ATLANTA — For thousands of fans crammed into every corner of East Lake, it looked as though Tiger Woods was closer than ever to capping off this remarkable comeback season by winning the final PGA Tour event.

Four straight one-putts on the back nine Friday in the Tour Championship — three for birdie, one for par — offset a double bogey and gave Woods a 2-under 68 and a share of the 36-hole lead for the first time in three years. Not since Doral in 2013 has he been atop the leaderboard after each of the first two rounds.

Woods sees it differently.

He’s the one coping with Bermuda rough deep enough to hide all but the top of a golf ball, with greens that are slick and firm and with a golf course that is the most demanding test players have seen this side of a major.

“We have a long way to go,” Woods said. “And this is not an easy golf course.”

A two-putt birdie on the final hole gave him a share of the lead with Justin Rose.

They were at 7-under 133.