Tommy Fleetwood strengthened his bid for a maiden PGA Tour victory by claiming a share of the halfway lead at the Tour Championship on Friday at East Lake Golf Club. The English golfer carded an impressive second-round 63, featuring eight birdies and just one bogey, to reach 13 under par as tee times were moved earlier due to incoming thunderstorms.
Fleetwood held solo possession of the lead for most of the day until Russell Henley, the overnight leader, matched him with back-to-back birdies to close the round. Cameron Young closed strongly with a 62, the round of the day, moving within two strokes of the leaders after draining five birdies in his final eight holes.
Strong Performances Propel Several Contenders Into Title Mix
In addition to the leaders, Patrick Cantlay surged to 10 under after an extraordinary finish, scoring four under on the last three holes, tying with Scotland‘s Robert MacIntyre. Meanwhile, world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler sits five shots back in sixth place as he aims to become the first player to win consecutive FedExCup titles. Other notable names include Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry, both positioned at seven under after solid rounds of 67 and 63, respectively. Keegan Bradley trails slightly behind them as he contemplates his role as playing captain for the upcoming Ryder Cup.
Key Moments That Defined Fleetwood’s Second Round
Early in the round, Henley and Scheffler, paired together, exchanged birdies that briefly tightened the competition. Henley began strongly by holing a bunker shot for birdie on the first hole, while Fleetwood responded with two birdies in his opening six holes, signaling his intent. Scheffler managed to close the gap with a birdie on the third, but Henley regained ground after capitalizing on the par-five sixth.
Fleetwood’s start on the back nine was marked by a crucial 10-foot birdie, which cut Henley‘s lead. Although Scheffler birdied twice from the seventh hole, a bogey at the ninth saw him fall back. Fleetwood then surged forward with consecutive birdies at the 12th and a long 35-foot putt at the 15th, briefly extending his lead to two shots.
Young’s impressive stretch, including five birdies over six holes starting at the 12th, allowed him to share the lead with Fleetwood after his final birdie at the par-five 18th. However, Fleetwood responded strongly, birdieing the 17th and closing the round with a two-putt birdie from 30 feet on the last hole.
Despite a bogey after finding a fairway bunker on the 16th, Fleetwood’s strong finishing sequence equaled his best 36-hole score on the PGA Tour. He matched his leading position at the FedEx St. Jude Championship two weeks prior before Henley’s birdie-birdie finish tied them once again at the top.
Fleetwood’s Outlook on Securing His First PGA Tour Victory
Reflecting on his current form and previous experiences, Tommy Fleetwood expressed confidence while acknowledging past challenges in closing out tournaments. He said,
“I actually feel like I’ve played very well when I have led the tournaments and been in contention. It’s just I might have not got things right right at the end. It’s not like I’ve crashed and burned. It’s just that I’ve not quite finished things off. The people that win the most are the guys that are in contention the most and then they keep winning of course. That’s just what I want to do. That’s where I want to be.”
Fleetwood added,
I keep going. I love the buzz when I am in contention, and, yeah, I’m just excited for the opportunity again.
—Tommy Fleetwood, Golfer
Other Players’ Perspectives and Performance Highlights
Rory McIlroy expressed mixed feelings about his round, noting that despite solid ball striking, he did not fully capitalize on his chances.
“I felt like I hit the ball pretty well. I just didn’t take advantage of that good ball-striking. I played the first six holes well, a couple under and then just got on the par train and couldn’t get off it even though I was giving myself some chances,”
McIlroy said.
He reflected further,
Again, feel like I didn’t get the most out of my round, but at the same time, I’m definitely hitting the ball better than I did last week. Some positives. I’m a few shots further behind than I’d like going into the weekend, but pleased with the improvements that I’ve made from last week.
—Rory McIlroy, Golfer
Implications for the FedExCup and Upcoming Weekend Play
The Tour Championship’s halfway leaderboard sets an intriguing stage for the weekend as Tommy Fleetwood and Russell Henley share the lead at 13 under par, with Cameron Young lurking closely behind. With the tournament serving as the finale of the FedExCup campaign, the stakes are high not only for the title but also for critical FedExCup points and prize money.
Scottie Scheffler‘s attempt to become the first back-to-back champion adds further drama, while players like Patrick Cantlay and Robert MacIntyre remain within striking distance. The final rounds promise intense competition as golfers battle to secure both tournament glory and season-long honors.
Golf fans can follow the action with live coverage continuing Saturday from 5:30 p.m. on Sky Sports Golf, as well as streaming options offering no-contract access to PGA Tour content.