TOUR Championship Second-Round Leader Prediction & Odds: Who Leads After Round 2 in East Lake Golf Club?

The TOUR Championship second-round leader prediction and odds markets take center stage this week as the PGA Tour heads to East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, Georgia, for the season-ending FedExCup Playoffs event. The 30-player field will battle for the FedExCup title and a $40 million purse from August 27-30.

East Lake Golf Club presents a challenging test, with players needing strong approach play and consistent scoring to navigate the historic Atlanta layout. That makes the second-round leader market particularly appealing, as golfers who position themselves near the top after Thursday can build momentum and take advantage of scoring opportunities during Friday's second round.

⛳ Who'll lead the TOUR Championship after Round 2?

Scottie Scheffler (+620)

Scottie Scheffler is our pick to become the TOUR Championship Round 2 leader, entering Friday at -5 and three shots off the lead. The world No. 1 remains one of the most reliable players in the field, and his elite ball-striking gives him the ability to make up ground quickly at East Lake. Scheffler also has plenty of experience playing his best golf under pressure, including his 2024 TOUR Championship victory.

With 18 holes remaining before the weekend, he has a manageable deficit to overcome. If Scheffler can convert his scoring opportunities and avoid mistakes, another strong round could send him straight to the top.

Viktor Hovland (+710)

Viktor Hovland is our pick to become the TOUR Championship Round 2 leader, as he has already put himself in excellent position at -6 and just two shots off the lead. Hovland has shown he can get hot quickly, and his recent victory at the Travelers Championship proves he has the ability to string together low scores when his game is clicking.

With another round at East Lake providing plenty of birdie opportunities, Hovland has the ball-striking and scoring ability to make up the deficit and move to the top of the leaderboard. A strong Friday could put him in position to lead entering the weekend.

Chris Gotterup (+660)

Chris Gotterup is our pick to become the TOUR Championship Round 2 leader, as he enters Friday at -6 and just two shots off the lead. Gotterup has enjoyed an outstanding 2026 season, recording three PGA Tour victories and establishing himself as one of the most dangerous players in the field. His combination of distance and aggressive scoring ability gives him the upside to make a significant move during the second round at East Lake.

If Gotterup can continue his strong ball-striking and capitalize on scoring opportunities, he has a legitimate chance to erase the two-shot deficit and take control of the leaderboard by the end of Friday's round.

⛅ What to consider when betting on the second-round leader

Betting on the second-round leader of any golf tournament is far different than betting on the tournament winner or any prop market.

Here are the factors I always consider with my first-round leader picks:

• Tee times
• Weather
• Course history
• Round 1 scoring average
• Recent form
• Key stats for the week

The second-round leader betting market is much more volatile than the 72-hole event. As such, the odds for the tournament favorites are higher in this market, and the odds for the long shots are generally slightly shorter when betting on the 36-hole sample.

Early tee times are typically best to target for your picks. Courses are often at their softest and easiest, with no divots in the fairways or wear on the greens. But the weather can significantly change that line of thought. Monitor the weatherto be sure your desired golfers will be dodging the worst of the rain and wind, should any be in the forecast.

I also greatly reduce my timeframe when looking at recent performance entering Friday's second round.

Friday's weather at East Lake Golf Club

Weather from Accuweather:

📊 TOUR Championship second-round leader odds

Here are the TOUR Championship second-round leader odds via our best golf betting sites.