Rory McIlroy leaps back into contention at the Tour Championship
ATLANTA, Ga. - You didn't think it was going to be easy for someone to walk away with golf's biggest cash prize, did you?
Billy Horschel leads the field by two strokes, but, like the relentless stalker in a horror film, look who's turned up right behind him: Rory McIlroy, the world's greatest golfer. McIlroy rode a five-under round to a six-under scorecard, tied with Jason Day and Day 1 co-leader Chris Kirk. And he's in the rare position of having nothing to lose and everything to gain.
"No matter what happens over the weekend, it's going to be OK," McIlroy said. "I just want to finish my season off the way I feel like I should. The way I feel like it deserves to be finished off. So I'm not putting too much pressure on myself because it's already been a great year. But I still want to win this thing."
It was one of those days for McIlroy, a day when he could lose a ball in a spectator's pocket and still make par. He closed with birdies on East Lake's treacherous 17th and slanted-green 18th, and now stands poised to put an exclamation point on a two-major season that has firmly cemented him as the best in the game.
"I'm going into this weekend I feel with nothing to lose," McIlroy said. "I'm the one that's got the two majors this year. I'm the one that's had the great season. Those are the guys who are trying to cap off a great season for themselves."
Meanwhile, Horschel is absolutely incandescent. Friday's 66 was his 10th straight round in the 60s, which includes a second-place finish at the Deutsche Bank two weeks ago and a win at the BMW last week.
Jim Furyk, Kevin Na, Cameron Tringale, and Ryan Palmer all sit at -4. Play resumes Saturday afternoon at East Lake.
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Jay Busbee is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at jay.busbee@yahoo.com or find him on Facebook or on Twitter.
