Tour Championship 2021: Patrick Cantlay Takes 2-Stroke Lead into Final Round

One week after emerging victorious from an epic playoff battle with Bryson DeChambeau at the BMW Championship, Patrick Cantlay looks headed for another tense finish against one of the top golfers in the world at the Tour Championship. 

At least that's if Saturday's play carries over to Sunday's final round at East Lake in Atlanta, Georgia, where the final pairing of Cantlay and Jon Rahm put on a dramatic back nine. 

Cantlay led by four strokes after 10 holes, but Rahm made a late charge, cut the lead to one and had a chance to walk off the 18th green tied at 19 under. Instead, Patty Ice sank a 23-foot birdie putt to move back to 20 under, while Rahm settled for par to remain 18 under.

Here's a look at the leaderboard heading into Sunday's final round:

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Tour Championship Saturday Leaderboard

1. Patrick Cantlay (-20)

2. Jon Rahm (-18)

3. Justin Thomas (-15)

4. Kevin Na (-13)

T5. Abraham Ancer (-10)

T5. Billy Horschel (-10)

T7. Viktor Hovland (-9) 

T7. Bryson DeChambeau (-9)

T9. Dustin Johnson (-8)

T9. Xander Schauffele (-8)

T9. Jordan Spieth (-8)

Notables: T13. Sergio Garcia (-6), T13. Tony Finau (-6), T17. Rory McIlroy (-4), 21. Patrick Reed (-3), T22. Collin Morikawa (-2), T26. Hideki Matsuyama (E), WD. Brooks Koepka (E)

Full leaderboard available via PGA Tour.

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Saturday Highlights

It wasn't that Rahm played a particularly bad front nine Saturday. In fact, he was nearly flawless with two birdies and one bogey at the turn. The Spaniard just couldn't help that Cantlay was dialed in. 

The leader put together back-to-back birdies on Nos. 6 and 7, sank a par putt at the par-four No. 8 and then earned two more consecutive birdies at Nos. 9 and 10. That moved Cantlay to 21 under and provided a cushion he would most certainly rely on. 

Starting with the 11th hole, Cantlay's game began to slip away. 

He was forced to two-putt a par three for bogey before getting that stroke back with a birdie on No. 13, but Cantlay couldn't avoid trouble after that. The 29-year-old bogeyed par fours at No. 14 and No. 16 to drop to 19 under and one stroke ahead of his playing partner. 

Rahm, meanwhile, remained consistent throughout the back nine. Playing mistake-free after the turn, but only coming up with one birdie. If not for a missing 30-foot putt on No. 18 by a matter of inches, he'd be just one stroke off the lead. 

It was still much better outing than DeChambeau's.

Golf's version of a slugger had too many wayward shots on the front nine to stay competitive. Bogeys on Nos. 1, 3, 4 and 6 derailed what had been a solid tournament to that point. After shooting in the 60s in his first two rounds, DeChambeau finished Saturday with a 72. 

His rival, Brooks Koepka, fared much worse. 

After posting four bogeys on one birdie through 12 holes, Koepka withdrew from play with a wrist injury. The biggest question now is whether or not the American will be ready to play in the Ryder Cup at the end of the month. 

Cantlay is already assured on a spot on the U.S. team at this point. If he hangs on for a Tour Championship victory Sunday, he may be one of the most exciting players to watch when the international competition kicks off at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin.