Tour Championship wide open as leaders falter at East Lake
Rory McIlroy and the rest of the big guns had a tough day at the office as the pack closed in and left the too-10 covered by just six shots in the Tour Championship in Atlanta.
The world’s top four players - Dustin Johnson (level), Jon Rahm (four-over), Justin Thomas (one-over) and McIlroy (one-over)- combined to shoot six-over as players like Sungjae Im (64), Xander Schauffele (65), Collin Morikawa (65) and Tyrrell Hatton (66) raced into the top five.
FedEx Cup leader Johnson struggled with his set-up and found just two fairways. Bu the still birdied the last to card a level par 70 and lead by one stroke on 13-under from Im and by two from Schauffele with Thomas down one spot to fourth on 10-under.
“Obviously I couldn't really attack the golf course being out of the rough and in the bunkers. I was everywhere today,” Johnson said of his quest for a first FedEx Cup win and the $15 million bonus. “Obviously, all in all, I managed it pretty well. To shoot even around here not hitting my tee ball very good is a nice score, but I need to drive it better over the weekend.”
The rough at East Lake is no joke.
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) September 5, 2020
It happens to the best of us. pic.twitter.com/wv7cZpS7pD
He added: “I wouldn't really say I struggled with my ball-striking, more driving it in the fairway. So it's hard to strike it well if you're not in the fairway here. The few shots that I did hit off the fairway I felt like I hit them pretty good.
“There was very few, though. Even, I don't know, 15 I hit a really good 4-iron. The wind was blowing in out of the left, and while my ball was in the air the wind started blowing in out of the right and blew it into the bunker, which is -- I hit a good putt and made an easy four.
“It was just one of those days where I shot even, but I had five or six putts that horseshoed on me. With not playing that great -- it wasn't that I didn't play great, I just didn't hit it very good off the tee.”
McIlroy sandwiched bogeys at the seventh and eighth between birdies at the sixth and 10th before driving through the fairway into deep rough at the 18th.
Faced with a downhill lie, he tried to muscle his second shot towards the green but moved it just 25 yards in front of himself into the water.
“Yeah, the lie was sort of iffy,” said McIlroy, who found the green in four but then lipped out from 35 for what would have been a miraculous par.
“My biggest concern was trying to carry the first bunker on the right there, and I knew I needed to hit it really hard and I swung hard at it, and I got it just -- I got it maybe like right in the middle of the ball and I didn't get -- I felt like if I tried to sweep it, it would be better, and I just sort of came up on it a little bit.
“Probably in hindsight trying to take on a little bit too much. So yeah, and then it would have been nice to get away with a par. It wasn't to be.”
The Co Down man is tied for eighth with Brendan Todd (67-68), five shots behind the leader in a tournament that is now wide open with 36 holes to go.
“It doesn't look like I'm going to lose any ground today anyway, which is some sort of consolation,” said McIlroy, who was four behind Johnson after round one.
“But it was a little trickier today. The wind was a bit sort of everywhere. Hole locations were a little more difficult. But I'm still right there, but would have liked to have had a bit of a better finish.”
World No 2 Rahm was frustrated by his 74 but he remains determined to win the FedEx Cup less than 12 months after winning Europe’s Race to Dubai.
“You know, I think it's one of those days I can't escape here,” said Rahm, who played the last ten holes in five-over. “That's been my downfall pretty much every time I come. I can't escape the one day where just nothing goes right, and I can't really post a score.
“Unlike yesterday I hit it really good off the tee, and a few that I missed really penalised me. Yesterday was the opposite. The few that I hit in the fairway I capitalised. Today I couldn't get the ball close enough or make any putts at all.
“The closest I came from the 5th hole on to make a birdie was that bunker shot on 18. That's the best look I had all day. It's just one of those days.
“But like you said, the mentality is right now we've played two days of the tournament; I'm four back going into the weekend. Anything can happen. I've made up larger distances, and certainly not going to give up on this one. So hopefully I can play solid golf from now on.”
Korean star Im is renowned for playing 35 times a year and he joked that he might play even more should he win the $15 million jackpot.
“I’m aware of the $15 million on the line, but I try not to think about it when I play. I know if I play my best the next two days, the opportunity will come,” Im said. “It all seems like a dream. Just thinking about it now makes me pretty happy.
“I would buy a house in the United States and save so that I can live a comfortable life in the future.”
Asked if he’d play less with another $15 million in the bank or play even more, he said:”Keep playing more.”
Things to Know
For the second season, the TOUR Championship is weighted by FedExCup Starting Strokes, with the format crowning a single champion; at the conclusion of the TOUR Championship, the player with the lowest score in relation to par combined with his FedExCup Starting Strokes will win the TOUR Championship and the FedExCup. Last year through 36 holes, Brooks Koepka (13-under-par) led Rory McIlroy (12-under-par) and Justin Thomas (12-under-par) by one stroke and Xander Schauffele (11-under-par) by two. McIlroy ultimately shot 68-66 on the weekend to win the TOUR Championship by four strokes over Schauffele.
36-hole leader Dustin Johnson hit just two of 14 Fairways in Regulation in the second round.
Sungjae Im leads the field in Strokes Gained – Approach the Green (5.649) through two rounds including a career-best 4.308 in Round 2 where he hit 16 of 18 Greens in Regulation. On the week, he has hit 31 of 36 greens and also ranks second in Proximity (26 feet, 9 inches).
In contention to win the TOUR Championship and the FedExCup, Sungjae Im (2) is looking to add to his existing professional hardware that includes 2019 PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year, 2018 Korn Ferry Tour Player of the Year and 2018 Korn Ferry Tour Rookie of the Year. Im would be the second-youngest winner of the FedExCup, Jordan Spieth won the 2015 title at the age of 22 years and 2 months. Im will be 22 years, 4 months and 8 days as of Monday’s final round.
Players among the top five through 36 holes have accounted for 11 of the PGA TOUR’s 35 wins this season: Dustin Johnson (T1/2 wins), Sungjae Im (2/1 win), Justin Thomas (4/3 wins), Collin Morikawa (T5/2 wins), Tyrrell Hatton (T5/1 win), Jon Rahm (T5/2 wins).
Four players among the top 10 have held the No. 1 position in the Official World Golf Ranking during the 2020 calendar year: Dustin Johnson (1), Justin Thomas (4), Jon Rahm (T5) and Rory McIlroy (T8).
Dustin Johnson (1/-13)
FedExCup and World No. 1 entered the week at 10-under and holding a two-stroke advantage over Jon Rahm
In Round 2, holed putts on consecutive holes totaling 68 feet, 8 inches: No. 3 (37 feet, 3 inches) and No. 4 (31 feet, 5 inches)
Qualified for the TOUR Championship for the 12th consecutive season (didn’t play in 2014 due to personal reason), the longest active streak on TOUR
Since the Return to Golf, has recorded two victories (Travelers Championship, THE NORTHERN TRUST) and two runner-up finishes (PGA Championship, BMW Championship)
In the FedExCup Playoffs, owns the most wins (5/tied with Rory McIlroy), top-fives (12) and top-10s (20)
Sungjae Im (2/-12)
Second-year TOUR member making his second TOUR Championship appearance after finishing T19 last season en route to earning PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year honors
Saturday’s 64 was ninth round of 64 or better on the PGA TOUR in the last two seasons, T2 with Rory McIlroy behind Webb Simpson’s 12
Leads the field in Strokes Gained – Approach the Green (5.649) through two rounds including a career-best 4.308 in Round 2 where he hit 16 of 18 greens. On the week, has hit 31 of 36 Greens in Regulation and also ranks second in Proximity (26 feet, 9 inches)
Captured first PGA TOUR title in March at The Honda Classic, posting a final-round 66
Has seven top-10s in 25 starts this season, but just two since the restart: Charles Schwab Challenge (T10) and Wyndham Championship (T9)
Xander Schauffele (3/-11)
With a 65 on Saturday, the 2017 TOUR Championship winner posted his 14th consecutive round at par-or-better in as many attempts at East Lake Golf Club and sits third heading into Sunday’s third round; in three starts at the event, has won (2017), finished runner-up (2019) and T7 (2018)
Leads the field in Strokes Gained – Putting through 36 holes (4.506)
Leads the field with 12 birdies through 36 holes
Justin Thomas (4/-10)
The 2017 FedExCup champion is the only player with three victories this season (THE CJ CUP @ NINE BRIDGES, Sentry Tournament of Champions, WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational)
Remains in contention – despite ranking 30th in the field in Strokes Gained – Putting (-4.632)
Nine top-10 finishes this season, tied with Bryson DeChambeau for most on PGA TOUR
Finished T7 or better in all four previous starts at East Lake Golf Club (T6/2016, 2nd/2017, T7/2018, T3/2019)
Miscellaneous Notes
Patrick Reed posted the lone bogey-free round (66) on Saturday to move from T18 to 11th.
Five players in the 2020 TOUR Championship field competed in the 2019 Korn Ferry Tour Championship: Daniel Berger, Harris English, Lanto Griffin, Scottie Scheffler and Brendon Todd
Rookies in the field: Scottie Scheffler (T14), Viktor Hovland (T22)
Three FedExCup champions are in the field: Justin Thomas (4), Rory McIlroy (T8), Billy Horschel (T29)
Marc Leishman holed out from 140 yards for eagle on the par-4 third hole on Saturday
Ryan Palmer eagled the par-5 sixth hole Saturday from 37 yards
The PGA of America’s Vardon Trophy and the PGA TOUR’s Byron Nelson Award for lowest adjusted scoring average will be decided after Monday’s final round. Here are the top five entering this week’s action:
