Norway’s Viktor Hovland birdied 5 of the final seven holes to share the lead with American Collin Morikawa after Friday’s second spherical of the US PGA Tour’s season-ending Tour Championship.
World quantity 5 Hovland, who received final week’s BMW Championship, and two-time main winner Morikawa every fired a six-under par 64 to face on 16-under after 36 holes at East Lake in Atlanta.
“I simply began to hit my strategy pictures slightly bit nearer than I did on the entrance 9, began making some putts,” Hovland mentioned of his closing run.
“Felt very nice. Been driving it properly actually all week.”
Morikawa closed with back-to-back birdies, sinking putts from 10 ft at 17 and two ft on the par-5 18th, and is the one participant with no bogey thus far this week.
“I felt like I had management,” Morikawa mentioned.
“Possibly I wasn’t hitting my quantity on the dot however we had been inside two or three yards. I’m not going to complain.”
World primary Scottie Scheffler was third on 14-under after a 65, whereas American Keegan Bradley was fourth on 13-under after a 67 adopted by reigning Masters champion Jon Rahm and Tokyo Olympic champion Xander Schauffele, who fired 64 to share fifth on 12-under.
Defending champion Rory McIlroy, battling a again damage, was seventh on 10-under after a 67.
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Beginning scores within the FedEx Cup playoff finale had been staggered primarily based on season factors, with top-ranked Scheffler at 10-under, Hovland subsequent at 8-under and different rivals at lesser ranges.
Scheffler opened on 71 to squander that uncommon edge whereas Morikawa shot 61 however solely shared the 18-hole lead with Hovland and Bradley as a result of stagger.
The winner takes dwelling an AU$28 million bonus playoff prime prize. Morikawa’s 125 complete for 2 rounds – with out the season factors issue – broke the occasion’s 36-hole report of 127 set by Tiger Woods in 2007.
“Hit a few squirrelly ones. Obtained away with them,” Morikawa mentioned.
“Made a few birdies out of them. I missed a couple of, they went the place I wished. That’s all you may actually ask for.
“As a substitute of 45 ft, possibly you’ve bought 25 ft. That’s once you’re capable of convert, preserve the spherical going, hopefully preserve piling birdies on after each other.”
World quantity 5 Hovland, who fired a closing 61 to win final week, mentioned he’s feeling assured.
“Feels nice. It begins from off the tee, once I know I’m going to place the ball within the fairway or if I miss it, it’s not going to be by a lot,” Hovland mentioned.
“You simply can’t assault it if you happen to’re within the tough so if I preserve placing myself within the fairway, my iron recreation and brief recreation and placing feels actually adequate to make some birdies.”
Hovland ranks second in strokes gained together with his brief recreation, what had been a weak spot earlier than engaged on it.
“It has been fairly unimaginable,” he mentioned. “Earlier than it was once I was standing over each shot it was like, ‘Don’t duff it. Don’t depart it within the bunker.’
“Now it’s loads of enjoyable to only be capable of open up that face and simply slap the bottom and put some friction on the ball.”
Morikawa dropped his strategy on the first gap two ft from the outlet and tapped in for birdie, drove the inexperienced in two on the par-5 sixth and tapped in for birdie once more, then added one other birdie on an 11-foot putt on the eighth.
After getting up and down from a bunker to keep away from bogey on the par-3 ninth, Morikawa sank a six-foot birdie putt on the twelfth to remain on prime.
Hovland reeled off 4 consecutive birdies to grab the lead, sinking putts from six ft at 12, 10 ft on the thirteenth, 15 ft on the 14th and 12 ft on the par-3 fifteenth to achieve 15-under.
“On the again 9 I began making some putts,” Hovland mentioned. “You simply attempt to construct on that. Hold it going.”
Hovland curled in a 10-foot putt to birdie the seventeenth and enhance his lead, however Morikawa matched him together with his closing heroics.
PGA Tour Championship leaderboard after second spherical
16-under Viktor Hovland (NOR) 68-64, Collin Morikawa 61-64
14-under Scottie Scheffler 71-65
13-under Keegan Bradley 63-67
12-under Xander Schauffele 67-64, Jon Rahm (ESP) 69-65
10-under Rory McIlroy (NIR) 70-67
9-under Wyndham Clark 68-67, Tyrrell Hatton (ENG) 64-67, Matt Fitzpatrick (ENG) 67-68
8-under Sam Burns 66-66, Adam Schenk 63-70
7-under Max Homa 70-67, Patrick Cantlay 69-68, Russell Henley 65-71
6-under Lucas Glover 72-67, Brian Harman 68-70
5-under Tom Kim (KOR) 67-70
4-under Tony Finau 70-68, Jason Day (AUS) 67-70
3-under Nick Taylor (CAN) 71-67, Sepp Straka (AUT) 66-71
2-under Tommy Fleetwood (ENG) 71-70, Rickie Fowler 68-73
1-under Corey Conners (CAN) 70-71
Even par Im Sung-jae (KOR) 71-71, Jordan Spieth 69-71, Kim Si-woo (KOR) 70-72
5-Over Emiliano Grillo (ARG) 73-72, Taylor Moore 71-75