Cameron Smith is easing his way into a big end-of-season payout at the Tour Championship in Atlanta.

Smith, the 27-year-old Queenslander, shot a two-under par 68 for the second consecutive round at East Lake today to move into a tie for 17th at the season-ending playoff event.

While at four-under par he is still well off the pace that is at least partly due to the handicap nature of the event, and the fact that as the 26th qualifier in a 30-player field, he had to start at even-par as against, for instance, 10-under for Dustin Johnson.

If he were to remain in his current position Smith would be looking at a prize payout of $US535,000.

That’s on top of the $US2.3 million he has already earned in a season during which he won his first individual event on the PGA Tour, the Sony Open in Hawaii.

Johnson still leads the Tour Championship at 13-under although he momentarily conceded a share of the lead to South Korea’s Sungjae Im before making a two-putt birdie at the par-five 18th to sleep on a one-shot buffer.

The other Australian, Marc Leishman, tumbled 17 spots to 27th after his second-round 75 today.

ON THE Korn Ferry Tour, Brett Drewitt is tied-third through three rounds of the tournament in Springfield, Illinois, after a 68 today. Drewitt is two shots from the lead.

IN SPAIN, a triple bogey at the par-three 12th hole took Jake McLeod's momentum after he moved into contention in the Andalucia Masters. McLeod begins the final round tonight tied-36th.

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