Casey seizes 2-shot lead at Tour Championship

When it comes to setting priorities, Paul Casey said he’d rather win the Tour Championship than the FedEx Cup. Keeping that goal in sight helped him establish a tangible goal.

But the big money that comes with winning the FedEx Cup? Well, that has Casey’s attention, too.

“I need to win the Tour Championship in order to win the FedEx Cup,” Casey said. “For me, the most important thing is trying to focus on trying to win the Tour Championship and the FedEx is an amazing by-product of hopefully doing that.”

Paul Casey, who began the third round in a three-way tie for first, fired a 5-under 65 Saturday to take a two-shot lead at the Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta.

Casey began the week in 10th place in the playoff standings, but could still win the FedEx Cup and the $10 million bonus if he wins the tournament and several other pieces fall into place. Casey is at 12-under 198, and if the leaderboard stays unchanged, he is projected to win it all.

“I was just told the scenarios that could possibly happen and I said it’s all irrelevant if I don’t get the job done,” Casey said. “So, for me, focus on one thing. I can’t control what everybody else does. So, focusing on the Tour Championship is a big thing.”

Two players are tied for second place at 10 under: Kevin Kisner, whose 64 was the low round of the day, and rookie Xander Schauffele, who shot 65.

Kisner, who helped the nearby University of Georgia win an NCAA championship, is the local favorite. He even found some local fans through Twitter who volunteered to pick him up at East Lake and transport him to Athens in a helicopter for Saturday’s game against Mississippi State.

“It’s awesome being able to hear all the ‘Go Dawgs,’ out there,” Kisner said. “There’s a lot of people I knew and lot of people who love me and like me out here, so I feel like it’s kind of a hometown event.”

Schauffele, one of two rookies in the field, said, “It’s all surreal and I’m going to try and keep that mindset for Sunday, just kind of have that nothing-to-lose mindset and see where it takes us.”

U.S. Open champion Brooks Koepka, Patrick Reed and third-round co-leader Justin Thomas are tied for fourth at 7 under. Thomas, the PGA champion, birdied his last hole to shoot 70, Koepka shot a 68 and Reed carded a 69.

Casey had a five-hole stretch early in the round that included three birdies and an eagle, when he placed his approach shot on the par-5 sixth hole to within nine feet and made the putt. But the momentum was halted when he made back-to-back bogeys at Nos. 8 and 9.

Casey grinded through the back nine, making birdies at No. 11 and No. 17. He bombed a 342-yard drive on the 18th hole, but put his approach in the greenside bunker. Casey got up-and-down for par.

“The same as what I did yesterday,” Casey said. “A couple of blemishes on the card, but bounced back nicely and found the fairways, found the greens, put myself in there with chances which is what I made and really excited to be at the top of the leaderboard.”

This is Casey’s fourth time to play in the Tour Championship. He’s never finished worse than fifth place. The world No. 16, he finished in the top five in two of the three previous playoff events.

Webb Simpson, who shared the 36-hole lead with Casey and Thomas, slipped to a 72 and dropped into a tie for ninth place at 5 under.

No. 1-seeded Jordan Spieth, who won the FedEx Cup in 2015, managed a 69 and is tied for 12th at 206, eight shots off the lead. Spieth understands his odds on winning a second FedEx Cup are not good.

“Unfortunately, I’m not really in control of my own destiny at this point, but I’ll go out (Sunday), try and shoot a really solid round of golf and then do some cheerleading,” Spieth said.

World No. 1 Dustin Johnson shot 69 for the second day in a row and is also tied for 12th.

NOTES: Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama was first during the regular season in FedEx Cup points, but he hasn’t fared well in the playoffs. Matsuyama shot 73 on Saturday and is tied for 26th at 6-over. … Charley Hoffman was named to the Presidents Cup team, but he’s struggled this week. Hoffman hasn’t broken par in any of the three rounds and is tied for 28th after a third-round 71. … Masters champion Sergio Garcia moved up five spots with a 68 on Saturday and is tied for 15th. … First-round leader Kyle Stanley shot 70 and is tied for 15th.