Chez Reavie leads in strokes, in fifth place at Tour Championship

Chez Reavie plays his shot from the 17th tee during the second round of the Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club on August 23, 2019 in Atlanta. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)

Credit: Sam Greenwood

Credit: Sam Greenwood

Chez Reavie plays his shot from the 17th tee during the second round of the Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club on August 23, 2019 in Atlanta. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)

If this were a regulation tournament, Chez Reavie would be in first place. Under the FedEx Cup scoring, he’s tied for fifth at the Tour Championship.

Reavie continued to build on the 6-under 66 he posted Friday. He birdied three of the first five holes Saturday and was 8 under par for the tournament when play was suspended because of stormy weather. Because he started the event in 25th place and began the Tour Championship at 1 under, Reavie was able to climb into a tie for fifth at 9 under.

Based strictly on competitive strokes played this week, Reavie would hold a one-shot lead over Paul Casey and stands two better than 2016 Tour Championship winner Rory McIlroy and 2017 winner Xander Schauffele.

Justin Thomas, who is 12 under in this year’s FedEx Cup format, is 2 under on the course.

Reavie is 10 under par over his past 26 holes, which includes a hole-in-one on in the second round. He ended a 250-event winless streak earlier this year with a victory at the Travelers Championship. His only previous appearance at the Tour Championship came in 2011, when he tied for 26th.

Good day for former Bulldog Kisner

Kevin Kisner finally gave his Georgia Bulldogs faithful something to woof about.

The three-time PGA Tour winner made a slight move up the leaderboard Saturday, going from a tie for 20th all the way to a tie for 12th when play was halted.

Kisner will begin the final round eight strokes behind leader Justin Thomas.

A member of Georgia’s 2005 team that won the NCAA Championship, Kisner had one of the day’s three best rounds going when play was halted because of rain. He was sailing through at 3 under for the day and had just made a birdie at No. 12 after knocking his approach to within three feet of the hole. He was preparing to attempt a 6-footer for par at the 13th when the horn sounded to stop play.

Kisner began the week in 20th position and opened the tournament with rounds of 71 and 70.

Matt Kuchar, carrying the banner for Georgia Tech, was not having a good day. He bogeyed two of his first four holes before making a birdie at No. 6. Kuchar is in a three-way tie for eighth at 5 under.

Here comes the U.S. Open champion

U.S. Open champion Gary Woodland thrust himself on the periphery of contention Saturday. The Kansan strung together three consecutive birdies and made the turn in 32. He was on the 14th hole when the rains came and play was stopped.

Woodland, who started the week at No. 11, had any serious hopes of winning the FedEx Cup scuttled by a second-round 73. He is currently tied for eighth at 5 under.