Tour Championship - round three

-15 V Hovland (Nor); -14 R Gerard (US); -12 A Scott (Aus), L Aberg (Swe), S Scheffler, C Gotterup (US)

Selected: -10 R McIlroy (NI), C Young (US); -8 J Rose (Eng), M Fitzpatrick (Eng); -7 T Fleetwood (Eng), A Fitzpatrick (Eng); -4 R MacIntyre (Sco)

Full leaderboard

Viktor Hovland enters the final round of the PGA Tour's $40m Tour Championship in Atlanta on Sunday holding a narrow one-stroke lead.

The season-ending event will also decide the FedEx Cup champion, a prize Hovland captured in 2023.

The Norwegian began the third round tied for the lead at 10 under alongside American Ryan Gerard. He added birdies on holes 17 and 18 to card a five-under-par 65 and reach 15 under overall.

Gerard also birdied the final hole to finish one shot behind on 14 under after posting a 66.

"I mean, 65 out there, especially with that finish, super happy with that," said Hovland.

"It's been just one of those weeks where I've been able to put it together every single day for three days.

"It's pretty bunched up around 11 and 12-under-par. You've seen some 62s out there, you can take it low. So it was nice to get a little bit of distance, especially from the group of guys that are around that number."

Chasing closely are the world's top two players. Number one Scottie Scheffler, the 2024 champion, delivered a calm bogey-free round of 66 to sit three shots back on 12 under.

Back-to-back Masters champion Rory McIlroy - a record three-time FedEx Cup winner in 2016, 2019 and 2022 - moved into contention with an impressive 63 to trail by five shots.

The 37-year-old rediscovered his putting touch with nine birdies, including three straight on 15, 16 and 17 to match the lowest round of the day.

"I just left myself in better spots on the greens," said McIlroy.

"I gave myself easier putts, putts that didn't break two ways. When I got it rolling there on the back nine, every putt was like a cup right or a cup left.

"It's the last round of the PGA Tour season. I've still got a lot of golf left this year, but it will be nice to go out and give it a really good run tomorrow to finish this season over in the States."

Australia's Adam Scott, 46, who captured the Tour Championship 20 years ago, joins Scheffler on 12 under after a 66, while Sweden's Ludvig Aberg posted a 65 to also reach 12 under.

McIlroy shares 10 under with Players Championship winner Cameron Young.

England's Justin Rose and Matt Fitzpatrick sit at eight under par and are likely too far back to contend for the title.

Defending champion Tommy Fleetwood and fellow Englishman Alex Fitzpatrick are one shot further back after both carding 67s.

Scotland's Robert MacIntyre, first out and playing alone in the 29-man field (reduced from 30 because JJ Spaun withdrew injured during round one), completed his round in 63 shots to reach joint 25th on four under par.