PGA Tour: Scottie Scheffler stays scorching however lead dwindles in finale

ATLANTA — After setting a PGA Tour “file” on the Tour Championship on Thursday, Scottie Scheffler continued to appear like the very best participant on this planet a day later.

But, Scheffler, regardless of obliterating East Lake off the tee, noticed his large lead dwindle from seven to 4 after posting a 5-under 66.

“I really feel like my swing is in a great place. I’ve hit it good final couple days,” Scheffler mentioned.

“Lots of high quality stuff on the market, and yeah, in a great place going into the weekend.”

Having a four-shot lead by way of 36 holes within the PGA Tour finale is about pretty much as good of a spot you might be in. However Scheffler has held sizable leads on the Tour Championship earlier than and has but to win the FedEx Cup. Nonetheless, the previous Texas Longhorn doesn’t really feel pressured by Collin Morikawa and Xander Schauffele, who sit 4 and 5 strokes behind him, respectively.

“It’s the second spherical of a event. It’s the second spherical. I imply, it’s an extended event. I’m simply attempting to do my finest to remain on the market and execute pictures,” Scheffler mentioned.

“Right now, I did a reasonably good job of that.”

You knew Scheffler was locked in along with his driver on the par-4 1st, essentially the most difficult gap on the course. He blistered his tee ball 319 yards down the center of the golf green, at some point after lacking the brief grass proper and making a bogey.

Scheffler then hit a 7-iron into this troublesome inexperienced advanced, however it took a tough bounce and missed the inexperienced left. The decrease trajectory, coupled with the firmness of the greens, led Scheffler’s ball to caroom into one in every of Andrew Inexperienced’s newly established assortment areas, establishing a treacherous up-and-down from 30 yards away.

The reigning Masters champion hit his chip shot, however it didn’t resemble his otherworldly brief sport. He left himself a 20-footer for par, then drained it.

“It was an superior par,” Scheffler mentioned.

“Among the finest up-and-downs I’ve had shortly. Nice solution to begin the day actually. I’m sitting within the fairway, hoping to get a good have a look at birdie. However finally, on No. 1, you’re simply attempting to make a 4. It’s a reasonably arduous gap. As I mentioned, you possibly can land it in the midst of the inexperienced and find yourself in a reasonably robust spot.”

Longer par putts just like the one Scheffler made on the 1st assist gas momentum early on.

Two holes later, he made the primary of his six birdies of the day after sticking a wedge to 10 toes. He had loads of wedges on Friday, due to his excellent play off the tee. Having a wedge in your hand at East Lake probably results in loads of birdies.

Regardless of that, Scheffler felt like he missed some glorious alternatives.

“Lots of putts didn’t miss the cup by very a lot,” Scheffler mentioned.

“However loads of high quality stuff on the market, yeah, in a great place going into the weekend.”

Nonetheless, a two-hole stretch on the again 9 has saved issues considerably attention-grabbing going into the ultimate 36 holes of the Tour Championship. Scheffler quickly misplaced his manner with the large stick.

Photograph by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Photos

On the par-4 thirteenth, Scheffler missed his second fairway of the day and located the left bunker off the tee. He then hit a low, spiny reduce out of the lure, a ball-flight that didn’t appear like it belonged to the very best participant on this planet. His Titleist 7 got here to relaxation in a fried egg lie within the greenside bunker, as he additionally short-sided himself. Even then, Scheffler made a miraculous restoration, giving himself a nine-footer for par. However he missed.

In the meantime, Morikawa, his enjoying associate, chipped in for birdie, a two-shot swing that reduce Scheffler’s lead from seven to 5.

Then, on the following gap, Scheffler missed the golf green left once more. This time, his ball settled down within the Bermuda tough among the many gallery, and he couldn’t discover the inexperienced in two. As an alternative, his second shot landed in a group space beneath the inexperienced and to the left. However in contrast to the first gap, Scheffler didn’t rise up and down. He settled for par whereas Morikawa made a 22-footer for birdie on the identical inexperienced, thus reducing his result in 4.

Moments later, the PGA Tour suspended play as a consequence of lightning within the space, which despatched Scheffler and Morikawa into the clubhouse for 90 minutes. Each gamers birdied two of their final three holes upon their return, thus maintaining Scheffler’s four-shot lead intact.

However a four-shot benefit is far smaller than the seven-shot lead he held after day one.

But, Scheffler, regardless of these two misfires on 13 and 14, nonetheless hit the ball superbly off the tee all day. No one will catch him if he continues to do this.

Jack Milko is a golf workers author for SB Nation’s Enjoying By. You’ll want to try @_PlayingThrough for extra golf protection. You’ll be able to observe him on Twitter @jack_milko as nicely.