Olympic champion Xander Schauffele produced a grandstand end to breathe some much-needed life into the Tour Championship in Atlanta.
World primary Scottie Scheffler, who began the week on 10 beneath par because the participant with essentially the most FedEx Cup factors forward of the season finale, was 5 pictures clear after the opening spherical at East Lake.
And though the Masters champion remained out in entrance with a bogey-free 66 on Friday, he noticed his lead slashed to 2 pictures as enjoying associate Schauffele completed birdie, birdie, eagle in his 63.
“It’s solely the second spherical of the event, so I used to be simply attempting to go on the market and play strong golf,” Scheffler advised Sky Sports activities.
“If something I’d have wished to see a couple of extra putts entering into, however on the finish of the day no bogeys and retaining a clear card is fairly good.”
With Scheffler protecting the primary three holes in two beneath par and Schauffele enjoying them in a single over, the hole between the Ryder Cup team-mates was as a lot as eight pictures.
Nonetheless, Schauffele adopted his bogey on the third with birdies on the fourth and sixth and coated the again 9 in simply 29 pictures to maintain the strain on.
“I noticed he was fairly a far tempo forward, however I simply form of peeked on the board and noticed a bunch of fellows shot some good scores,” Schauffele mentioned.
Scottie Scheffler (left), speaks with Xander Schauffele after their second spherical of the Tour Championship (Steve Helber/AP)
(AP)
“So I simply knew if I may form of grasp tight, management my golf ball just a little higher, we’re going to have loads of appears to be like coming in.”
Former US Open champion Jon Rahm additionally shot 63 to path Scheffler by six pictures, with defending FedEx Cup champion Patrick Cantlay and Sungjae Im a stroke additional again.
“It’s going to take a very sturdy weekend from me and hopefully not a robust one from Scottie. That’s form of what we’re searching for,” Rahm mentioned.
“I feel tomorrow might be day. If I can submit one other good spherical once more tomorrow and he doesn’t shoot a low one, we’ll be in place.”
Rory McIlroy is 9 pictures off the lead following a second consecutive 67.
