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Viktor Hovland is looking for a second victory in as many weeks on the PGA Tour

Viktor Hovland produced a back-nine birdie burst to share the halfway lead with Collin Morikawa at the PGA Tour’s season-ending Tour Championship.

Hovland, starting the week second in the standings after Sunday’s stunning BMW Championship victory, made five birdies in a six-hole stretch on his way to a brilliant second-round 64 at East Lake Golf Club.

The Norweigan set the clubhouse target at 16 under, before Morikawa joined him by following his opening-round 61 by signing off a bogey-free 64 with back-to-back birdies to continue his blemish-free start to the tournament.

Collin Morikawa birdied his final two holes and is the only player bogey-free after 36 holes

Scheffler sits in third place after a bogey-free 65 and Keegan Bradley is in fourth spot on 14 under, while Xander Schauffele lies a further stroke back alongside Jon Rahm and Rory McIlroy heads into the weekend six off the lead.

Stars continue to impress at East Lake

Scheffler – playing in the penultimate group – birdied the first to temporarily make it a four-way tie at the top, only for Morikawa edge back ahead after following his opening-round 61 by starting with a birdie.

Scottie Scheffler will go out in the penultimate group again on Saturday

Hovland opened with three straight pars and holed from 10 feet at the fourth to match the birdie of Scheffler, with both players taking advantage of the par-five sixth to move to 12 under.

Morikawa also birdied the sixth and added another from 12 feet at the eighth to reach the turn one ahead of Scheffler, with Hovland a further shot back after failing to get up and down from off the green to save par at the seventh.

Scheffler pulled level with a birdie at the 12th, where Hovland also picked up a shot to start his birdie burst, while Morikawa missed from inside four feet at the previous hole for the chance to restore his one-shot advantage.

Morikawa responded by birdieing the 12th to reclaim top spot, only for Hovland to convert from 10 feet at the 13th and match Scheffler’s birdie at the next to make it a three-way tie at top on 14 under.

Viktor Hovland mixed seven birdies with a lone bogey in his second round

Hovland made a fourth straight birdie at the 15th and added another at the 17th to temporarily double his lead, before laying up at the par-five last and signing off with a par, as Morikawa followed a birdie at the 17th with a two-putt gain at the 18th to leave the pair tied at the top.

More to follow…

Who can move ahead at the Tour Championship? Watch the PGA Tour’s season finale and the race for the FedExCup throughout the week live on Sky Sports. Live coverage continues Saturday from 6pm on Sky Sports Golf. Stream the PGA Tour and more for £26 a month for 12 months with NOW.