Adam Scott, a name not often associated with recent victories, has taken control of the BMW Championship after a blistering second-round performance. The 44-year-old Australian shot a 9-under-par 63 on Friday, propelling him to the top of the leaderboard at 13-under 131. His impressive display puts him three shots ahead of Keegan Bradley, who held the first-round lead and qualified for the BMW Championship on the number at 50th in the FedEx Cup standings.
Scott, who last won a tournament in February 2020, made the field for this second leg of the FedEx Cup playoffs by ranking 41st in points after last week’s FedEx St. Jude Championship. His resurgence in Castle Rock, Colorado is a testament to his resilience and skill.
Scott’s round was marked by an electrifying back nine. He started with three consecutive birdies, sinking putts from 11, 26, and 15 feet. He then capped off his round with a birdie at the par-5 17th, getting out of a bunker and converting the putt.
He wasn’t the only one to turn heads on Friday. Swedish phenom Ludvig Aberg, playing in his first FedEx Cup playoffs, matched Scott’s low round of the day with a 63, launching him into third place at 9 under.
Keegan Bradley, meanwhile, came close to a second straight bogey-free round but stumbled on the 18th hole, making short-game mistakes and settling for a 68. Despite the misstep, he remained in contention, sitting in second place at 10-under.
“When you’ve got a player like Adam in the lead, it means more when he’s up by three,” Bradley acknowledged. “I’ll have to play my very best to catch him, for sure.”
Other notable performances include Alex Noren, who posted his second consecutive 68 to move into fourth place at 8 under, and Taylor Pendrith of Canada, who shot a 65 to claim fifth place at 7 under.
The tournament saw a notable withdrawal as Hideki Matsuyama, who won last week’s FedEx St. Jude Championship, withdrew due to lower back discomfort. The discomfort, he said, made it “impossible to play.”
With a commanding lead and his game in top form, Adam Scott is poised to make a serious run for the title. The weekend promises an exciting battle as players try to catch the resurgent Aussie.
