Round 1 Notes: THE TOUR Championship

• Geoff Ogilvy posted a 4-under 66 on Thursday in his fourth start at THE TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola (best finish was T16 in 2009). The seven-time PGA TOUR winner carded his career-low round on TOUR with an 8-under 62 during the third round of THE TOUR Championship in 2007 (finished T17).

Related

Round 1 Scores
Round 2 Pairings
Live Report
Transcripts
Round 1 Wrap-up
Scorecard: Casey
Scorecard: Ogilvy
Ogilvy's hot streak
Player Reports
Casey takes command

• This marks the eighth time in Ogilvy's TOUR career and the second time this season that he has held at least a share of the 18-hole lead (finished T41 at the Memorial Tournament). He carried the first-round lead on to victory at the 2008 World Golf Championships-CA Championship and the 2009 SBS Championship.

• For Ogilvy to win the FedExCup, he must win THE TOUR Championship and ...

* Matt Kuchar finishes in a 3-way tie for 6th

* Dustin Johnson ties for 4th

* Charley Hoffman ties for 3rd

* Steve Stricker finishes in a 3-way tie for 2nd

* Paul Casey ties for 2nd

Luke Donald, No. 7 in the FedExCup standings

• Donald also posted a 4-under 66 on Thursday in his fourth start at THE TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola. Donald enjoyed his best finish at the event in 2006 (T5).

• This marks the fifth time in Donald's TOUR career that he has held the first-round lead, but the first time he has shared that lead. He has held solo-possession of the lead once each season since 2006, with runner-up finishes at the 2007 Sony Open in Hawaii and the 2008 Honda Classic.

• For Donald to win the FedExCup, he must win THE TOUR Championship and ...

* Matt Kuchar finishes in a 3-way tie for 2nd

* Dustin Johnson ties for 2nd

Paul Casey, No. 5 in the FedExCup standings

• Currently No. 5 in the FedExCup standings, a victory this week would guarantee Casey (66) the 2010 FedExCup. He was the only player with that guarantee who posted a sub-par round on Thursday (Charley Hoffman -- 71, Matt Kuchar -- 72, Dustin Johnson -- 73, Steve Stricker -- 74).

• Casey is one of 10 first-timers at THE TOUR Championship, joining Jason Day (69), Ryan Moore (70), Kevin Streelman (70), Charley Hoffman (71), Ryan Palmer (74), Bo Van Pelt (74), Martin Laird (75) and Jeff Overton (75). They are hoping to join Chad Campbell (2003) and Bart Bryant (2005) as the only players to win THE TOUR Championship in their first start.

• For Casey to win the FedExCup:

* If Casey wins THE TOUR Championship, he wins the FedExCup.

* He can finish two-way tie for second and still have a mathematical chance of winning

• Casey has now turned in rounds in the 60s in his last six rounds in the PGA TOUR Playoffs.

• This marks the fifth time in Casey's TOUR career that he has held a share of the first-round lead, and the first since finishing T40 at the 2010 U.S. Open Championship. A T14 finish at the 2007 Arnold Palmer Invitational was his best eventual finish after holding the first-round lead.

• The first-round leader/co-leader has gone on to win eight of 39 stroke-play events on the PGA TOUR this season (the same as 2009 through the BMW Championship), most recently Arjun Atwal at the Wyndham Championship.

• In the 23-year history of THE TOUR Championship, the first-round leader/co-leader has gone on to win the tournament 10 times, with the last to do so being Bart Bryant in 2005. Bryant and Vijay Singh (2002) are the only players to have achieved this feat at East Lake Golf Club.

Jim Furyk, No. 11 in the FedExCup standings

• Playing in the same group as Geoff Ogilvy, Furyk turned in the day's only bogey-free round -- a 3-under 67. Making his 12th start at THE TOUR Championship, he is seeking his eighth top-10 finish here. He enjoyed his best finishes with runner-up efforts in 1997 and 2006.

Matt Kuchar, No. 1 in the FedExCup standings

• Current FedExCup points leader Kuchar is making his first start at THE TOUR Championship. He opened on Thursday with a 2-over 72.

Phil Mickelson, No. 10 in the FedExCup standings

• Defending champion Mickelson opened with a 1-under 69, thanks to eagles on the par-4 12th hole and the par-5 15th. It is the second time this season he has had two eagles in a round (Nos. 13-14, R3, Masters Tournament.

• Tiger Woods finished second in 2000 to record the best finish by a defending champion at THE TOUR Championship. Should Mickelson finish in a three-way tie for second or better this week, he would become the top-ranked player in the Official World Golf Ranking for the first time in his career.

Additional Player and Tournament Notes

• Steve Stricker is the only player to have played in all 61 rounds of the PGA TOUR Playoffs. His 4-over 74 on Thursday equals his worst score in 25 rounds at THE TOUR Championship.

• Three players have finished inside the top 15 in the FedExCup standings in the first three seasons:

• Four players played their way into THE TOUR Championship via the BMW Championship. Here's a look at their opening round on Thursday: K.J. Choi (68), Kevin Na (69), Ryan Moore (70) and Camilo Villegas (73).

• Kevin Streelman (No. 102) started The Playoffs outside the top 100 but played his way into THE TOUR Championship at No. 29. He opened on Thursday with an even-par 70.

• Past champions of THE TOUR Championship and their first-round scores: 2000 and 2009 champion Phil Mickelson (69), 2004 champion Retief Goosen (71), 2008 champion Camilo Villegas (73) and 2006 champion Adam Scott (74).

• Stricker, Phil Mickelson, Ernie Els, Jim Furyk and Hunter Mahan are the only players to reach Atlanta in all four years of the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup.

• Jason Day is the youngest player in THE TOUR Championship field at age 22 years, 10 months and 14 days (Sunday of THE TOUR Championship). He has a chance to become the youngest winner in tournament history, a record currently held by 1999 winner Tiger Woods (24 years, 10 months, 1 day).

• Stricker is the oldest player in the field at 43 years, 7 months and 3 days. He has a chance to become the oldest winner in the history of THE TOUR Championship, a record currently held by 1994 winner Mark McCumber (43 years, 1 month, 23 days old).

• Ernie Els carded a 1-over 71 in his 300th official start on the PGA TOUR. It was announced on Wednesday that he will be induced in 2011 to the World Golf Hall of Fame.

• Ryan Palmer recorded a 4-over 74 in his 200th official start on TOUR.

• Nine (of 30) players managed to break par on Thursday.

• Bogey-free rounds:

R1 -- Jim Furyk (67)

• Scoring Averages at the par-70 East Lake Golf Club:

• Round-by-round scoring averages for THE TOUR Championship at East Lake GC:

*Highest single-round scoring average in tournament history at East Lake Golf Club.

• The par-3 sixth played the toughest on Thursday with a 3.467 average. The par-5 15th was the easiest at 4.400.