World primary Scottie Scheffler noticed his lead within the race for the season-ending Tour Championship and FedEx Cup title lower to 4 strokes after Collin Morikawa fired an excellent 63 in Friday’s second spherical at East Lake.
Scheffler, who started the season finale on 10-under, a bonus reflecting his prime spot within the FedEx Cup standings, now sits on 21-under after his 5-under 66.
The Masters champion had begun the day with a seven-stroke lead, but it surely was not solely Morikawa who closed the hole forward of the weekend.
Xander Schauffele bounced again from his disappointing 70 within the opening spherical, to card 64 and transfer inside 5 strokes of Scheffler. In the meantime, Australia’s Adam Scott shot a 4-under 67 to sit down at 12-under.
Scheffler was as stable as ever with 5 birdies, his sole blemish approaching the par-4 thirteenth the place he discovered two bunkers earlier than lacking a nine-foot putt for par.
The American was joyful along with his efficiency even when he felt he had been unfortunate on the greens.
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“I really feel like my swing is in a great place. I’ve hit it good final couple days. Actually felt like I’ve hit a number of lips on the greens, however hitting a number of high quality putts,” he mentioned.
“At present the putts that didn’t go in didn’t – a number of them didn’t miss the cup by very a lot. Loads of high quality stuff on the market, and I’m in a great place going into the weekend,” he added.
However whereas the handicap system provides Scheffler a buffer of safety from his rivals, Morikawa seems decided to push the favorite all the way in which.
The American reached the flip 4-under and whereas he bogeyed the eleventh he bounced again with birdies on the thirteenth and 14th.
A late suspension of play for a storm warning threatened to disrupt his momentum, however Morikawa got here out and birdied the final two holes to ship a transparent message to Scheffler.
“For me, it’s simply bringing vitality and simply sort of staying alive on the market. I’ve received a recreation plan that I’ve set out, and I’m actually going to stay to that, simply understanding that we’ve received two extra rounds left of the season,” he mentioned.
Scott begins effectively at Tour Championship | 00:59
Being paired with Scheffler allowed Morikawa to see his rival close-up however he mentioned he remained targeted on his personal activity.
“He’s such a very good participant that you just simply know he’s going to maintain going low and making birdies. I noticed that first-hand. I’ve seen it for years. For me, it’s simply hold my foot on the fuel,” he mentioned.
Schauffele put his Thursday struggles out of thoughts as he produced a bogey free spherical and got here again out within the late night, after the delay, to make birdie on the final.
“It was higher. It was good to complete off with two massive putts. Fairly darkish out, so joyful these two went in. Retains the momentum from what was a fairly good spherical,” mentioned this 12 months’s British Open and PGA Championship winner.
Schauffele mentioned that Scheffler’s lead meant there was no room for warning.
“(Scottie’s) been killing everybody at that every one 12 months. I do know he’s not going to let up, so there’s just one technique to get him,” he mentioned.
Australian Adam Scott and American Sahith Theegala and Wyndham Clark are all tied in fourth place on 12-under, 9 behind Scheffler.
Clark mentioned there was no query of giving up the chase.
It’s going to be very robust to meet up with him. He’d need to not play his finest and I’d need to play unbelievable.
“I’m nonetheless chasing after that prime spot, however I would like some assist. However a very good spherical tomorrow, if I’m going shoot one thing 6-, 7-, 8-under, perhaps he shoots even par and we’re proper in it,” he mentioned.
The FedExCup champion will pocket AU$37 million (US$25 million).
PGA Tour Championship leaderboard
21-under — Scottie Scheffler 65, 66
17-under — Collin Morikawa 66,63
16-under — Xander Schauffele 70, 64
12-under — Sahith Theegala 67, 66, Wyndham Clark 67, 67, Adam Scott (AUS) 66, 67
11-under — Sam Burns 67, 68
9-under — Tony Finau 70, 66, Hideki Matsuyama (JPN) 70, 70
8-under — Ludvig Aberg (SWE) 71, 68, Im Sung-jae (KOR) 69, 68 Rory McIlroy (NIR) 69, 69
7-under — Matthieu Pavon (FRA) 67, 69, Justin Thomas 66, 69, Patrick Cantlay 69, 70
