{
  "id": 4295916,
  "title": "2026 Tour Championship: Rory McIlroy putts way back into contention",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/29/2026-tour-championship-rory-mcilroy-putts-way-back-into-contention",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-29T22:53:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/2026-tour-championship-rory-mcilroy-201629532.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Rory McIlroy's stellar putting round of 7-under 63 at East Lake Golf Club put him back in contention at the 2026 Tour Championship. McIlroy, who led the field in shots gained putting since the 2024 Players Championship, birdied four consecutive holes on the back nine to tie for fifth with a group that included Chris Gotterup, Viktor Hovland, Cameron Young, and Ryan Gerard. It marked McIlroy's best round of the week and improved upon his previous best score of 6-under 64 from the opening round of the BMW Championship last week. McIlroy praised the current state of the East Lake course, noting that more players are now able to jump up spots in the leaderboard after making birdies, unlike in previous years when the leaderboard appeared more spread out. McIlroy is now five shots behind Hovland in the final round, with Gerard, Gotterup, and Hovland sharing the co-lead at 11-under.",
  "summary": "Rory McIlroy put together one of his best putting performances of the year — and it came at the right time on Saturday in Atlanta. The world No. 2 birdied nine holes to help him post a 7-under 63.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 7,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Golf.com",
        "title": "'Pisses me off more': Viktor Hovland is lost (and in the lead) at Tour Championship",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/29/pisses-me-off-more-viktor-hovland-is-lost-and-in-the-lead-at-tour",
        "published": "2026-08-29T12:46:46.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Yahoo Sports",
        "title": "Tour Championship: Viktor Hovland holds solo lead entering final round, with Ryan Gerard and Scottie Scheffler behind him",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/29/tour-championship-viktor-hovland-holds-solo-lead-entering-final-round",
        "published": "2026-08-29T23:01:19.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Winnipeg Free Press",
        "title": "Hovland surges to a 1-shot lead at Tour Championship with cast of challengers lined up behind him",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/29/hovland-surges-to-a-1-shot-lead-at-tour-championship-with-cast-of-4304558",
        "published": "2026-08-29T23:32:27.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "BBC Sport",
        "title": "Hovland leads Tour Championship as Scheffler and McIlroy impress",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/29/hovland-leads-tour-championship-as-scheffler-and-mcilroy-impress",
        "published": "2026-08-29T23:43:57.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Associated Press",
        "title": "Hovland surges to a 1-shot lead at Tour Championship with cast of challengers lined up behind him",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/29/hovland-surges-to-a-1-shot-lead-at-tour-championship-with-cast-of",
        "published": "2026-08-29T23:53:01.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "ABC News AU",
        "title": "Scott turns back clock in Tour Championship title tilt",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/30/scott-turns-back-clock-in-tour-championship-title-tilt",
        "published": "2026-08-30T00:52:34.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}