, iron play was about as good as it’s been all year. The last three tournaments it’s really been great and that’s the part of my game I’ve wanted to improve the most. I chipped in today, got everything up and down and putted awesome today, too. There’s really nothing weak out there today.”
McNealy’s 62 was a career-low round on the PGA Tour for his first 18-hole lead. He has previously finished runner-up twice in 141 starts, at the 2021 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and the 2021 Procore Championship.
Michael Thorbjornsen, back from a knee injury, shot a bogey-free 8-under 64 at the Plantation Course for his share of the lead.
“I feel like I’ve been putting in some really good work these past couple days, or these past couple weeks, making some new swing changes,” said Thorbjornsen. “I don’t know, I really like the course out there. I’ve been working really hard on my putting, too, with my putting coach. We’ve been seeing some good results and I’m a lot more confident over the ball and it kind of shows today, definitely made some putts.”
Thorbjornsen is playing in his 19th career Tour start and 11th as a professional and also holds the lead for the first time. He has three career top-10 finishes, at the 2024 John Deere Classic (T2), the 2024 Sanderson Farms Championship (T8) and the 2022 Travelers Championship (4th, as amateur).
Last week’s runner-up Andrew Novak lies in third place after firing a bogey-free 7-under 65 at the Plantation Course.
The only non-American in the top-5, Belgium’s Adrien Dumont de Chassart, shot a 6-under 64 at the Seaside Course featuring an eagle at the par-5 7th and a single bogey at the par-3 3rd for a share of fourth place.
Chandler Phillips shares fourth place after closing with a 66 at the Plantation Course.
In his first start since surgery on his left knee, defending champion Ludvig Åberg of Sweden opened with a 3-over 73 at the Seaside Course and lies in T135.
*
Nos. 1-50 in the FedExCup standings through the Tour Championship are locked in their positions, while Nos. 51 and beyond carry their FedExCup points into the Fall. Nos. 51-60 through the FedExCup Fall will qualify for two Signature Events in 2025: AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, The Genesis Invitational. No players moved into Nos. 51-60 this week.
The Top 125 will be exempt into all Full-Field events and The Players next season and Nos. 126-150 will earn full Korn Ferry Tour status and conditional status on Tour next season.
