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By Ali Stafford at TPC Sawgrass
Last Updated: 11/03/23 11:20pm
Scottie Scheffler tops the leaderboard heading into the final round of The Players
Scottie Scheffler moved a big step closer to a return to the top of the world rankings after taking a two-shot lead into the final round of The Players.
Scheffler, who needs a top-five finish to get back to world No 1 after Jon Rahm’s mid-tournament withdrawal and Rory McIlroy’s missed cut, mixed an eagle with six birdies and a lone bogey during a brilliant seven-under 65 at TPC Sawgrass.
The world No 2 heads into the final day on 14 under and in pole position to claim a second PGA Tour title in as many months, following his WM Phoenix Open defence, with Scheffler’s closest challenge coming from Min Woo Lee.
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Scottie Scheffler made a stunning chip-in eagle from the rough early in his third round at TPC Sawgrass
Lee led at various points during a low-scoring Saturday but finished his third-round 66 with a bogey to drop back to 12 under, with compatriot Cam Davis a further two strokes back in third ahead of Aaron Rai, Tommy Fleetwood, Chad Ramey and Christiaan Bezuidenhout.
Rai fired a hole-in-one at the par-three 17th to produce the first birdie-ace-birdie finish in the tournament’s history, while Tom Hoge set a new course record after posting 10 birdies in a brilliant bogey-free 62.
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What a moment as England’s Aaron Rai makes the second hole-in-one of the week on the iconic 17th hole at The Players
How Lee and Scheffler tussled for Sawgrass lead
Scheffler was two strokes off the halfway lead but fired his approach to within three feet at the first and then holed out from the rough at the par-five next, before birdieing the fifth but missing an opportunity from inside five feet for another at the sixth.
Lee jumped within one of the lead after he followed a hole-out eagle at the first with further birdies from the fourth and sixth, with the Australian moving alongside Scheffler when the Masters champion bogeyed the seventh after finding water off the tee.
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Min Woo Lee makes a sublime start to the third round as he holes out for an eagle from 112 yards!
Scheffler responded by birdieing the next and joined his closest challenger – playing in the group ahead – in taking advantage of the par-five ninth to reach the turn one ahead, with Lee starting his back nine by holing a 15-footer to save par to remain at 11 under.
Lee edged ahead when he made a 20-foot birdie at the 11th and added another from close range at the driveable next, with the 24-year-old remaining in top spot until Scheffler left himself a tap-in birdie at the par-five 16th.
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Scheffler squandered a glorious birdie look from inside eight feet at the par-three 17th but jumped ahead when Lee lipped out with his par-save attempt at the last, with the 26-year-old then signing off his round with a birdie to double his advantage going into Sunday’s final round.
A birdie-birdie finish from Davis saw the Australian post a five-under 67 and jump into solo third, while Rai’s ace was the second of the week at the par-three 17th and followed Hayden Buckley’s effort during the opening round.
Who will win The Players? Watch the final round live on Sky Sports. Live coverage of featured groups, featured holes and bonus groups begin behind the red button, with full coverage on Sky Sports Golf from 2pm.
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