Scottie Scheffler made a big move up the leaderboard heading into the weekend at the 2026 Tour Championship, and Rory McIlroy is the biggest name struggling to keep up at the PGA Tour's season-ending event.
The world's two best golfers lead the winners and losers to emerge from Friday's Round 2 at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, with Scheffler charging toward the lead late in the afternoon once McIlroy failed to muster much momentum during another uneven performance on Friday, Aug. 28.
Scheffler sits two shots back of the leader after nobody pulled away on a course that played tougher with firmer conditions. But there were still low scores to be had, and a large portion of the limited, 29-man field remains in contention before Round 3 begins on Saturday.
Those not in contention missed an opportunity with such a packed leaderboard, and now face long odds at capturing the $40 million prize awaiting this year's Tour champion.
Here are all the winners and losers to emerge from Round 2 at the 2026 Tour Championship:
2026 Tour Championship Round 1 winners
Scottie Scheffler (-8)
Scheffler seemed headed for another up-and-down performance after back-to-back bogeys at No. 3 and No. 4, but found a groove with three straight birdies to close the front nine. He then bounced back from a bogey at No. 17 with a birdie on the 18th hole to put himself near the top of the leaderboard to start Round 3 on Saturday. Scheffler has overcome some wayward tee shots by leading the field in strokes gained on approach shots. The pre-tournament favorite remains the golfer to beat at the Tour Championship.
Cameron Young (-8)
Young began Round 2 in last place on the Tour Championship leaderboard and playing solo due to J.J. Spaun's withdrawal Thursday due to a shoulder injury. By the time Young finished his round Friday with a 41-foot eagle putt on No. 18, he was tied for the lead (at the time). The 29-year-old did not miss a fairway or green in regulation during a hot stretch when he had seven birdies on the opening 11 holes and then saved par on a couple holes down the stretch before his final eagle.
Ryan Gerard (-10)
Gerard didn't blink after a bogey on the opening hole Friday and finished Round 2 atop the crowded leaderboard after his second-straight 5-under 65 at East Lake. He made more than 121 feet of putts on Friday, including an incredible 78-footer, but he's also top-10 in every other major strokes gained category through 36 holes. Gerard is making his Tour Championship debut after three runner-up finishes earlier this season. He's in position to elevate his stock even more if he can hold off the world's best golfers for his first career PGA Tour win.
Just a casual 78-footer 🤯
— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) August 28, 2026
Ryan Gerard rolls in a long-range birdie to pull within one of the lead pic.twitter.com/yQMJUtRcTf
Justin Rose (-7)
Rose birdied No. 18 to complete a bogey-free round of 5-under 65 and move into the top 10 on the Tour Championship leaderboard ahead of the third round. The second-oldest golfer in the field (46) has been one of the best putters through 36 holes at East Lake. He's got four top-five finishes and been runner-up twice at the Tour Championship and will be a threat once again in 2026 after another strong showing.
2026 Tour Championship Round 1 losers
Rory McIlroy (-3)
It was another rocky round for McIlroy as he remains well off the lead heading into the weekend at the Tour Championship. McIlroy got off to a frustrating start, logging a birdie at the tough first hole at East Lake only to double bogey No. 3 when he flubbed a chip shot near the green. He never really got going after that and continues to be among the worst golfers in the field around the green and with his putter. McIlroy salvaged his round (1-under 69) with birdies on two of his final three holes, but this has been a disappointing performance given his track record here as a three-time winner.
Rory McIlroy: One of us 😬 pic.twitter.com/LA57YDnlwE
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) August 28, 2026
Xander Schauffele (-2)
Schauffele was one of three golfers to finish over par on Friday (1-over 71), enduring a wobbly close to his round that included two bogeys and a double bogey at No. 15. He's been particularly poor around the green through two rounds, offsetting the fact that he ranks first in the field in strokes gained off the tee. Schauffele will need to pass more than 20 golfers over the weekend if he's to challenge at East Lake like he's accustomed to doing over the years. Only McIlroy has produced better results at the Tour Championship over the past decade.
Min Woo Lee (-5)
Lee had arguably the best round of his PGA Tour career to grab the Tour Championship lead on Thursday but came apart quickly after teeing off atop the leaderboard in Round 2. A triple bogey at the par 4 seventh hole derailed Lee's chances, and he had two more bogeys before steadying himself down the stretch. He went from a two-shot lead to a four-stroke deficit through 14 holes on Friday, with his play off the tee deteriorating most acutely when compared to his impressive 8-under 62 in the first round.
Jacob Bridgeman (-5)
Bridgeman was poised to finish with one of the low rounds of the day until he ran into trouble on his final two holes of Round 2. The best putter on the PGA Tour this season finished with back-to-back bogeys after positioning himself just one shot back of the leaders, including a drive at No. 18 that landed in a pizza tent off the fairway at East Lake Golf Club. Bridgeman is still within striking distance, but he was one of the best golfers on course, and the late stumble cost him an opportunity to finish among the tournament's frontrunners.
"Talk about hitting a slice" 🍕
— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) August 28, 2026
Jacob Bridgeman hits his tee shot on 18 into a temporary pizza stand pic.twitter.com/t2LFiGvnO7
Robert MacIntyre (+3)
MacIntyre had a disastrous back nine on Friday with four bogeys and a double bogey after hitting into the water over his final seven holes on Friday. He will begin Saturday's third round in last place on the leaderboard after logging the worst score of Round 2 (6-over 76) and play alone due to the 29-man field. The 30-year-old told reporters before last week's BMW Championship that he's been dealing with pain caused by a cyst behind his right knee. MacIntyre had to withdraw from the FedEx St. Jude Championship to start the FedEx Cup playoffs earlier this month.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Tour Championship winners and losers Friday after Scheffler's Round 2 surge
