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Thursday, November 12, 2026Nov 12

Tour Championship: Xander Schauffele’s burst cuts into Scottie Scheffler’s lead

AP photo by John Bazemore / Xander Schauffele lines up a putt on the 18th green at East Lake Golf Club during the second round of the Tour Championship on Friday in Atlanta.
AP photo by John Bazemore / Xander Schauffele lines up a putt on the 18th green at East Lake Golf Club during the second round of the Tour Championship on Friday in Atlanta. AP photo by John Bazemore / Xander Schauffele lines up a putt on the 18th green at East Lake Golf Club during the second round of the Tour Championship on Friday in Atlanta.


ATLANTA — Scottie Scheffler is performing every bit like the No. 1 golfer in the world, and the Masters champion was on the verge of turning the Tour Championship into a rout.

Three holes by Xander Schauffele changed everything going into the weekend at East Lake.

Schauffele holed a pair of birdie putts, then drilled a 4-iron shot just over the bunker and right by the hole on the par-5 18th before rolling in a five-foot putt for eagle.

That fantastic finish as Scheffler settled for pars on the final three holes Friday gave Schauffele a 7-under-par 63 in the second round, taking him from a six-shot deficit to two strokes behind.