Tommy Fleetwood and Russell Henley Share Lead as Tour Championship Heats Up

Henley Knows This Feeling

Henley brings something Fleetwood lacks — proof that he can close. He's turned two of his 10 previous 36-hole leads into victories, including this year's Arnold Palmer Invitational. That March win wasn't a fluke — Henley has been money all season with nine top-10s and a runner-up at the Travelers.

Watch Henley on these East Lake greens and you see why he leads the field in strokes gained putting. He finished th ird here in 2017, fourth last year. This isn't his first rodeo.

The contrast is stark. While Fleetwood searches for answers about closing, Henley has already proved he has them.

Young's Wake-up Call

Cameron Young's 62 on Friday changed everything. That scorecard tied his season low and moved him to 11-under, close enough to smell the leaders.

Young broke through at the Wyndham Championship this year after several heartbreaking close calls. At 28, he hits it miles and putts it better than ever. Nobody should sleep on his weekend chances.

A Differing Duo

Then there are Robert MacIntyre and Patrick Cantlay at 10-under. Both shot 66s on Friday, but that's where the similarities end. MacIntyre has been to this tournament only once before, yet he's played with the steadiness of a 15-year veteran all season. 

Cantlay? Well, he loves this place, with a win in 2021 proving as much. Friday reminded everyone why you need to pay attention to Cantlay — birdie, birdie, then a monster eagle at 18 to close. That's what happens when someone who knows how to win starts making a move.

That's what champions do. They make statements when it matters.

Scheffler's Not Done

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler sits five back at 8-under, and anyone writing him off is making a serious mistake. But honestly, there probably aren't many in that camp. Scheffler has played a mind-blowing 19 straight rounds under par dating to the Travelers Championship.

With consistency like that, and hunting back-to-back FedEx titles — something nobody's ever done — it's impossible to think that he won't be in the mix come Sunday afternoon.

Weekend Reality

The weekend forecast calls for slightly cooler temperatures and, mercifully, a little drier conditions after two days of intermittent showers. 

Four former FedEx Cup champions are well positioned inside the top 10. That's not a coincidence — it's experience showing up when the stakes get absurd.

Someone's going to buckle. Always happens.

Fleetwood has the game but not the track record. Henley has both. Young has youth and momentum. Scheffler has history on his side.

Somebody is walking away Sunday with $10 million and the season's biggest prize. Based on what we've seen, that somebody will have earned every dollar.