The Players Championship: J.J. Spaun takes 1-shot lead over Bud Cauley into final round; Rory McIlroy 4 shots back
J.J. Spaun leads The Players Championship after Day 3 at 12-under. He shot a 70 for the day in tough, windy conditions at TPC Sawgrass.
Spaun goes into the final round with a one-shot lead over Bud Cauley, who's begins on Sunday at 11-under. He maintained his lead by sinking a 25-foot putt for par on the 18th hole.
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Winning only one Tour event during his career, Spaun says he'll go into Sunday feeling like he has nothing to lose.
"Just address it as another round," he said to Sky Sports afterwards. "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."
J.J. Spaun curls it in for par on 18 to retain his lead! 🔥
— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) March 15, 2025
📺 NBC & Peacock | #THEPLAYERSpic.twitter.com/GaVrgIMb4z
Lucas Glover and Alex Smalley are tied for third at -9 after shooting a 71 and 72 in the third round, respectively. Rory McIlroy finished Saturday in a three-way tie for fifth place at -8 along with Corey Connors and Akshay Bhatia. Despite struggling to a 73, McIlroy is still in contention for his second Players Championship title.
Windy conditions flustered several players. Defending champion Scottie Scheffler struggled against the breeze blowing across the green, showing his frustration by throwing a ball in the water and his club at his bag at various points. He shot even at 72, bogeying two of his last three holes and finishing the day tied for 16th at -5.
Another player flustered by his play and the conditions was Will Zalatoris. He quadruple bogeyed on No. 14 and fell from 11-under, where he began the day. Zalatoris is tied for 33rd with 11 others, including Jordan Spieth, at 2-under.
A costly quad for Will Zalatoris at the treacherous new 14th hole.
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 15, 2025
T2 to T9 in an instant. pic.twitter.com/zzH6nYS7mm
Besides Scheffler and Zalatoris expressing their exasperation, the definitive portrait in aggravation probably came from Billy Horschel.
"I have no god-honest control of my golf swing," he said on NBC. "I don't know where the golf ball is going, so I'm trying to get into the house as fast as I can."
Some real honesty from @BillyHo_Golf mid-round 😅 pic.twitter.com/pFUlj2mBPP
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 15, 2025
And that was before Horschel hit a ball into the water off the famous island green at No. 17. He finished tied for 44th with Matt Kuchar at -1.
One more who had a tough day was Collin Morikawa, who carded eight bogeys in the third round on his way to a 77. That left him tied for 22nd with eight other competitors at 4-under.
The PGA Tour announced that Sunday's tee times for the final round have been pushed up to begin at 8 a.m. ET due to expected severe weather. Threesomes will tee off from the No. 1 and No. 10 holes. The final group will tee off at 10 a.m. ET and that's when live TV coverage will begin on Golf Channel and Peacock.
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Players Championship: Long par putt by J.J. Spaun preserves a one-shot lead over Bud Cauley
J.J. Spaun drained a 25-foot par putt on the final hole Saturday to preserve his one-shot lead in the third round of The Players Championship.Yahoo Sports - 9h -
J.J. Spaun takes the lead at The Players Championship on windy day that wrecked rounds
J.J. Spaun watched his 25-foot putt swirl 360 degrees around the cup and drop for par, a fitting end to a wild, windy, round-wrecking Saturday at The Players Championship that gave him a one-shot ...Yahoo Sports - 8h -
Spaun leads The Players as McIlroy clings on
Rory McIlroy is four shots back from unheralded American JJ Spaun at The Players Championship going into the final round.BBC News - 8h -
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Bud Cauley enters the final round of The Players Championship in second place after shooting a 6-under 66 Saturday. He is one shot behind J.J. Spaun.Yahoo Sports - 1h -
Camilo Villegas among trio of co-leaders with Rory McIlroy one back at The Players
Villegas, J.J. Spaun and Lucas Glover all shot 6-under 66 to share the Day 1 lead at The Players Championship.Yahoo Sports - 2d -
The Players Championship first and second round tee times, how to watch: Scottie Scheffler eyeing three-peat at TPC Sawgrass
Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy and Xander Schauffele will be paired up for the first two rounds this week in Florida.Yahoo Sports - 5d -
J.J. Spaun leads Players Championship as winds whip field Saturday at TPC Sawgrass
With gusts up to 30 mph, Spaun shot 2-under 70 to take a one-shot lead into the final round, where TV and tee times have been moved up.Yahoo Sports - 8h -
Spaun leads by 1 as wind wreaks havoc at Players
J.J. Spaun watched his 25-foot putt swirl 360 degrees around the cup and drop for par, a fitting end to a wild, windy Saturday at the Players Championship that gave him a one-shot lead going into ...ESPN - 4h -
The Players Championship final round tee times, how to watch: J.J. Spaun takes solo lead entering Sunday at TPC Sawgrass
J.J. Spaun is 18 holes away from what would be the biggest win of his career.Yahoo Sports - 8h
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