Xander Schauffele moves into PGA Players Championship lead

Xander Schauffele erased a four-shot deficit and moved into the lead of the PGA Players Championship on Saturday.


Schauffele made no bogeys and capped his round of 65 (minus 7) with a superb approach to save par.

Wyndham Clark, the U.S. Open champion, held a four-shot lead entering the third round, but is now one stroke behind Schauffele.

The two players were tied before hitting the tee for the spectacular 17e hole on the TPC Sawgrass course. Clark hit his ball into the water, but escaped with a bogey and eventually brought home a 70.

For a while, it looked like the tournament was Clark and Schauffele’s game, but the scorecards have been pretty low, leaving several golfers still in the running.

Schauffele has a cumulative score of minus-17.

Brian Harman, the British Open champion, bogeyed the ninth hole, but then made five birdies on the back nine and shot 64. He found himself alone in third place, at 15 under.

Maverick McNealy (68) and Matt Fitzpatrick (68) share fourth place, four shots behind the leader.

Scottie Scheffler, the world number one, maintained his chances of becoming the first golfer in 50 years to win this tournament two years in a row. He signed a card of 68 to be in sixth position alongside Sahith Theegala (67), at 12 under.

Canadians Corey Conners and Nick Taylor fell out of the top 10 on Saturday. Conners completed the course in 73 strokes and slipped to a tie at 24e rank, while Taylor shot 76 to join five other golfers tied at 29e step.

Their compatriot Mackenzie Hughes (69) took the opposite route, moving from 55e at 44e position.


source site-62