Scheffler clings to a 1-shot lead

ATLANTA — Justin Thomas was a tap-in away from polishing off a 7-under 63. And then the horn sounded Saturday, signaling a stop in play because of storms near the Tour Championship.

He’ll have to wait until Sunday to not only finish, but to figure out where it left him in pursuit of the FedEx Cup and its $18 million prize.

Scottie Scheffler was still in the lead, barely. Xander Schauffele was still on his heels, even tying him ever so briefly. They were on the 13th hole and among 10 players who have to return Sunday morning to finish the third round for what could be a sprint toward a pile of cash.

Scheffler was at 19 under, even par for the round on a hot, steamy day at East Lake with soft green and very little wind, usually the recipe for low scoring.

Schauffele was 1 under in a wild round of back-toback birdies, back-to-back bogeys and back-to-back birdies during a six-hole stretch on the front nine.

The average score for the incomplete round was 67.

That’s what Jon Rahm said he needed — another low round, and Scheffler not to have is best stuff. He got only the second part right. Rahm, coming off a 63, had four bogeys to go with five birdies and didn’t make up much ground.

Sungjae Im was three shots behind at 16 under. Assuming Thomas makes his putt, he would be at 15 under. Rory McIlroy also was at 15 under with two holes to play in the third round, including the par-5 closing hole.

Rahm, Patrick Cantlay and Sepp Straka were at 14 under and still had to finish the third round.

Hideki Matsuyama posted the low round of the day at 63, and he was still six shots behind.

Scheffler started Thursday at 10-under par and with a two-shot lead as the No. 1 seed in the FedEx Cup, with Cantlay two shots behind. Scheffler, already a four-time winner and a lock to be voted PGA Tour player of the year, opened with rounds of 6566 and at times has threatened to turn the Tour Championship into a runaway.

He stalled Saturday, and all that did was expand the possibilities.