Shane Lowry best of the Irish after FedEx opening round

Si Woo Kim marked a strong start to the FedEx Cup play-offs with an eagle as he carded an eight-under 62 and snatched a share of the lead with JJ Spaun, with Shane Lowry the best of the Irish after a 68.

A bogey at the last was the only blemish on Lowry's card at the FedEx St Jude Championship after eagles on six and 16 and birdies on four, 10 and 13. That left the 2019 Open champion on two under.

Two-time FedEx Cup champion Rory McIlroy is couple of shots back after his 70; a run of birdies on 13, 16 and 17 helped to put a better gloss on his efforts. Seamus Power beogeyed the last as he carded a 71.

South Korean Kim admitted to being "excited" to pull off a "perfect" shot, after he holed out from 167 yards on the par-four 18th to cap a strong finish of six-under on his last six holes.

His American co-leader, meanwhile, had eight birdies at TPC Southwind in Memphis as he said it was "hot out here".

"I'm hot, figuratively and literally, I guess. It's hot out here," Spaun told reporters.

Spaun's compatriot Sahith Theegala was at seven-under followed by a group of four including Tony Finau a further shot back, while England's Tyrrell Hatton was at five-under.

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