Russell Henley birdies last 3 holes for a 61 to lead Tour Championship over Scheffler
ATLANTA: Russell Henley hardly missed a putt. Scottie Scheffler hardly missed a fairway. They led a parade of players who seized on the soft conditions at East Lake to begin the race for the Tour Championship and the season-ending FedEx Cup title.
Henley one-putted six of his last seven holes and made three birdie putts from 40 feet or longer and, with three straight birdies at the end, had a 9-under 61 to build a two-shot lead over the world’s No. 1 player.
Scheffler didn’t miss a beat from last week — really the last five months — and finished with a 25-foot par save on the 16th and two birdies for a 63. That’s his lowest round by two shots in his six appearances at East Lake.
The entertainment came from Rory McIlroy, who bladed a bunker shot on the par-5 18th hole over the green and off the grandstands, and then back onto the green. He made an 18-foot putt for a most unlikely birdie.
Scheffler was rooting hard for McIlroy, not so much for the birdie but so they could avoid a length ruling to finish. Seconds after Scheffler holed his 4-foot birdie putt, the horn sounded to stop play because of approaching storms that led to East Lake being evacuated.
Left behind was a leaderboard filled with red numbers in a tournament that has a $40 million purse in official money for the top 30 players, all of them with an equal chance. Only two players were over par.
Rain hammered East Lake on Wednesday — and again after the first round ended — leaving the course soft enough that players could lift, clean and place their golf balls in the short grass.
“I felt like with it being lift, clean and place and somewhat soft compared to last year when the greens were brand new, it was a little bit softer, so it was just a little bit