Viktor Hovland shot a 66 on Friday to share the 36-hole lead with Ryan Gerard at the TOUR Championship, leaving the season-ending event tightly packed heading into the weekend at Atlanta.
Hovland and Gerard stood at 10-under 130 after two rounds, with the trophies for the TOUR Championship and the FedExCup both still very much up for grabs at the midpoint. In a 29-man field, one-third of the players were separated by just three shots, a reminder that the title picture was still wide open even with 36 holes left to play.
Gerard, who followed his 65 with a place at the top of the board, said, “It’s hard not to think about it a little bit.” He added that he is aware a strong week could go a long way in helping his chances, but said he is playing for himself and trying to put up good scores and hopefully win a trophy at the end of the week.
Hovland’s position is notable because the 27-year-old is again in the thick of a major late-season event after a controlled second-round effort kept him tied for the lead. The Norwegian’s 66 was enough to match Gerard and keep him in position as the field moved into the final two rounds with the biggest prizes still in play.
Friday also brought a dramatic move from Cameron Young, who shot 62 after opening with a 70 and went from tied for last place to tied for the lead before finishing two shots back. Young said, “I was in last place about three-and-a-half hours ago,” and added that the calm conditions and low scores around the course still leave plenty of work to do if a player wants a real chance on Sunday.
J.J. Spaun withdrew on Thursday because of a shoulder injury, another reminder of how quickly the landscape can change at the TOUR Championship. Even so, the top of the board remained crowded after Friday, with Hovland and Gerard at 10-under 130 and the chase still alive behind them.
