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The Players Championship LIVE: Third Round – live commentary
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- It’s shaping up to be an intriguing finish to the Players Championship on Sunday, with JJ Spaun a surprise leader but only by a shot.
- We’ve got Bud Cauley looking to make a remarkable comeback, and former US Open champion and now veteran Lucas Glover looking to become the oldest Players winner for over two decades.
- Rory McIlroy is four back so well in touch, and with the weather again providing a tough test absolutely anything could happen.
- So make sure you join us on Sunday, a bit earlier than usual as the leaders go out at 14:00 GMT, for the final round of the 2025 Players Championship.
- With some bad weather due around Sawgrass on Sunday the final round will start earlier than planned, with the leaders going out at around 14:00 GMT.
- And we’ll have live radio and text commentary on ther BBC website and app to bring you the conclusion of the Players Championship.
- Spaun -12 (70)
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- Leader JJ Spaun speaking to Sky Sports after taking a one-shot advantage into the final round: “I just tried my best to hit solid shots – that’s all you can do this in this amount of wind. The majority of time I hit the fairways and if I did not, I scrambled really well and made some putts throughout the day, which was really key.
- On the plan for Sunday: “Just address it as another round. I know what’s at stake – I’ve won on tour before. We have had the atmosphere of having nothing to lose and it’s worked out really well so far.
- “We’re going to keep that going tomorrow.”
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- -12 JJ Spaun (70)
- -11 B Cauley (66)
- -9 L Glover (71)
- -9 A Smalley (72)
- -8 C Conners (66)
- -8 R McIlroy (73)
- -8 A Bhatia (75)
- Full leaderboard
- McIlroy -8 (73)
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- Rory McIlroy speaking to Sky Sports after shooting a one-over 73: “I felt like I played better than I scored. Every dropped shot I felt were very soft.
- “I controlled my ball really well apart from that. It was just unfortunate that there were a couple of sloppy mistakes around the green.
- “I feel like I left a lot out there, but at the same time I am not too far away. It was nice to birdie the last at least.
- “Looks like tomorrow’s going to be another tough day as well, so just knuckle down, get off to a fast start and try to get back some of those soft bogeys I made today.”
- Bhatia -8 (75) Lee -5 (78)
- Akshay Bhatia is woefully short on his first putt from 25 feet and leaves himself seven feet for par, which he misses for the most annoying three-putt bogey to drop back to eight under.
- Min Woo Lee finishes off a horrible day with a birdie at the last – his only one of the day – as he drains a putt from off the green to end with a 78.
- McIlroy -8 (73), Spaun -12 (70)
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- Rory McIlroy finishes off in some style with a brilliant birdie on 18, to at least put a nice finish on a tough day at the office where ne never really got going.
- And considering some of the mistakes he made and the lack of positive energy he seemed to have, going around in just one over in this conditions isn;t actually a bad result.
- McIlroy -7, Spaun -12 (70)
- JJ Spaun saves par in spactacular fashion as he holes his 24-foot putt to make his four on the last. It’s slightly fortunate as the ball is really travelling and it does a loop-the-loop around the top of the cup before dropping in.
- That’s a two-under round of 70 for our leader, who leads by just one shot heading into Sunday’s final round.
- Bhatia -9 (17)
- Akshay Bhatia pulls out the big dog on the last and hits a beauty, but the course is a lot firmer now than earlier and the ball just bounce on through the fairway into the pine straw.
Andrew Murray
- Former European Tour winner on 5 Live
- Rory hit his driving iron 312 yards down the last and it never looked like it was going anywhere near the water or the pine straw. I’m willing him to make this birdie putt.
- McIlroy -7, Spaun -12 (17)
- The 18th might be the best hole Rory McIlroy has played today – he found a fairway for a start, just his fifth of the day, and than fires in a wonderful iron from 158 yards that ends up just about eigh feet short of the flag.
- JJ Spaun can’t match that – he’s on the green but much shorter than the Northern Irishman.
- Bhatia -8 (16)
- Akshay Bhatia makes the green on 17, just pulled it a bit as a left hander but the distance is not bad at all and it’s not too bad a two-putt from there.
- Bhatia -9 (16)
- Akshay Bhatia is fighting hard down the 16th. An excellent drive is followed by a solid second that leaves him 28 feet from the hole for an eagle. No dice. But a kick-in birdie.
- McIlroy -7, Spaun -12 (17)
- Three-putt bogeys for both of this group, with both of them not hitting their first efforts anywhere near hard enough.
- JJ Spaun’s second effort looks in all the way but just slides by the left edge as it ran out of gas.
- And you were never confident Rory McIlroy was going to hole his and entirely predictable that he made a four.
- Smalley -10 (17)
- Alex Smalley’s hopes of a birdie down the last are effectively ended by his tee shot. It leaks out right and he ends up in a popular spot, behind some trees and he can only squirt a low one 150 yards or so down the fairway.
- Glover -9 (71), Zalatoris -2 (78)
- Not to be for Lucas Glover who finishes with a par and a round of 71, which was rather steady away mostly but with some huge rollercoaster moments like three chip-ins and a bizarre three-hole stretch late on.
- Glover went double bogey-eagle-double bogey but finishes with a one-under round that sees him four shots off the current lead.
- Will Zalatories on the other hand has had a meltdown on the back nine, with a quadruple bogey and two doubles as he came home in 44 for a six-over round of 78.
- He was actually three under for 13 holes then lost nine shots over his closing five holes. Crazy stuff
Andrew Murray
- Former European Tour winner on 5 Live
- That is a treacherous putt for Rory because he’s got the wind at his back and the hole is only three yards from the water. And he’s going to give Spaun a great read. He just wants to get in the clubhouse now with a par-par finish.
- McIlroy -8, Spaun -13 (16)
- Both Rory McIlroy and JJ Spaun are safely on board the 17th green, but only just as they’re way short of the flag and only just about on dry land – but dry is the main thing as we’ve seen plenty come unstuck recently as we near the end of the day with the wind still whipping around the Stadium Hole.
- Glover -9, Zalatoris -3 (17)
- Stunner from Lucas Glover on the last, as he rips his iron from 180 yards down to about 12 feet for a closing birdie.
- McIlroy -8, Spaun -13 (16)
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- Great birdie for leader JJ Spaun on 16 as he ends uppin high but off the green in three, and while a two-putt par would do n=him nice, the ball tracks straight and true through the fringe and is always going in as soon as it makes the green.
- Great response after just a second bogey of the day on the last.
- A much simpler, shorter chance for Rory McIlroy for his birdie, but his putt drifts wide tamely which just about sums up his day.
Page 2
- Smalley -10 (17)
- Alex Smalley misses the green on the 17th… and that usually means water but the American is a lucky lucky boy. His ball bounces forward from the rough in front of the green into the hole’s solitary bunker. He splashes out to around five feet.
- Solid par putt. He’s two off the lead going down the last.
- Glover -9, Zalatoris -3 (17)
- Lucas Glover hits a decent pitch in from the drop zone on 17, but can’t quite save a bogey with the putt so it’s another double bogey for him as he drops back to nine under.
- Glover has now gone double-eagle-double to perfectly illustrate just what TPC Sawgrass can do to you – especially in the wind.
- Bhatia -8 (15)
- We only get to see the final two shots of Akshay Bhatia’s journey down the 15th hole. The 20 foot birdie putt stays on the green and he taps in from a foot. A seventh par of the day for the American.
- Smalley -10 (16)
- Alex Smalley drills his third into the 16th fractionally long and his ball comes to rest on the fringe. He’s got a 25-footer for birdie to move within one of the lead.
- And he’s bound to have seen and heard what has happened to the two players ahead of him given the 16th runs in the opposite direction to the 17th.
- A two-putt par for the American.
- Glover -11, Zalatoris -5 (16)
- Oh no! Lucas Glover has gone from the high of that chip-in on 16 to finding the water on the 17th – as his tee shot lands on the island green but only just, and it spins back and trickles into the soup.
- Will Zalatoris then falls into the trap of seeing his playing partner fall short so gives his some extra juice, but he powers it through the green and into the water on the other side!
- Bhatia -8, MW Lee -5 (14)
- Akshay Bhatia smashes his ball out of the sand to 25 feet but he can’t make the par putt. Actually, he’s left himself a seven-footer for bogey. In it pops. Shot gone though. Min Woo Lee two putts for par.
- For the first time, no birdies on the 14th.
- McIlroy -8, Spaun -12 (15)
- It’s a tough ask for JJ Spaun as he has basically 100 feet to negotiate with the putter and although the first effort is solid he’s still left with too much work to do to save par.
- So the leader drops back to just one shot in front.
- Glover -11, Zalatoris -5 (16)
- Lucas Glover has done it again! That’s a third chip in today for the former US Open champion and coming on the par-five 16th that means it’s an eagle to immediately claw back the two shots he gave away on the last.
- That’s textbook bouncebackability right there.
- McIlroy -8, Spaun -13 (14)
- JJ Spaun in a spot of bother for a change as he finds the trees off the tee on 15, but he plays a nice escape shot, just turning his hands over to get some draw on it and nice trying to do too much so he just chases it up onto the front of the green.
- Good course management there.
- Fleetwood -6, Knapp -8 (16)
- Ah. Tommy Fleetwood’s found the water at 17.
- That brutal little par three greedily claims another victim.
- Bhatia -9, Lee -5 (13)
- A caption flashes up on the screen to say, since 1983 there has never been a round without a birdie on the 14th hole. Today? Zero birdies.
- Akshay Bhatia and Min Woo Lee are our last hopes. Bhatia, from the middle of the fairway hits a towering iron that plugs into a greenside bunker. A real fried egg.
- Min Woo finds the heart of the green but he’s got a 30-footer to keep the record going.
- Fleetwood -6, Knapp -8 (16)
- Roars of appreciation turn to sighs of disappointment as Tommy Fleetwood goes so close to a chip-in birdie from the rough on 16.
- His ball clunks off the flag and stops two feet away much to the crowd’s dismay.
- It’s probably a good thing though as if the flag had not been in, Fleetwood’s ball was racing on. But he cannot make the birdie putt, his ball misses the right edge.
- McIlroy -8, Spaun -13 (14)
- JJ Spaun is managing his way around TPC Sawgrass brilliantly today, as bigger names are throwing their arms up and getting frustrated, Spaun is hitting fairways and greens and putting beautifully.
- He almost hits one from 30 feet to stretch his lead but he remains two in front and looking far more solid than anyone else still out there challenging.
- Glover -9, Zalatoris -5 (15)
- The wheels have come off now for Will Zalatoris as he follows up a quadruple bogey with a double bogey on 15 and that’s six shots gone in just a couple of holes as he tumbles out of contention.
- Lucas Glover sadly follows his playing partner in also making a six on the 15th and that slips him back from second to fourth and four shots back.
Iain Carter
- BBC golf correspondent at Sawgrass
- The wind is really whipping up now. All you can do is go for the centre of greens.
- Scheffler -5 (72)
- A level-par round of 72 for Scottie Scheffler today but very much not a level headed Scottie Scheffler that we usually see on the golf course.
- TPC Sawgrass really got under his skin today with the wind proving to be a mystery he could just not solve – although a few missed putts didn’t help either.
- He’s not totally out of it but he’ll need to stick in a low one tomorrow, and needs to now go and calm down as he was running hot today.
- Smalley -10 (13)
- Speaking of important putts, Alex Smalley does the same as Akshay Bhatia to save par, this time from seven feet.
- Another American who is clinging onto the coattails of JJ Spaun.
- Bhatia -9 (12)
- A cracking putt from Akshay Bhatia saves par at the 12th after he found the water off the tee.
- The 23 year old has shown great composure to hang in there and at four shots back, he is not out of this tournament.
- McIlroy -8 (13)
Andrew Murray
- Former European Tour winner on 5 Live
- Rory has to be careful here not to shoot himself out of the tournament. He’s definitely not on his game and he’s got tricky holes to come.
- McIlroy -8, Spaun -13 (13)
- Another mistake from Rory McIlroy as he misses his par putt from six feet on the 13th to drop back to eight under, and now five shots off leader and playing partner JJ Spaun.
- Rory’s not the only one to struggle today, but conditions haven’t been a massive issue on most of his errors, and his shoulders just seem to have slumped a bit now as he heads down the home stretch.
Page 3
- Scheffler -5 (17)
Iain Carter
- BBC golf correspondent at Sawgrass
- I’ve never seen Scottie Scheffler lose his composure as much as he has today. He’s thrown his club at his bag. And now he’s cleaning his own club as if to punish himself.
- I think he’s so frustrated with himself after getting back into contention and then bogeying 16 and 17 and now airmailing the 18th green from 133 yards.
- Glover -11, Zalatoris -7 (14)
- WIll Zalatoris ends up with a dreaded eight on his card at the 14th thanks to a comedy of errors including that top, finding a bunker and a missed four footer which all costs him four shots.
- That’s a disaster on a normal course on a normal day – around Sawgrass today that’s massive and has seen him drop out of contention.
- Fleetwood -6, Knapp -8 (15)
- Talk about baring its teeth.
- Back-to-back bogeys for Tommy Fleetwood as his seven-foot par putt stays up.
- He’s seven shots off the lead now.
- Bhatia -9, M W Lee -6 (11)
- The 12th hole is risk and reward and I guess it’s that time of the round for Akshay Bhatia.
- He blasts his drive down and it bounces onto the green but then it continues to race. And race.
- There’s a slope there , his ball catches it and on it continues, down and down into the water.
- McIlroy -9, Spaun -13 (12)
- Rory McIlroy is another player being frustrated by Sawgrass today as he drops a shot on the short par-four 12th that really should be a birdie hole.
- He goes for the green but sprays it wide right, still just 50 yards or so left, but he fluffs one chip and can only get to about 15 feet with his third shot, before two-putting for bogey.
- JJ Spaun shows him how it’s done by finding the fairway and then hitting a wedge to six feet for a three and a two-shot lead.
- Morikawa -5, Smalley -10 (13)
- Superb mentality from Alex Smalley as he saves par at the 13th.
- He overhit his long putt from 45 feet and needing to sink from 18 feet to escape unscathed.
- And he drilled it. He stays in touch.
- As for playing partner Collin Morikawa, he’s four over for his day and drifting ever further off the lead.
- Scheffler -5 (17)
- There’s another ball in the water at 17 – but not in the conventional way as Scottie Scheffler lashes his ball into the water in furious anger after he three-putts for a bogey.
- The world number one is running hot here, and not in his golf but in his temperament which is usually so cool and calm.
- Glover -11, Zalatoris -11 (13)
- Will Zalatoris is fuming with his drive on 14 as he fires it out to the right in the rough on a mound – and he’ll be even more angry with his second shot, as he tries to give it a big whack but only manages to top it a few yards down the hole.
- Problems here.
- Bhatia -9, M W Lee -7 (10)
- Seven under par is where we find overnight leader Min Woo Lee but that number could get worse at 11 as the water claims his tee shot.
- It’s been a brutal round three for the Australian who is already four over for his day and tramping down the fairway.
- Scheffler -6 (16)
- Scottie Scheffler only drops a shot in the end, which is a result considering he was playing army golf all the way up there – going right-left-right before eventually finding the green.
- He’s not a happy bunny either with plenty of chuntering going on about the wind…
- Fleetwood -7, Knapp -8 (14)
- Urgh that’s a frustrating one for Tommy Fleetwood as he bogeys 14 following an errant tee shot.
- He’s so close to saving par from distance as well but his ball is just off line.
- He slips back to seven under.
- Glover -11, Zalatoris -11 (13)
- Lucas Glover misses the green at the par-three 13th but it doesn;t matter as the former US Open champion goes and chips it in for birdie to go into joint second.
- Wonderful shot.
- In more breaking news… Matt Fitzpatrick and Billy Foster have parted ways, reports the Guardian’s Ewan Murray.
- Foster was on the bag when Fitzy won his US Open in 2022.
- Scheffler -7 (15)
- After burning the edge of the hole with a birdie putt on 15, Scottie Scheffler is having a bit of a mare on the 16th and looking a littler bit like your everyday hacker.
- As the world number one has an ill-advised swipe out of the pine straw with his second shot, possibly going for the green but only managing to bunt it forward into some deep rough.
- Then it’s a chop out back across the fairway and into the rough short of the left bunker. Astonishingly scrappy.
- Bhatia -9, M W Lee -7 (10)
- It’s nice to report a calm hole from the final grouping of Min Woo Lee and Akshay Bhatia.
- They’ve pocketed pars at the 10th. Move on.
- News reaching us from Florida that because of inclement weather forecast tomorrow, the final-round tee-times will be brought forward to between 0800 and 1000 local time, which is 1200 and 1400 GMT.
- They will also go out in threeballs.
- Fleetwood – 8, Knapp -8 (13)
- Terrific effort from Tommy Fleetwood as his 24-footer for birdie at the 13th stops inches short of dropping.
- He’s followed in for par by partner Jake Knapp who isn’t going anywhere either.
- Here’s a bit of Akshay Bhatia getting his round back on track with a second successive birdie with a chip-in from a bunker on the eighth.
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- Glover -10, Zalatoris -11 (12)
- The 12th is just 326 yards today but neither Will Zalatoris or Lucas Glover are interested in having a pop at the green from the tee as they both lay up and trust their wedge game.
- And it yields a birdie for Zalatoris as he dead arms a wedge to 15 feet and duly pours it in for a three.
- Cauley -11 (66)
- Bud Cauley speaking to Sky Sports after shooting six-under par to be the clubhouse leader at -11: “I grew up here in Jacksonville and came here every year as a kid so I have dreamed of playing here. To be here playing is really great.”
- On how he will stay in contention: “My ball striking has got better and I am putting really well. We’ve got some weather coming tomorrow so I will just try keep doing what I’m doing.”
- On the conditions: “It was tough. Every hole seemed difficult today, even the par fives!”
Page 4
- McIlroy -10, Spaun -11 (10)
Image source, Getty Images
- Solid par putt from Rory McIlroy on 10 to stay where he is, and the same for our leader JJ Spaun who is playing pretty nicely today – hitting fairways and greens and trying to keep it all relatively stress free.
- Glover -10, Zalatoris -10 (11)
- A pair of par fives for this group on the 11th, as they just get a bit loose with their approaches.
- Fleetwood -8 (12)
- A big chance goes begging for Tommy Fleetwood at the 12th as he drifts his six-footer for birdie just by the hole.
- He knows it and gives a rueful look at the green as he strides away.
- Bhatia -9, M W Lee -7 (9)
- Another punishing hole for this pair as Min Woo Lee misses his long par putt and watches as Akshay Bhatia does the same.
- The spotlight of being in the final group has burned bright on these two over the front nine.
- Morikawa -7, Smalley -9 (10)
- Collin Morikawa flings his arms to the side as his par putt drifts by at the 10th.
- He’s fallen to seven under.
- A second straight bogey for Alex Smalley as well means he’s suddenly three off the lead.
- Cauley -11 (66), MacIntyre -5 (72)
- Bud Cauley’s birdie putt on the last misses to the left but that’s a straightforward par and the 34-year-old, who was born just down the road in Daytona, sets the target.
- Seven birdies and an eagle in his six-under 66.
- Playing partner Bob MacIntyre drops a shot at the last after leaking his drive out right behind the trees. He squirts his second through the back of the green but takes three from there. A level-par third round.
- Bhatia -10, M W Lee -8 (8)
- With his ball buried thick in the upslope rough to the side of the ninth green, Min Woo Lee slashes and connects only with bermuda grass, dislodging his ball half an inch.
- When he goes again, he clips it out onto the green but away it rolls.
- He’ll have to sink from 17 feet to save par.
Andrew Murray
- Former European Tour winner on 5 Live
- Rory is really struggling here, with every club in the bag. To be out in 35 is a credit to him.
- McIlroy -10, Spaun -11 (9)
- Rory McIlroy’s had a tough time with his driver today, so switches to a long iron off the 10th tee for safety – a fairway finder is needed.
- So he pulls it into the left fairway bunker…
- Fleetwood -8, Knapp -8 (11)
- I said before that Tommy Fleetwood was quietly going about his business.
- Well he’s just started making a bit more noise with a birdie at the par-five 11th.
- Into the top eight – as is playing partner Jake Knapp.
- Scheffler -7 (14)
- Not all birdie putts are the same – for instance Scottie Scheffler’s on 14 is a 60-foot monster that needs his full attention just to get down to a makeable par distance.
- He’s the world numner one though so achieves that comfortably.
- Cauley -11 (17)
- Bud Cauley splits the fairway on the tough 18th, which is flanked down the left by a huge lake, with anything right likely to be blocked out by some well-placed trees.
- His second, from just under 200 yards clings on to the right edge of the green. It threatens to wander down a slope but holds on and he’ll have a 15-footer to join JJ Spaun in the lead and set a tough clubhouse target.
Andrew Murray
- Former European Tour winner on 5 Live
- My son will be watching JJ Spaun with some interest because he made his putter… and Will Zalatoris’ too.
- McIlroy -10, Spaun -12 (9)
- JJ Spaun just kisses the lip of the hole with his eagle effort, but a birdie there will do very nicely as it moves him into the outright lead.
- Rory McIlroy remains on 10 under as he produces a nice sand save from a tricky spot to avoid a two-shot swing from his playing partner.
- Thomas -3 (73)
- A birdie-birdie finish for Justin Thomas who signs for a one-over round of 73 today. Not quite the follow-up he wanted to his course record 62 yesterday, but then again better than his 78 on Thursday and in much tougher conditions.
- Who knows what he’ll score tomorrow!
- Bhatia -10, M W Lee -8 (8)
- That’ll do Akshay Bhatia a world of good.
- He’s rediscovered his wedge magic from the first couple of holes with a delightful touch out of the bunker on the eighth.
- After looking like he was unravelling, he’s right back in this and joins the five-man cluster one shot back.
- Morikawa -8, Smalley -10 (9)
- Only a second bogey of the tournament for Alex Smalley who slips off the lead as he closes out his front nine.
- Collin Morikawa is a couple of shots behind him as he tidies up for par from three feet.
- MacIntyre -6, Cauley -11 (17)
- Here’s Bob Mac on the par-three 17th. The wind is ‘helping’ today. The flag is on the back shelf so anyone taking it on needs to be razor-sharp with their judgement with the water waiting for anything fractionally long.
- The Scot finds the heart of the green and the ball trundles back a little. A slow birdie putt coming up and he can’t get his ball to the hole. Three feet left for par.
- He’s playing with American Bud Cauley, who is five under for his round and bounding up the leaderboard. This, from around 18 feet is to move into a share of the lead. Drained. Three on the trot.
- Scheffler -7 (13)
- Scottie Scheffler responds to a dropped shot at 12 with a wonderful tee shot on the par-three 13th, sticking it to just over three feet to instantly get that shot back with a birdie.
- Horschel -3 (11)
- Billy Horschel is a native of Ponte Vedra, Florida and knows this course well.
- He’s three over for his round though and is as refreshingly honesty as ever as he joins NBC Sports to talk about the conditions today:
- “It’s blowing very hard, it’s gusty a little bit but if you’ve got control of your ball flight, you’re gonna have your chances to make birdies and some easy pars.
- “Obviously, I’ve got no control of my swing and don’t know where it’s going right now. I’m just trying to get into the house as fast as I can.”
Page 5
Andrew Murray
- Former European Tour winner on 5 Live
- Rory’s one of the best drivers of the ball I’ve ever seen. But he’ll be furious with himself. He was miles right.
- McIlroy -10, Spaun -11 (8)
Image source, Getty Images
- Rory McIlroy hits his drive on nine high, wide and not very handsome as his ball sails down the right and splashes down in the water.
- He now has to take a drop before playing his third.
- Fleetwood -7 (10)
- We’ve not seen much of Tommy Fleetwood over the past half hour or so but the Englishman is digging in at level par for his round.
- He’s just navigated through the 10th hole with another steady par and is at seven under. The leaders are not getting away from him.
- Glover -10, Zalatoris -10 (9)
- He’s not hit it again Will Zalatoris, who hits his 9ft 11in putt 9ft 7in to leave it about a roll short of dropping.
- It seems not too much has changed with the American, who is still amazing with his irons but more than abit suspect on the greens.
- Bhatia -9, M W Lee -8 (7)
- Huge roar from the crowd around the seventh green as Akshay Bhatia stems the damage of his round with a really well-taken birdie putt to climb back to nine under par.
- Putting from off the green, Min Woo Lee almost matches him only for his ball to come up short.
- Important though after going three over in the past two holes.
- MacIntyre -6 (16)
- Bob MacIntyre picks up another shot on a par-five hole, this time finding the green with his second on the long 16th and two-putting from 25 feet.
- On to the treacherous par-three 17th and the island green for the Scot.
- McIlroy -10, Spaun -11 (8)
- Par threes on the eighth, a long short hole if you know what I mean, for this pair who both find the green but have more two-putt par efforts rather than serious birdie chances.
- Glover -10, Zalatoris -11 (8)
- Will Zalatoris is in position z on the back of the ninth green after going long with a wedge. He’s really not got many options with a long, winding putt that goes up a big hill then races away down a cliff on the other side.
- All he can do is get the pace just about right even though the ball wanders off eight feet wide of the hole. Work to do for par.
- Scheffler -7 (11)
- Scottie Scheffler winds up and gives it maximum effort with his drive on 12 as he looks to make the green on the short par four.
- He’s well wide though and from a tough spot in the trees he chunks out an escape that races across the green and plops into the water.
- Momentum killer.
- Bhatia -8, M W Lee -8 ()
- Gutsy from Min Woo Lee as he sinks a putt from 13-and-a-half feet to limit the damage on the sixth to just a bogey.
- Back-to-back doubles would have probably ended his challenge.
- Akshay Bhatia is scrambling too, out of the greenside sand, but he gets up and down for par.
- These two are three shots back.
- Thomas -2 (17)
- Shot of the day at 17 from Justin Thomas sees him stick it to five feet and he rolls that in for just the third birdie at the signature hole today.
- McIlroy -10, Spaun -11 (7)
- That wide from Rory McIlroy off the seventh tee blocked him out under the trees, and the best he could do was a low runner into the left greenside bunker.
- It’s a small sand trap but an excellent escape to about three feet so he can save par, which is a result after that wayward drive.
- Morikawa -8, Smalley -11 (8)
- A pearl of a tee shot from Collin Morikawa on the par-three eighth albeit his ball gets a healthy kick off the shoulder on its way to finishing six feet from the hole.
- To his immense frustration though, he skates it by the side of the hole and remains three back.
- Joint leader Alex Smalley navigates the second-hardest hole on the course in the same fashion. Par each.
Andrew Murray
- Former European Tour winner on 5 Live
- Rory is struggling with his driver. You can’t miss too many fairways and shoot low scores round here.
- Scheffler -7 (11)
- Nice birdie for Scottie Scheffler on the 11th as he catches the front bunker when going for the green on the par five in two, lobs it out to 12 feet and then sinks the putt to move within four of the lead.
- Bhatia -8, M W Lee -9 (5)
- A spray from Min Woo Lee at the sixth tee goes way right and the 26 year old is being blown way off course at the moment.
- It’s a better outcome for Akshay Bhatia who at least finds the fairway with his tee shot.
- Bhatia -8, M W Lee -9 (5)
- Twenty five minutes later, the balls of Akshay Bhatia and Min Woo Lee finally make it into the cup.
- It’s a double bogey apiece.
- Playing your way out of my report here lads!
- Morikawa -8, Smalley -11 (7)
- Shot!
- Alex Smalley has joined the group at -11 with a terrific bunker shot at seven that lands softly on the green and swirls round into the cup.
- The 28-year-old is building a very nice round here – and playing partner Collin Morikawa follows him in with another bounceback birdie.
- McIlroy -10, Spaun -11 (6)
- Good bounce back from Rory McIlroy who finds the fairway bunker off the tee but launches one from 150 yards out to about seven feet – and this time makes no mistake with the putter to drain the birdie.
- Glover -10, Zalatoris -11 (7)
- These two are playing some wonderful approach shots – Lucas Glover leaves 22 feet for birdie on the seventh, but his curling effort just comes up short.
- Will Zalatoris has a shorter one but more slippery coming down the hill, and he too doesn’t give it enough gas as it tails off to the right with the last few rolls.
- Neither of these will win style points for putting with their long flat sticks, but with the standard of their irons they won’t have to make too much to make a score.
Page 6
- Bhatia -10, M W Lee -11 (4)
- At 19:33, I said Akshay Bhatia and Min Woo Lee were out in the undergrowth.
- Both have had to take drops miles away from the fifth fairway and take aim blind over a huge cluster of trees.
- They get out of there but neither are on the green – and their next shot will be to save par. Snap your hand off for a bogey?
- McIlroy -9, Spaun -11 (5)
- Oh Rory McIlroy, that is criminal! He hit a nice iron shot from 164 yards to about 12 feet to give himself an outside chance for birdie, but he’s not only missed it but left over three feet to tidy up.
- But he’s gone and missed that one too! A three-putt bogey from 12 feet is about as bad as it gets for these top pros.
- Morikawa -7, Smalley -10 (6)
- Collin Morikawa played one of the best rounds of the day yesterday but an ugly start to round three is damaging his challenge.
- Another bogey, this time on six, leaves him two over already.
- He’s being overshadowed by playing partner Alex Smalley who gets a birdie at six and joins the scrum one off the lead.
- Fleetwood -7 (7)
- A grin from Tommy Fleetwood on the seventh green as he drains a long putt.
- It’s only for a par but finding the bottom of the cup from 16 feet has got to do something for his confidence on the greens.
- Glover -10, Zalatoris -11 (6)
Image source, Getty Images
- Will Zalatoris makes the leading duo a leading trio as he picks up a third birdie of the day at the sixth – making it two in a row.
- Again it’s the iron play from a man who is an elite ball striker, as he stripes one from about 150 yards out and almost holes the thing – leaving just a foot or so for birdie.
- That’s now 27 holes without a bogey now for Zalatoris who could do some serious damage here if he keeps up this ball striking excellence.
- Playing partner Lucas Glover may have something to say about that though, as he’s followed a bogey at the first with three birdies, including at the sixth, to climb back up to 10 under and just a shot off the lead.
- Bhatia -10, M W Lee -11 (4)
- “Oh my gosh,” comes the cry from a frustrated Min Woo Lee as his drive at the fifth soars off into the trees down the left.
- Akshay Bhatia saw what not to do, but does exactly the same as his playing partner.
- Plenty of spectators down there at least to help them find their wayward balls.
- Conners -8 (66)
Iain Carter
- BBC golf correspondent at Sawgrass
- It’s blowy out here, and the wind has got stronger as the day has gone on. It’s looking like a formidable test for the leaders. And you look at Corey Conners who posted a 66 to improve to eight under par and you can only see him climbing the leaderboard.
- Bhatia -10, M W Lee -11 (4)
- Deft touch from Min Woo Lee gets him out of the trap at four.
- He tidies up for par from six feet to stay top of the leaderboard.
- Akshay Bhatia’s rollercoaster round continues though as he flies the green and has to chip out of the rough to try to save par.
- He’s unsuccessful and is now one back.
Andrew Murray
- Former European Tour winner on 5 Live
- When you get the wind gusting through the tree-lined fairways it’s very difficult to predict what’s going to happen to your ball. One part of the course is around 11mph and then on another it’s 28mph. And it’s forecast to get a little stronger.
- Fleetwood -7 (6)
- Tommy Fleetwood finds himself a nice birdie at the sixth to erase the shot he picked up earlier.
- That’ll make him feel an awful lot better.
Image source, Getty Images
- The sixth hole at TPC Sawgrass has got new roots – quite literally.
- That giant tree in front of the tee box was replanted there for this tournament, after the original oak died and was taken out in 2014.
- The players have not enjoyed its return either, Matt Fitzpatrick describing it as “the dumbest tree I’ve ever seen”.
- As you can imagine, it makes for a shot dilemma off the tree- I mean, tee.
- Live commentary is just getting under way on Radio 5 Sports Extra, BBC Sounds and this website – just click the link and read our ramblings as you listen to Iain Carter, Kat Downes and former European Tour pro Andrew Murray.
- McIlroy -10, Spaun -11 (4)
- It’s a good effort with a curling 35 footer from JJ Spaun but not good enough as he rests just next to the cup and he has to tap it in for a bogey to drop back into a tie for the lead.
- A simple chip and putt for par for Rory McIlroy.
- Scheffler -6 (9)
Image source, Getty Images
- We’ve seen this movie before starring Scottie Scheffler, who shows great imagination with a pitch shot to the par-five ninth that settles only about five feet from the pin.
- It should be a regulation birdie but despite being the world number one he’s by no means automatic with the putter and slides it by.
- Getting through the front nine in one under is more than decent, but that’s a great chance gone begging.
- Jaeger -10 (11)
- It’s moving day – and Germany’s Stephan Jaeger has made the most significant so far.
- A stunning eagle at the 11th moves him to -10 and just one shot off the lead.
- He’s five under for his round so far.
- Zalatoris -10 (5)
- Will Zalatoris picks up a shot at the fifth hole courtesy of a 25-foot putt that puts him on 10 under and just a shot off the lead.
- MacIntyre -6 (11)
- Terrific up and down from the sand to the right of the 11th green by Bob MacIntyre. The Scotsman splashes his third shot out to four feet and knocks in for a birdie on the long par-five hole.
- McIlroy -10, Spaun -12 (3)
- The wind is really whipping around Sawgrass now with gusts being the major issue. Rory McIlroy plays a nice approach over the water to the fourth green but it bounces off and just dives into the rough.
- Our new outright leader JJ Spaun tries to punch a wedge in close but he’s over 30 feet short, and after having to chip out from the rough he’s got that long one for par.
- Bhatia -11, M W Lee -11 (3)
- And the final group are back where they started.
- Akshay Bhatia has a lengthy putt on three that bundles into the hole but bounces free. Eight foot coming back for par is beyond him.
- He’s level with playing partner Min Woo Lee who has kicked off with three straight pars.
- Morikawa -8 (4)
- It’s been an odd round for Collin Morikawa so far and his wayward tee shot at the fourth ends up costing him.
- Needing 12 feet for par, he can’t get it to drop and he’s slipped to eight under.
Page 7
- Spieth -2 (73)
- Jordan Spieth finishes with two pars but they’ve not enahnced his mood as he trudges off the 18th no doubt still thinking about that double bogey on 16.
- Aside from that, Spieth had five birdies and four bogeys in a typical rollercoaster of a round that really could have been anything.
- Fleetwood -6 (5)
- My that’s a mighty fine effort from Tommy Fleetwood on the fifth.
- He’s out in some heavy no-man’s land rough in front of the green but splashes his effort delightfully onto the putting surface and watches it bounces once, clunk the flag stick and trundle on.
- That’s some up and down form the Englishman.
Image source, Getty Images
- The iconic 17th at TPC Sawgrass will be a nervy one for even the best today thanks to the winds whipping around the Stadium Course.
- We can see some huge numbers even from the top pros at the 17th – which claims around 100,000 golf balls every year with amateur golfers finding the lake with regularity when they come to play this little devil of a hole.
- Bhatia -12, M W Lee -11 (2)
- Akshay Bhatia has packed the right wedge today.
- After a dime at the first earned a birdie, he’s found another beautiful approach on the second and should tap in once again.
- No! He’s lipped his putt from two-and-a-half feet and stalks off to the third tee still at 12 under.
- McIlroy -10, Spaun -12 (3)
- JJ Spaun rolls in a brilliant putt on the third green from almost 30 feet to land back-to-back birdies and grab a share of the lead.
- Rory McIlroy can’t follow him in so he stays on 10 under and two shots off the lead.
- Spieth -2 (16)
- That visit to the water on 16 costs Jordan Spieth two shots as he adds insult to injury by finding the bunker with his fourth following a penalty drop.
- He gets out of the sand and leaves six feet for a bogey, but as usually happens the putt fails to drop and he has to sign for a seven on the par five.
- McIlroy -10, Spaun -11 (2)
- The second has been a pretty easy hole today (15th on the course) and both Rory McIlroy and JJ Spaun take advantage of the par five with birdies.
- McIlroy got a bit lucky with hie lies in the right rough that he visited twice on the hole, but it was a nice up and down in the end.
- Morikawa -9 (3)
- After missing from short range at the second for par, Collin Morikawa has his eye back in on the third green.
- He’s rolled in a terrific birdie putt from 18-and-a-half feet and hauls himself back up the leaderboard.
- MacIntyre -5 (10)
- Scotland’s Bob MacIntyre started the round six shots off the pace and got off to a great start with a birdie on the tricky par-three third but he gave that shot back at the seventh and is back where he started halfway through round three.
- Fleetwood -6 (4)
- After missing those birdies putts on one and two, Tommy Fleetwood finds himself sliding his six-footer for par past the hole at the fourth.
- He’s back at six under, half a dozen off the leader.
Image source, Getty Images
- The Players is often referred to as ‘the unofficial fifth major’ as it has a stellar field, a bumper prize pot, an iconic golf course and bags of history.
- Those are all the ingredients you usually associate with the big four events in men’s professional golf, so should it just become a major championship now?
- BBC Sport’s Iain Carter explains why he thinks the fifth major talk is a moot point at the moment, but what do you think?
- Vote with your thumbs….
- Spieth -4 (15)
- Oh Jordan! Just after a stunning birdie on 15, Jordan Spieth then finds the drink with a fairway wood approach on 16.
- And he’s disgusted with that shot as he throws his club to the ground in frustration.
- Bhatia -12, M W Lee -11 (1)
- Oh boy, wizardry from Akshay Bhatia!
- He’s out on his own at the top of the leaderboard after a magnificent approach at the first sets up a birdie from tap-in range.
- Nerves? No chance.
- Playing partner Min Woo Lee polishes off with a par.
- McIlroy -9, Spaun -10 (1)
- Solid enough start for Rory McIlroy with a par on the first.
- Scheffler -6 (6)
- Brilliant from Scottie Scheffler on six, as he has to dig out his second shot from the fairway bunker and then finds himself in some deep Sawgrass rough, but manages to bash it out of there to find the green barely six feet from the hole.
- He rolls it in from a fine par.
- Spieth -4 (15)
- Jordan Spieth produces a wonderful bunker shot from 158 yards out to send it to nine feet, before rolling it in for another birdie.
- Classic Spieth.

- Over the past 10 tournaments, the average winning score at TPC Sawgrass has been -15.
- The final group have just teed off and currently stand at -11 so we’ll see if they can master the wind to nudge closer to that type of number today.
- Thomas -4 (10)
- Justin Thomas closed out his front nine with a birdie to turn in a level-par 36, before adding a par at the 10th.
- Thomas started today’s third round by almost holing his second shot and he’s shown in the past just how good he can play in the wind – as an excellent iron player there aren’t too many with his variety of shot shapes.
- McIlroy -9, Spaun -10
- The penultimate group of Rory McIlroy and JJ Spaun tee off down the first. McIlroy’s nine-under 135 total after Friday is his second-lowest 36-hole score at this event.
- The world number two only went better (with a 12-under 132) in 2019 when he won the Players.
- Bhatia -11, M W Lee -11 (18:35 GMT)
Image source, Getty Images
- Alongside Min Woo Lee is talented 23-year-old American Akshay Bhatia, winner of the Valero Texas Open in 2024.
- According to golf guru Justin Ray, he’s the youngest player to hold the 36-hole lead or co-lead in a Players Championship at this venue.
- So far this season, he has got a couple of top-10 finishes but missed the cut at last week’s signature event down the road at Bay Hill.
- A surprise contender? Perhaps, so can he keep his foot on the pedal today?
Page 8
- Thomas -4 (10)
- Justin Thomas is having quite the tournament. A 16-shot swing between his first and second round scores and then on the first hole today, he did this for a kick-in birdie…
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- Two bogeys, and then a birdie on the long ninth, have seen him reach the turn on the score he started on.
- Bhatia -11, M W Lee -11 (18:35 GMT)
Image source, Getty Images
- In Min Woo Lee, Australia have found a new golfing gem and a victory here would mark a stellar rise.
- The 26-year-old starred in an episode of the new series of Full Swing and his laidback, fan-first approach to golf has won him plenty of supporters around the globe.
- He’s got history here too – in 2023, he went into Sunday playing alongside Scottie Scheffler in the final group.
- Expect shouts of “Let him cook” from the galleries.
- Morikawa -9 (1)
- Steady going for Collin Morikawa as he just undercooks his birdie putt from 15 feet at the first.
- He and playing partner Alex Smalley remain two back and on their way.
Image source, Getty Images
- The flags at TPC Sawgrass are being blown about by the gusty conditions kicking up this afternoon, and that means double trouble for our players.
- Firstly, with a whole lot of water on the course then getting your lines right will be tough with the driver and long irons.
- But also, this wind will dry out the greens and that will make approach shots even harder, especially when players will be trying to knock down shots more under the breeze. It should be interesting…
- Scheffler -6 (4)
- Nice solid start from world number one Scottie Scheffler who is one under for four holes and six under for the tournament.
- With his iron play, Scheffler should be a big danger in these conditions.
- Fleetwood -7, Knapp -8 (2)
- Another birdie putt skims the hole and stays up for Tommy Fleetwood on the second and he winces with frustration.
- It can’t help his mindset that partner Jake Knapp sunk a birdie from 41 feet at the first and then has saved par with another monster 23-footer at two.
- Hang in there, Tommy.
- Glover -7, Zalatoris -9 (1)
- Birdie start for Will Zalatoris to move him closer to the lead – it’s great to see the American back challenging in these big events after a troubled couple of years with injury.
- McIlroy -9 (18:25 GMT)
- Rory McIlroy has not been known as an expert player in the wind over the years, but it was certainly on the blustery side when he won at Pebble Beach last month.
- He’s also won the Scottish Open in windy conditions and you simply don’t have talent like McIlroy has without being able to play in these conditions.
- Let’s see if McIlroy’s challenge gets blown off course tonight…
- Fleetwood -7 (1)
Image source, Getty Images
- Four shots off the lead, don’t discount Tommy Fleetwood.
- He’s still yet to win on the PGA Tour but there would be few more popular victors should he be lifting the trophy tomorrow.
- The 34-year-old is certainly in this – but he’ll need a hot putter. He’s 92nd on tour so far this season with the flat stick.
- And a tidy birdie opportunity has just come up short at the first.
- Morikawa -9 (18:15 GMT)
Image source, Getty Images
- Collin Morikawa was criticised in some parts for avoiding the media last Sunday after being pipped into second place at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
- He explained his reasoning on Tuesday here at TPC Sawgrass being because he “didn’t owe anyone anything”.
- That just increased the volume and he doubled down on Friday when he said he “did not regret anything” he had said.
- That was after an outstanding round of 65 put him firmly in contention for this title. It’ll be interesting to see if his golf does the talking today.
Image source, Getty Images
- We had 11 golf balls hit the water on 17 in the first round, and nine in the second round – both in much calmer conditions.
- Just the one so far today but with gusts up to 30mph coming up it could be a busy time for the drop zone at the 17th…
- Spieth -3 (13)
- Jordan Spieth is box office, he really is. He may be my favourite play to watch just because you never know quite what to expect – and he usually serves up a little bit of everything.
- Today already he’s had four birdies and four bogeys mixing in some schoolboy errors with some incredible ability.
- Spieth has missed a par putt inside five feet, taken a drop after hitting his ball into a bush and then driven the par-four 12th green before making birdie.
- Just Spieth doing Spieth things…
- Walker -7 (66)
Image source, Getty Images
- PGA Tour rookie Danny Walker only got the call saying he was in the tournament early Thursday morning when Jason Day pulled out through illness.
- It was an emotional moment for Walker but he only had a few hours to compose himself before going out with major champions Jordan Spieth and Wyndham Clark.
- Walker made the cut bang on the number and was then first out this morning – when he produced a stunning six-under round of 66 to set the lead in the clubhouse.
- And with the winds getting up this afternoon his seven under par may not be too far behind the lead come the end of play.
- What a story!
Image source, Getty Images
- A notoriously difficult event to win, Scottie Scheffler has claimed the Players Championship title in the past two years and could become the first man ever to win three in a row.
- Only the great Jack Nicklaus managed to win three of these – claiming three of the first five editions before it moved permanently to Sawgrass.
- Tiger Woods won it twice, not consecutively, so Scheffler has already achieved something the great man never managed – but can he create tournament history and claim three in a row?
Image source, Getty Images
- With the Players Championship being the flagship event on the PGA Tour, the prize money is reflective of that status – with a whopping $25m (£19.3m) prize fund on offer this week.
- The champion will pocket a massive $4.5m (£3.5m), which is a lot more than any of the majors handed out last season as only the US Open first prize eclipsed the $4m mark.
- The winner also gets the new gold trophy that was introduced in 2019 plus a five-year exemption on the PGA Tour and a ticket to all four majors for the next three years.
- Justin Thomas: “That was one of the best rounds I have played for sure and I putted the ball beautifully as well.
- “I am just happy I have a tee time [on Saturday]. I was losing to everybody who was playing golf at one point [on Thursday]. I haven’t done a great job this year when I’ve got it going, of keeping it going. I start to get a little defensive, which is not me.
- “Even this week when I do get it going I am keeping it going. I am playing really well otherwise I would not have been that many under par.”
Image source, Getty Images
- Justin Thomas equalled the course record with a stunning 10-under par 62 to get himself back into contention in the second round of The Players Championship in Florida.
- It represented a remarkable turnaround from Thomas, who carded a six-over 78 in his opening round and began Friday just hoping to make the cut.
- The 31-year-old American became the first player to ever register 11 birdies in a single round at the PGA Tour’s flagship event as he equalled the mark set by Tom Hoge, two years ago, when he was in the pairing with his compatriot.
- Thomas’ 16-stroke improvement from the first to the second round was also the largest in the history of the tournament and lifted him 104 places on the leaderboard.
Image source, Getty Images
- Welcome golf fans to live coverage from the third round of the Players Championship at the iconic TPC Sawgrass.
- It’s the flagship event of the PGA Tour with a top field taking on this incredible Stadium Course at Sawgrass in what today could be increasingly testing conditions.
- We’ve already seen Jordan Spieth doing Jordan Spieth things, Justin Thomas producing a stunning response after a poor start and Rory McIlroy well in the mix.
- So get comfortable and prepare for some thrills and spills as this is going to be a great test of golf coming up…
