ATLANTA — Brandt Snedeker had one of his best rounds of the year, a 6-under 64 on Saturday that gave him a share of the lead at the Tour Championship.
It could turn out to be a round worth $10 million.
Snedeker, in control of his game despite increasing wind at tree-lined East Lake, made a collection of tough putts and used his short game to pick up a couple of other birdies to wind up atop the leaderboard with Justin Rose, who also played bogey-free for a 68.
Today at East Lake is the final day of the FedEx Cup, and it has never been more up for grabs among so many top players.
Rory McIlroy had a 68 - his 11th consecutive round in the 60s - and was three shots behind. Tiger Woods salvaged an important par after bouncing a shot off a Georgia pine and had a 67 that put him four shots behind.
McIlroy, Woods and Snedeker were among the top five seeds coming into the Tour Championship, meaning they only have to win today to claim the FedEx Cup title and its $10 million bonus, the richest prize in golf.
“It’s going to be one of the most exciting Sundays of the year,” McIlroy said.
They won’t be the only players with a chance to win at least one trophy - the Tour Championship - today. Rose will be in the final group with Snedeker, and while it’s unlikely he can win the FedEx Cup, the Englishman surely would settle for his second victory of the year against a strong field.
“I have the advantage of just playing the Tour Championship,” said Rose, who won a World Golf Championship at Doral in March. “The whole year, we’ve been grinding for the FedEx Cup, and it’s still possible. It’s not an easy golf course. Things can happen out there. But for me, it’s about one tournament.”
Snedeker and Rose were at 8-under 202.
Ryan Moore spoiled his round with a bogey on the 17thand still had a 65, putting him alone in third at 6 under.
Jim Furyk, the 36-hole leader, was tied for the lead until he pulled his tee shot into the water on the 17th, hit the next tee shot into the gallery, his fourth shot into a bunker and made triple bogey that sent him tumbling down to a 72. He was still in the mix at 205, along with McIlroy and Masters champion Bubba Watson, who had a double bogey on the 16th hole and shot 70.
Typical of the FedEx Cup playoffs, there was plenty of star power in contention, with 11 of the top 14 players on the leaderboard headed to the Ryder Cup next week.
For now, the attention shifts in a big way to the $10 million payoff.
“My first goal for this week is achieved, and that is to have a chance going into Sunday,” Snedeker said.
Snedeker also shot a 64 in the second round of the British Open at Royal Lytham & St. Annes, though he rated this one as better. There was no wind at Lytham, and conditions were relatively soft. East Lake demanded a crisp game as the wind rustled pine branches and the greens became firm.
“It was so tough today,” Snedeker said. “The wind made it so hard to hit the fairways here because the wind seemed like it would move the ball 4 or 5 yards one way or the other, and these fairways might be 15 yards side. Just every iron shot has to be hit so crisply to control your distances, and I did a great job of that today.” WEB.COM Lee leads by two strokes
MIDLAND, Texas - Danny Lee fired a 7-under 65 and holds a two-stroke lead over Cameron Percy and Morgan Hoffmann entering today’s final round of the WNB Classicat the Midland Country Club.
Lee is 16 under for the tournament.
Tag Ridings (Arkansas Razorbacks) is tied for 37th place. He is 4 under for the tournament after a 1-over 73 on Saturday.
Sports, Pages 25 on 09/23/2012