Scottie Scheffler takes seven-shot lead at Tour Championship, Rory McIlroy is 10 shots behind

Rory McIlroy is 10 shots off the pace despite an opening-round 69.

TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP: Rory McIlroy is 10 shots off the pace despite an opening-round 69. Picture: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler never had the best relationship with the old East Lake golf course or the new FedEx Cup’s starting strokes scoring system. But after his first round on the new East Lake golf course, his relationship with it and the now six-year-old scoring system seems on the mend.

Scheffler shot a 6-under 65 on Thursday, turning his opening two-stroke advantage as the top seed into a seven-stroke lead after the first round of the Tour championship. His mark was the lowest score anyone shot on the completely renovated golf course, which certainly comes in handy when the entire field is already giving you anything from two to 10 strokes.