CNN
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American golfer J.J. Spaun signed off with a spectacular long-range putt to take a one shot lead into what will be an uncustomary early final round of The Players Championship, as the threat of severe storms led tournament organizers in Florida to push Sunday’s start time forward.
As heavy winds buffeted the field at TPC Sawgrass on Saturday, knocking back an exasperated Scottie Scheffler’s hopes of a historic three-peat, world No. 57 Spaun carded an impressive third round two-under 70 to edge closer to what would be the biggest win of his career at the PGA Tour’s flagship event.
The 34-year-old will tee off for his final round alongside compatriot Bud Cauley, one stroke behind after a blistering 66, and Lucas Glover at the earlier start time of 10:01 a.m. ET (2 p.m. GMT) due to the forecast of inclement weather in Ponte Vedra Beach on Sunday afternoon.
Violent tornadoes have raked across the Midwest and South of the US as part of a major storm since Friday that has left at least 31 dead. A significant cold front is expected to reach Northeast Florida on Sunday afternoon, the PGA Tour said in a statement Saturday, adding that storms are forecasted to arrive between 3 and 5 p.m. ET.
With the first players scheduled to head out at 8 a.m, groups will play in threesomes and from both the 1st and 10th tees. Traditionally, the final round would see golfers compete in groups of two and all begin from the 1st hole at a later time. For example, last year saw the first and last pairings tee off at 11:35 a.m. and 5:40 p.m. respectively.
The format has been adjusted in a bid to avoid a Monday finish, said the PGA Tour. The last time that occurred at the event was in 2022, when severe weather delays left all 71 players in the field still needing to finish their third rounds on Monday morning.
Despite having just one PGA Tour title to his name, Spaun has played with the assuredness of a serial winner to take a slender advantage into the final round.
The 34-year-old Californian raced out of the blocks to card 66 and 68 before delivering a composed 70 amid the elements Saturday, rebounding brilliantly after a series of late setbacks threatened to derail his bid.
After his par-saving attempt at the penultimate hole came up agonizingly short, the Californian looked in danger of unraveling as he sent his 18th tee drive skewing into the rough. Eventually left needing to convert from almost 25 feet to avoid another bogey, Spaun knocked a fizzing putt that rolled precariously around the cup before dropping in.
Having finished runner-up at the Cognizant Classic earlier this month, Spaun believes he is more than capable of pulling off a shock victory that would secure him a $4.5 million cut of a $25 million prize purse.
“I’ve been playing really well this year, so I can’t say I’m particularly too surprised, but I’m definitely glad to be in a position to have a chance to win the golf tournament tomorrow,” he told reporters.
“I’m sure people have their opinions or doubts, but I’m playing good, and as long as I believe that I can win this thing, that’s all I really care about,” he added later.
“I don’t really care what other people are thinking or predicting how the outcome will be tomorrow.”
World No. 251 Cauley would be an even more unlikely champion, especially in the context of a serious 2018 car accident that sidelined the Florida native for over three years due to various injuries and subsequent complications.
The 34-year-old’s appearance at the Phoenix Open in February 2024 marked his first competition on the PGA Tour since September 2020. Throughout his regular appearances since – as well rounds of 68, 71 and 66 this week – Cauley is just enjoying every shot.
“I thought the car accident was life altering, and then we had a couple kids and that was really life altering,” Cauley said Saturday.
“It (the car accident) makes you appreciate things a lot more, as far as even my golf goes, it does put that in perspective. When I do have bad days, it’s not the end of the world. Just come out and try again tomorrow.”
American duo Glover and Alex Smalley sit three shots behind Spaun at nine-under par overall, one stroke ahead of compatriot Akshay Bhatia, Canada’s Corey Conners and Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy.
It puts McIlroy within striking distance of a second Players title despite a frustrating third round one-over 73 that left the world No. 2 to lament some sloppy play in the short game that contributed to four bogeys.
“I feel like I played better than I scored,” McIlroy told reporters. “All the bogeys I made were really soft. Three-putt on 5. Sort of made a mess of 12, three-putted 13, three-putted 17.”
“I just made a few too many mistakes around the greens … If I can tidy that up tomorrow, I feel like I’ll have a really good chance.”
Yet McIlroy’s frustrations paled in comparison to world No. 1 Scheffler, who cut an aggravated figure at various points during the day as he shot an even-par 72.
Though a seven shot gap to leader Spaun is more than closable for a mercurial talent chasing an unprecedented third consecutive Players crown, Scheffler – typically unflappable – looked uncharacteristically vexed after issues with the strong winds and putting.
The two-time major champion had been two under for the round before an error-strewn bogey at the 16th that left him audibly groaning about the wind was compounded by a bogey three-putt on the penultimate hole’s island green.
After retrieving his ball and launching it into the water, Scheffler turned to tossing his club into his bag after sending his approach at the 18th sailing over the green,
“I’ve never seen Scottie Scheffler lose his composure as much as he has today,” said BBC golf correspondent Iain Carter.
On his return to the clubhouse, Scheffler – who tees off at 8:55 a.m. Sunday – said it was important to “let off a little bit of steam” on occasion.
“It’s just one of those deals where it’s challenging with the wind, and maybe I was a touch off out there and it exaggerated some of those misses or maybe the winds were that gusty and stuff happened,” he said, adding that he had played in worse winds at TPC Sawgrass.
“But at the end of the day, put up a good fight. Just looking to just get off to a better start tomorrow and hopefully make some stuff happen.”
