Swede Henrik Stenson has created a four-shot cushion after the second round of the US PGA Tour Championship, forging further ahead of Australia’s Adam Scott at East Lake Golf Club.
Stenson, who led by one overnight, carded a four-under par 66 to jump to 10-under par for the tournament.
Scott held onto second place but could only manage a one-under par round of 69 to be at six-under.
Four shots back was 20-year-old American rookie Jordan Spieth (67) at five-under while England’s Justin Rose (68) and Americans Dustin Johnson (68) and Billy Horschel (70) share fourth at four-under.
Stenson fired out of the blocks with three birdies in the opening four holes to put a gap on the field, putting himself in a great position to win the tournament and the season long FedEx Cup.
Having won the second playoff event a few weeks ago at TPC Boston the Swede entered this week as the second seed, allowing him the luxury of controlling his own destiny.
A win this week guarantees he is the season long winner and brings the a $US10 million ($A10.65 million) bonus.
Scott, as the third seed is also in the same boat but must find a way to stop the Stenson juggernaut.
A first hole bogey for the Masters champion made life difficult early and while he birdied the third he followed it up with another dropped shot after finding the rough behind trees on the fourth.
A birdie on the par five ninth hole pulled him even on the round and he was unable to repeat his back nine blitz heroics from round one.
He settled for six straight pars before nailing an eight-footer for birdie on the 16th.
Two closing pars were enough to keep him in second place.
After being positioned reasonably well after the first round Jason Day faded well off the pace with a four-over 74, dropping him into a tie for 23rd at two-over-par for the championship.
World No.1 and top seed Tiger Woods appeared to have forgotten his awful first round 73 when he was five-under on the day through 13 holes but he then notched up a double bogey, bogey and triple bogey on three of his next four.
It resulted in a 71 leaving him languishing at four-over in a tie for 26th.