Dallas’ Scottie Scheffler clings to 1-shot lead as Tour Championship delayed

ATLANTA — Justin Thomas was a tap-in away from sharpening off a 7-under 63. After which the horn sounded Saturday signaling a cease in play due to storms close to the Tour Championship.

He needed to wait till Sunday to not solely end, however to determine the place it left him in pursuit of the FedEx Cup and its $18 million prize.

Scottie Scheffler was nonetheless within the lead, barely. Xander Schauffele was nonetheless on his heels, even tying him ever so briefly. They had been on the thirteenth gap and amongst 10 gamers who should return Sunday morning for what may very well be a dash towards a pile of money.

Scheffler was at 19-under par, even par for the spherical on a sizzling, steamy day at East Lake with gentle inexperienced and little or no wind, at all times the recipe for low scoring.

Schauffele was 1 beneath for for a wild spherical of back-to-back birdies, back-to-back bogeys and back-to-back birdies throughout a six-hole stretch on the entrance 9.

The typical rating for the unfinished spherical was 67.

That’s what Jon Rahm stated he wanted — one other low spherical, and Scheffler to not have is greatest stuff. He acquired solely the second half proper. Rahm, coming off a 63, had 4 bogeys to associate with 5 birdies and wasn’t making up a lot floor.

Those that didn’t end needed to return at 9:45 a.m., and solely then would the FedEx Cup finale have any readability.

Sungjae Im was three photographs behind at 16 beneath. Assuming Thomas makes his putt, he can be at 15 beneath. Rory McIlroy additionally was at 15 beneath, and he two holes to play, together with the par-5 closing gap.

Rahm, Patrick Cantlay and Sepp Straka had been at 14 beneath and nonetheless needed to end.

The third spherical was scheduled to complete an hour later, after which lightning within the space stopped play for an hour. And when the second batch of lightning arrived within the space, there was no likelihood to complete.

Hideki Matsuyama posted the low spherical of the day at 63, and he was nonetheless six photographs behind.

Scheffler began Thursday at 10-under par and with a two-shot lead because the No. 1 seed within the FedEx Cup, with Cantlay two photographs behind. Scheffler, already a four-time winner and a lock to be voted PGA Tour participant of the yr, opened with rounds of 65-66 and at instances has threatened to show the Tour Championship right into a runaway.

He stalled Saturday, and all that did was broaden the chances.

British Open champion Cameron Smith is a three-time winner and would have wanted to win to make it a race for participant of the yr. He had a 68 and was 11 photographs behind amid one other spherical of stories that he’s leaving for LIV Golf.

These bulletins are anticipated early subsequent week. First up is a end to a protracted and disruptive season with $18 million on the road for the winner.

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