Horschel, Kirk toptour finale at66
Watson, 3 others a shot back
ATLANTA— Chris Kirk and Billy Horschel took a big step Thursday toward the biggest payoff in golf.
Both players have won FedEx Cup playoff events to earn the top two seeds going into the Tour Championship. Playing together in the last group at East Lake, they both made late birdies and were tied for the lead at 4-under 66.
“We seem to always play well when we’re paired together,” Horschel said.
If either wins the Tour Championship, he would capture the FedEx Cup and the $10 million bonus.
“Billy has obviously been playing some pretty incredible golf with winning last week and finishing second the week before,” Kirk said. “And I’ve been doing all right myself.”
Masters champion Bubba Watson isn’t out of the mix yet. He made bogey from the bunker on the last hole for a 67 and was one shot behind, with Jim Furyk, Patrick Reed and Jason Day.
The top five seeds need only to win the Tour Championship to claim the FedEx Cup. Watson is third.
Rory McIlroy is at No. 4, and he didn’t hurt himself. McIlroy wasn’t at his best, though he made enough birdies and key par saves for a 69 that kept him very much in the hunt.
“You can really shoot yourself out of it,” McIlroy said. “Even though I didn’t play great, I kept it together.”
OTHER EVENTS
Evian Championship at Evian-les-Bains, France: South Korean teen HyoJoo Kim posted the lowest score ever in a major with a 10-under 61 in the first round.
She had five birdies each on the front and back nine.
“I made a chance (for) a birdie on every (hole),” she said. “I missed some, (but) it didn’t matter.”
Kim takes a four-shot lead over veteran Karrie Webb into the second round of the last major of the year.
Korean Mi-Jung Hur was five behind Kim in third after a round of 66, while defending champion Suzann Pettersen of Norway and Brittany Lincicome of the U.S. were six behind.
Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship at Columbus, Ohio: Derek Fathauer shot a bogey-free 8-under 63 to take the firstround lead in the third of four events in the Web. com Tour Finals.
Andrew Loupe opened with a 64, and Blayne Barber shot 65.
World Amateur Team Championship at Karuizawa, Japan: Georgia sophomore Jaime Lopez Rivarola shot a 5-under 66 to help Argentina take the second-round lead.
Argentina has an 18-under 268 total.
The United States was a stroke back with Sweden and Switzerland. Beau Hossler shot 66, Bryson DeChambeau 67 and Denny McCarthy 68 for the Americans.