Xander Schauffele came through a third-round tussle with Wyndham Clark to take a one-shot lead into the final day of The Players, with Matt Fitzpatrick and Scottie Scheffler among the chasing pack.
Schauffele overturned a four-stroke deficit during a thrilling battle with his Ryder Cup teammate, carding seven birdies in a bogey-free 65 to move to 17 under and one ahead of the reigning US Open champion.
Brian Harman holds third on 15 under after a brilliant birdie run while Maverick McNealy is a further two strokes back alongside Fitzpatrick, who birdied four of his last five holes to post a four-under 68 and get within four of the lead.
World No 1 Scheffler continued to battle a neck injury but birdied his last three holes to post a four-under 68, leaving him five behind as he looks to become the first back-to-back winner of The Players, while McIlroy produced the same finish to card a third-round 69 and head into the final day on nine under.
Americans take centre stage at Sawgrass
Clark produced an incredible recovery from the rough to birdie the first, which briefly put him five clear when Schauffele failed to convert from four feet, only for his playing partner to respond to take advantage of the par-five next.
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Wyndham Clark continues his superb form with a brilliant shot out the rough on the first hole at TPC Sawgrass before sinking the birdie putt
Schauffele holed from 10 feet at the fourth and made a 15-foot birdie at the sixth to get within two, while Clark saw a birdie at the seventh cancelled out by a dropped shot at the par-three next and then missed a five-foot birdie chance at the ninth.
Harman birdied four of his first eight holes and responded to bogeying the par-five ninth, having found trees off the tee, to open his back nine with successive birdies to close within three of the lead.
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Schauffele birdied the ninth to get within one of Clark at the turn, while Harman converted back-to-back birdies from the 13th to go seven under for his round and join the Olympic gold medallist just one off the lead.
Clark joined Schauffele in birdieing the par-five 11th but scrambled a par at the driveable par-four next after finding water off the tee, allowing Schauffele to level when he made a 10-footer, as Harman picked up a shot at the par-five 16th to move within one.
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Xander Schauffele holed a huge putt on the par four 14th hole at TPC Sawgrass to take the outright lead at The Players Championship
Schauffele moved ahead for the first time when he nailed a monster birdie at the par-four 14th, converting from nearly 60 feet, but a par at the 16th allowed Clark to pull level again on 17 under with a birdie.
Clark then chunked his tee shot at the par-three 17th at the water and salvaged an impressive bogey, as Schauffele moved ahead with a par before closing a bogey-free round with a stunning up and down from the rough at the last.
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Wyndham Clark found the water at the iconic 17th hole at TPC Sawgrass after fatting his shot, he’d recover to make bogey
“All in all, it was a bit of a grind,” Schauffele said. “Wind was swirling a little bit for both of us, for everyone out there on the back nine. Just was happy to stay in it and move on moving day.
Who else impressed?
Schauffele is one clear of Clark, who posted a two-under 70 as he looks to win for the fourth time in 10 months, with Harman charging into third with a round-of-the-day 64 and Maverick matching Fitzpatrick’s 68 to head into the final day tied-fourth.
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Xander Schauffele claims winning The Players Championship would mean the world to him as he shot a seven under to take the 54 hole lead at TPC Sawgrass
Speaking about the dropped shot at the 17th, Clark said: “It’s massive. It’s unfortunate on a hole that’s so iconic and has a bunch of trouble to have kind of your worst swing of the day. I followed it with a great swing and a great putt. I’m in the final group tomorrow, which is huge. I’m hoping that’s a huge point in the tournament.”
Scheffler shares sixth with Sahith Theegala, who played a three-hole stretch in four under on his back nine, while Hideki Matsuyama is in tied-ninth with Taylor Montgomery and JT Poston.
McIlroy struggled with his approach play for the second successive day but recovered from a double-bogey on his 14th to birdie each of his last three holes, holing from 20 feet at the last to get within eight of the lead and move into the group tied-12th.
Who will win The Players? Watch the final round live on Sunday from 2pm on Sky Sports Golf, with a host of extra feeds available via the red button. Stream the PGA Tour and more with NOW.
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