Ben James held the solo second position after the opening round of the Wyndham Championship, one stroke behind Beau Hossler, in a tournament that marks the conclusion of the PGA Tour’s regular season and determines which players qualify for the FedEx Cup playoffs. The event took place Thursday at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, North Carolina.

James, a University of Virginia graduate and currently ranked No. 1 in the PGA Tour University standings, recorded an impressive 62 with eagles on both par-five holes. Despite his strong performance, a final stretch that included two bogeys—both resulting from missed six-foot par putts—prevented him from sharing the lead with Hossler. To secure a spot in the top 70 advancing to the FedEx Cup postseason, James is in a position where a tournament victory is necessary.

Hossler, ranked 122nd in the FedEx Cup standings and also needing a win to secure playoff qualification, posted a seven-under-par 61. He was buoyed by a streak of four consecutive birdies early in his round and capped his front nine with a four-under finish, highlighted by a 30-foot eagle putt on the 15th hole.

“Try and win a golf tournament,” Hossler said succinctly regarding his approach.

Jackson Koivun, who earned his PGA Tour card through the accelerated PGA Tour University program as an underclassman and deferred his rookie season, is currently sitting at No. 70. Koivun shot a 67, despite missing several birdie opportunities late in his round.

Among Canadian participants, Taylor Pendrith of Richmond Hill, Ontario, was the top performer after the first round. Pendrith carded a four-under 66 to sit tied for 23rd. Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ontario, was at two under and tied for 54th. Adam Svensson from Surrey, British Columbia; Ben Silverman of Thornhill, Ontario; and Nick Taylor from Abbotsford, British Columbia, shared a tie for 73rd at one under. A.J. Ewart of Coquitlam, British Columbia, was one over par and tied for 111th with a hole remaining when play was suspended.

Sahith Theegala, safely positioned at No. 43 in the FedEx Cup standings and already qualified for the playoffs, posted a remarkable 62. Theegala’s round was marked by an unusual front nine, where he recorded eight birdies and one bogey, failing to make a par on any hole. He steadied on the back nine with pars, finishing with a birdie on the 18th.

As the final regular-season tournament unfolds, many players are striving to post low scores to remain or move into the playoff cutoff, underscoring the tournament’s high stakes heading into next week’s postseason kickoff.