The Fort Worth Press - Spaun clings to one-stroke Players lead with McIlroy four back

USD -
AED 3.672702
AFN 70.474628
ALL 90.875032
AMD 392.339781
ANG 1.802809
AOA 914.999986
ARS 1067.55171
AUD 1.566796
AWG 1.8025
AZN 1.705356
BAM 1.794534
BBD 2.019718
BDT 121.536873
BGN 1.790655
BHD 0.376731
BIF 2915.5
BMD 1
BND 1.332
BOB 6.911865
BRL 5.682799
BSD 1.000317
BTN 86.853357
BWP 13.600829
BYN 3.273631
BYR 19600
BZD 2.009341
CAD 1.42905
CDF 2874.999796
CHF 0.880801
CLF 0.023987
CLP 920.50636
CNY 7.233202
CNH 7.227205
COP 4072.5
CRC 498.956302
CUC 1
CUP 26.5
CVE 101.406089
CZK 22.932798
DJF 177.719865
DKK 6.831715
DOP 62.862111
DZD 133.471025
EGP 50.514989
ERN 15
ETB 129.000026
EUR 0.91575
FJD 2.306903
FKP 0.772807
GBP 0.76955
GEL 2.785053
GGP 0.772807
GHS 15.442628
GIP 0.772807
GMD 71.491246
GNF 8681.521872
GTQ 7.704334
GYD 208.983874
HKD 7.769735
HNL 25.633759
HRK 6.8977
HTG 133.082964
HUF 366.757803
IDR 16365.153292
ILS 3.639115
IMP 0.772807
INR 86.949253
IQD 1310.371863
IRR 42002.616039
ISK 133.993688
JEP 0.772807
JMD 156.511217
JOD 0.709008
JPY 149.20015
KES 129.702938
KGS 87.450009
KHR 4000.792835
KMF 452.166893
KPW 900
KRW 1451.538345
KWD 0.308081
KYD 0.820005
KZT 501.874734
LAK 21673.796803
LBP 90370.436087
LKR 295.334135
LRD 199.166194
LSL 18.167609
LTL 2.95274
LVL 0.60489
LYD 4.812801
MAD 9.687262
MDL 17.770017
MGA 4674.731518
MKD 56.37001
MMK 2099.984052
MNT 3472.481905
MOP 8.006124
MRU 39.926126
MUR 44.958647
MVR 15.46
MWK 1733.328504
MXN 19.943979
MYR 4.446102
MZN 63.639411
NAD 18.167609
NGN 1547.722953
NIO 36.624409
NOK 10.553095
NPR 139.184017
NZD 1.719247
OMR 0.384994
PAB 1
PEN 3.658308
PGK 4.061712
PHP 57.260464
PKR 280.090389
PLN 3.828826
PYG 7990.336833
QAR 3.639958
RON 4.572641
RSD 107.724204
RUB 85.499741
RWF 1404.777444
SAR 3.750029
SBD 8.499789
SCR 14.92221
SDG 598.962615
SEK 10.090575
SGD 1.333696
SHP 0.785843
SLE 22.824997
SLL 20969.501083
SOS 571.789733
SRD 36.319975
STD 20697.981008
SVC 8.750172
SYP 13001.94068
SZL 18.167609
THB 33.538249
TJS 10.937394
TMT 3.500179
TND 3.077978
TOP 2.403818
TRY 36.6462
TTD 6.808822
TWD 32.972358
TZS 2629.952657
UAH 41.623311
UGX 3665.572886
UYU 42.588349
UZS 12938.153443
VES 66.275499
VND 25504.999004
VUV 122.957433
WST 2.818496
XAF 602.88919
XAG 0.02953
XAU 0.000333
XCD 2.7
XDR 0.750475
XOF 602.88919
XPF 109.677643
YER 248.484335
ZAR 18.085021
ZMK 9001.196166
ZMW 28.73323
ZWL 321.999592
  • RBGPF

    -0.4100

    66.02

    -0.62%

  • RYCEF

    0.1000

    10.45

    +0.96%

  • CMSC

    0.1100

    23.33

    +0.47%

  • NGG

    0.9300

    64.14

    +1.45%

  • SCS

    0.0200

    11.01

    +0.18%

  • CMSD

    0.1900

    23.54

    +0.81%

  • GSK

    0.7600

    40.25

    +1.89%

  • RELX

    0.6700

    49.6

    +1.35%

  • RIO

    0.4300

    63.47

    +0.68%

  • AZN

    -0.2300

    77.37

    -0.3%

  • BTI

    0.4800

    41.84

    +1.15%

  • VOD

    0.3100

    9.86

    +3.14%

  • JRI

    0.1700

    13

    +1.31%

  • BCE

    0.2300

    23.7

    +0.97%

  • BCC

    0.6500

    100

    +0.65%

  • BP

    0.3700

    33.76

    +1.1%

Spaun clings to one-stroke Players lead with McIlroy four back
Spaun clings to one-stroke Players lead with McIlroy four back / Photo: © GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP

Spaun clings to one-stroke Players lead with McIlroy four back

J.J. Spaun sank a dramatic 25-foot par putt at the 18th hole to grab a one-stroke lead after Saturday's blustery third round of the PGA Players Championship.

Text size:

The 34-year-old American, seeking his second PGA Tour triumph, battled through brutal winds to fire a two-under par 70 to stand on 12-under 204 after 54 holes at TPC Sawgrass.

"It was a definite grind today with these conditions around an already difficult course," Spaun said. "I knew I just didn't want to let my mental game get the best of me and I knew I had to stay patient.

"I knew I had to take my chances when they came and it paid off."

After sinking a 29-foot putt from off the green to birdie the par-5 16th, Spaun made bogey at the par-3 17th island hole and appeared set to close with back-to-back bogeys.

But his long par effort at the 18th rolled around the edge of the hole and fell in to leave him ahead of compatriot Bud Cauley.

"Huge," Spaun said. "It was a tough little wedge shot in there. I had a good line. All I had to do was get the speed right. Kind of hooked in there. It was nice."

Cauley, seeking his first PGA title, fired a 66 with seven birdies and an eagle to stand on 205.

"It was tough," Cauley said. "Seemed like every hole was a challenge with the wind and just trying to somehow get it on the fairway and get it on the green and roll in a putt."

Lucas Glover, the 2009 US Open champion, and fellow American Alex Smalley shared third on 207 with second-ranked Rory McIlroy, Canada's Corey Conners sixth and American Akshay Bhatia sharing fifth on 208.

"They slowed the greens down today for obvious reasons and I didn't adjust very well to that," McIlroy said. "I feel like every bogey was really soft. I could have shot something in the 60s.

"I have to at least be encouraged by how I hit it and how I controlled myself around there. I just need to chip and putt better tomorrow."

Whipping winds played havoc with the field, with an average score of 74, while a stormy forecast prompted organizers to schedule Sunday's last round in threesomes off the first and 10th holes with morning tee times.

World number 57 Spaun, whose only PGA title came at the 2022 Texas Open, was a runner-up two weeks ago at the PGA Cognizant Classic.

Spaun sank a four-foot birdie putt at the par-5 second hole and rolled in a 27-foot birdie putt at the par-3 third before missing the green with his approach on his way to a bogey at the fourth.

Spaun two-putted for birdie from 39 feet at the par-5 ninth to grab the solo lead at 12-under, then added a six-foot birdie putt at the par-4 12th to seize a two-stroke edge.

After finding left trees off the tee for a bogey at 15, Spaun answered with dramatic birdies on two of the last three holes.

"Just playing in a lot of events recently that have been really tough conditions kind of mentally and technically prepared me for what today was bringing," Spaun said.

"Relied on those past experiences to carry me through the day."

- 'Would be amazing' -

On the eve of his 35th birthday, Cauley sank a 15-foot birdie putt at 17. He also had a 27-foot birdie putt at 15 and a 35-foot eagle chip-in at the par-5 ninth.

Cauley, ranked 251st, has attended the event since he was a child.

"That would be amazing," Cauley said. "I came to this tournament every year growing up and dreamed about playing in it, let alone winning it."

Two-time defending champion Scottie Scheffler, the world number one and reigning Masters champion, fired a 72 to stand on 211.

"It was whipping pretty good most of the day," Scheffler said. "It was definitely very challenging. It was just really tough out there."

Two-time major winner Justin Thomas, who tied the course record with a 62 on Friday, shot 73 to stand on 213.

J.Barnes--TFWP

Advertisement Image