McIlroy, Horschel are tied for lead Sets up enticing finish for Tour title

By The Associated Press Already established as the best player in golf, Rory McIlroy approached the FedEx Cup finale as though he had nothing to lose. Except now he has so much to gain. McIlroy was plodding along Saturday in the Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, frustrated by two three-putt bogeys and a round that “wasn’t much to look at out there” when his prospects changed quickly. He fired a 5-iron from 209 yards up the hill to 25 feet on the par-5 15th and holed it for eagle to tie Billy Horschel for the lead. McIlroy finished with a chip out of thick grass behind the 18th green to save par for a 3-under 67. Horschel made two bogeys on the back nine and had to settle for a 69, still his 11th consecutive round in the 60s in the FedEx Cup playoffs, and still in great position to leave Atlanta with the biggest Sunday payoff in golf. They were at 9-under 201. And they had plenty of company in what was shaping up as perhaps the most enticing finish in the eight-year history of the FedEx Cup. Jim Furyk, winless since he captured the FedEx Cup four years ago, had a 67 and was two shots behind. He would have to win the Tour Championship to have any chance of joining Tiger Woods as the only multiple winners of the FedEx Cup. Another shot behind were Rickie Fowler (67), Justin Rose (66) and Jason Day (70). Horschel was just trying to advance to the third playoff event when he was runner-up at the TPC Boston. He won the following week at Cherry Hills and came into the Tour Championship as the No. 2 seed. And now he is 18 holes away from a $10 million bonus and a five-year exemption on the PGA Tour.