Summary Justin Thomas soared into share of Tour Championship lead on Friday.
ATLANTA (AFP) - Reigning PGA Championship winner Justin Thomas eagled the par-five 18 for a 66 on Friday, leaving him tied with England s Paul Casey and Webb Simpson at the halfway point of the Tour Championship.
The trio is at seven-under 133 after the second round of the fourth and final tournament of the PGA Tour s 2017 playoffs. Simpson and Casey each shot three-under 67 on Friday after starting their rounds tied for second place.
Thomas, who has won five times this season, hit his 231-yard approach shot on the 590-yard final hole to within six feet of the cup and made the putt for eagle.
"I really felt like I played or had the opportunity to really go decently low today or post a pretty solid number out there," the 24-year-old Thomas said. "I had some good putts that I don t know how they didn t go in."
Tied for fourth at six-under 134 is Patrick Reed, England s Justin Rose (66), Gary Woodland (67) and Spain s Jon Rahm (67).
Rookie Xander Schauffele (66), US Open champion Brooks Koepka (69) and Jason Dufner (67) are tied for eighth at five-under 133.
American Thomas can win the $10 million FedEx Cup playoff prize if he wins the Tour Championship. He finished sixth in the tournament last year.
"It s nice to have everything in my own hands and I know that if I just take care of what I need to do, then it s over with," Thomas said.
Casey stumbled with back-to-back bogeys at 12 and 13, but then gathered himself and made a birdie at No. 16. He parred the final two holes.
"Dropping a couple of shots on the holes I did, it just shows you don t need to do a lot wrong around here to make bogeys," Casey said. "It would have been very easy to just kind of slip back in the middle of the pack and that s not what I wanted to do."
Former US Open champion Simpson had to overcome a double-bogey at No. 13 after a poor drive. Simpson made par on the his last five holes.
Top-seeded Justin Spieth is tied for 15th after following his first-round 67 with a 70. His first hole bogey was the first of four on the day.
World number one Dustin Johnson carded a 69, and is tied with Spieth at three-under 137, four shots adrift of the leaders.
"I felt like I hit it good, had a lot of opportunities, didn t make any putts," Johnson said. "I just want to get it within striking distance. If I can get it within three, I would be happy."
First-round leader Kyle Stanley shot a three-over 73 and is also at three under at the halfway stage.
