Rory McIlroy opened the Tour Championship with a two-under-par 68 to sit six shots behind first-round leader Min Woo Lee at East Lake in Atlanta.
The Northern Ireland golfer dropped shots at two of his opening four holes before recovering on the back nine. His 68 left him tied for 20th in the 30-player field after Thursday's play.
Lee set the early standard with a bogey-free eight-under 62. The Australian finished two strokes clear of Norway's Viktor Hovland and American Collin Morikawa, who each signed for 64.
Defending champion Tommy Fleetwood remained in contention after a four-under 66. The Englishman ended the day four behind Lee and tied for ninth rather than inside the leading five.
McIlroy is seeking a fourth FedEx Cup title, but his opening round leaves ground to recover over the remaining 54 holes. There is no cut at the season-ending event, so all 30 qualifiers are scheduled to play four rounds.
Lee reached East Lake 27th in the FedEx Cup standings and started level with the rest of the field under the current Tour Championship format. His 62 gave him the outright lead on the course rather than an advantage carried into the tournament.
The Tour Championship runs until Sunday and concludes the PGA Tour season. Fleetwood won the event in 2025, while McIlroy's previous victories give him the opportunity to extend his record in the competition.
Friday's second round will place players in leaderboard order, with McIlroy needing a stronger start if he is to close the gap on Lee and the group immediately behind him.