JJ Spaun takes a one-shot lead into the final round of the players when Rory McIlroy’s late Birdie kept him in violation after a day when conditions caused chaos on TPC Sawgrass.
Spaun howled a dramatic 25-foot putt to save pairs on the last hole in his third round 70, putting him on 12 under the front countryman Bud Cauley, with Lucas Glover Three left in tied thirds with Alex Smalley and accommodation Medler Akshay Bhatia.
McIlroy played with Spaun and shortly within one of the lead up to three bogeys in a six-hole stretch on the back nine, with strong winds left players who fought before a final birdie saved a one-over 73 and put him within four of the lead.
World No. 2 – Chasing A Second Players Championship Victory – is tied up fifth with Bhatia and Corey Conners at Eight, while Scottie Scheffler enters the last day seven afterwards when he chases a historically trepolved at PGA Tour’s flagship event.
The threat of thunderstorms has seen tee times performed for Sunday’s final round, with players going out in three balls and during a two-tee start from 8 am local time (Midday GMT).
How Spaun went on by windy sawdown
Overnight overnight Collar Bhatia fired her approach to the Tap-in series at the first, but missed a close range to double his lead in the next, then cardied back-to-back bogeys to give spaun-there started a back-to draw level with successive birdies from the second.
McIlroy also birds also pair-five second and canceled a three-put boothy on the fifth by birdie the sixth to stay within a leaders, with spaun part of this group despite having dropped a shot from the fourth.
Rory McIlroy are four from the lead on the way into the last round of the players
A two-putt birdie on par-five ninth so spaun reaching the turn that was ahead when McIlroy recovered after finding water from the tee to save pairs and staying within two, with players starting to slip down the leadership of the wind.
Spaun never gave up the solo lead on the back nine and went two clearly with a six -foot Birdie on the 12th, with McIlroy mapping the first of the subsequent bogeys, with Will Zalatoris – who briefly – so his hopes faded after dropping nine shots over the closed five holes.
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Will Zalatoris then his hopes of players championship victory suffer a big setback after a nightmare quadrupled-bogey during his third round
Cauley had set the clubhouse goal at 11am after a fantastic third round 66, and Glover moved to the same total amount after canceling a double-bogey by the 15th by cutting in for Eagle on par-five next when Spaun posted the 15th to halve his advantage.
Spaun recovered to sob to sob from the green to restore his two-shot pad at par-five 16. When McIlroy took three putts from a similar distance to pairs before both players mapped three-putt-bogeys on pair-three 17.
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Rory McIlroy fought on the greens during his third round was missing four putts from inside ten feet under windy conditions
Glover Double-Bookyed the same iconic pair of three, and Smalley eventually fell a shot, leaving the pair on nine under when Spaun saw in danger of losing his direct lead until he slowed down the green to crawl a final couple.
McIlroy’s Eight -Foot Birdie at last ensured that he will be part of the penultimate group on the last day, with Danny Walker – a late post after Jason Day’s withdrawal – shoots a six -nor 66 to share eighths with Stephan Jaeger, Max McGreevy, Patrick Cantlay, Sepp Straka and Jake Knapp.
Scheffler Bogeyed two of his last three holes to slip back into the group of five under containing Scotland’s Robert Macintyre and accommodation Medler My Woo Lee, who fought for a six-over 78.
Scottie Scheffler seems to be becoming the first player since 2011 to win the same PGA Tour event Three years in progress
Positive for McIlroy? ‘I felt I was leaving a lot out there’
McIlroy talking to Sky Sports said: “I felt I was playing better than I scored. Every dropped shot I felt was soft. I three-pitched the fifth, 13th and the 17th. I also took four to get down from not very far away on the 12th.
“I checked my ball well except for that. It’s just unfortunate that I had a couple of slurry mistakes from around the green – I feel like I left a lot out there. At the same time I’m not too far away and it was at least nice to be at least.”
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Rory McIlroy admitted at times fight during his third round on TPC Sawgrass but insists he remains sure to go into the player’s last day
Spaun, who was looking for his first PGA Tour title since 2022, said, “I tried my best to hit solid shots, that’s all you can do with this amount of wind. Most of the time I hit fairway, and if not, I really shrinked well and made some putts that were key.”
“I just have to tackle it like another round. I know what’s on stake – I’ve won on tour before – and I’ve had the attitude that I have nothing to lose that has worked so far this week. I just have to keep it rolling in tomorrow.”
Who wins the players? Watch the last round live on Sunday from 13:00 on Sky Sports Golf, with eight additional feeds – including contained holes, contained groups and bonus coverage – on Sky Sports+. Get Sky Sports or Stream without contract on now.
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