Scheffler outguns McIlroy as Henley leads at East Lake

Russell Henley rode a hot putter to fire a nine under 61 and lead the Tour Championship as Scottie Scheffler emerged the victor in his first round dual with Rory McIlroy at East Lake.

Henley, who has already qualified for Keegan Bradley’s US Ryder Cup team, made 207 feet of putts to lead by two from Scheffler, who shot 63 to McIlroy’s 66.

European Ryder Cup qualifiers Robert MacInytre and Tommy Fleetwood and US wildcard hopefuls Collin Morikawa, Patrick Cantlay and Justin Thomas shot 64s to share third as McIlroy’s 66 left him tied for eighth.

Henley was impressive but Scheffler was his usual relentless self as he bids to sweep the three playoff events and retain the FedExCup in what is a winner-takes-all affair in Atlanta this year.

Battling each other for PGA Tour Player of the Year honours, it was Scheffler who had the better of the early exchanges as he birdied the second and third to move swiftly to two under.

After making birdie at the par-five sixth, he watched McIlroy make eagle from 30 feet there and then birdie the seventh from seven feet to close the gap to two strokes.

The world No. 1 then birdied the 10th to go three ahead and after McIlroy followed a birdie at the 11th with a three putt bogey the 14th, there was still just a shot between them as both made twos at the short 15th.

There was a chance of a two-shot swing in McIlroy’s favour at the 16th but Scheffler made a 26 footer for par and the Holywood star left a 13-foot birdie chance on the lip.

In the end, the two-shot swing came at the 17th, where Scheffler brushed in a 27 footer to get to six under as McIlroy bunkered his approach and made bogey to slip back to three under.

McIlroy and Scheffler both found sand at the 18th but as the American got up and down, the Masters champion caromed off the grandstand behind the green and made the resulting 17 footer for birdie to stay in touch.

Shane Lowry made two birdies and two bogeys in a level par 70 where he battled a lukewarm putter after also three putting the 14th.

The Offaly man was tied for 23rd with the likes of US Ryder Cup skipper Keegan Bradley and European wildcard candidate Harry Hall.