Scottie Scheffler is on course to land golf’s most lucrative prize as he closes in on the Tour Championship title.
The world number one currently sits at 21 under after carding 11-under-par through his first 36 holes at East Lake.
Scheffler wowed Xander Schauffele during the first 18, and the reigning Open Championship winner is looking to chase down his compatriot after carding a brilliant seven-under 64 on day two.
Schauffele will know that despite his remarkable East Lake record, he will have to produce something pretty special to track down Scheffler.
Xander Schauffele says he’s been killed by Scottie Scheffler’s ball-striking
Speaking after his second round in Atlanta, Schauffele admitted the firm conditions favour Scheffler’s impeccable ball-striking, a strength which has been held and shoulders above the rest in 2024.
“Yeah, absolutely. I played with Scottie yesterday, so this course right now, with how firm the greens are, it’s a ball-striking type deal where you have to be in the fairways and hit your number, and he’s been killing everyone at that all year,” Schauffele explained.
“I know he’s not going to let up, so there’s only one way to get him.”
Xander Schauffele and Collin Morikawa make up ground at the Tour Championship
Schauffele and Collin Morikawa sit five and four shots back, respectively, and are probably the only two players who can give Scheffler something to think about over the weekend.
The world number one, as Schauffele mentions, will continue to grind out stress-free golf, meaning two extremely low rounds are required to challenge.
Morikawa, however, does look in good form and well-placed to go low on moving day. The American carded an eight-under 63, which was the low round of the day on Friday.
If he can produce something similar during the third day’s play, the battle for golf’s most lucrative prize could go down to the wire.
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