The Players Championship: JJ Spaun leads as Rory McIlroy and others slip back in windy conditions
Rory McIlroy went down from the lead with nine penalties in the third round of the Players Championship.
The 2019 champion for a unit hit the unsanitary US JJ Spaun, who led the Under-12 lead, one ahead of Tour veteran Bud Cauley.
McIlroy was under 10 after nine holes on Sawgrass’ iconic stadium route, but struggled on the 29th, dropped shots on the 12th, 13th and 17th, and missed the birds’ chance in the 16th five-shot five.
But he is indeed the last one to stay in touch as fans around the 18th Green roar loudly.
“I feel like I’m performing better than scoring,” McIlroy said. “I’ve left a lot of stuff there, but at the same time, I’m not too far.”
As for Spaun, he showed admirable calm throughout the round, including a 25-foot pole in the last hole that seemed to be staggering after Bogey 17.
In one stage, there were 7 players within the lead, but the gusts made the score very strong.
Cauley was one of the few people moving upwards, with the following 66 hitting 11 best in the combined best score of the day.
He led two times in 2009 U.S. Open champion Lucas Glover, who eliminated three times in a 71-wheel roller coaster. His last pick was with the Hawks on the fifth 16, but after Double Bogeys clamped it on the well-known Tee on the feet of the tee, which was sandwiched in 15 and 17.
Overnight co-leader Akshay Bhatia is under the age of eight with McIlroy, with a 74-strong guts to make sure he is still fighting for Sunday. Canada’s Corey Conners also came on that number after shooting 66 shots earlier that day.
Meanwhile, in his 72-round 72 rounds of the 72-level match, the world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler was unhappy under five points. After three bogeys on the 17th, he threw the ball into the water and then angrily threw his club onto his golf bag after another last mistake.
With Play’s avoidance forecast storm on Sunday already raised, Scheffler will need a great round to secure a third straight title at TPC Sawgrass.
Leaders will be heading around 14:00 GMT, while BBC Sport will be broadcast live and commentary in the final round.
