Ludvig Åberg took a three-shot lead heading into the final round at The Players as Cam Young and Matt Fitzpatrick were left to rue costly finishes at TPC Sawgrass.
Åberg started the weekend with a two-stroke advantage after shooting an incredible second-round 63, including a record-setting front nine. The two-time PGA Tour winner never left first place on Saturday despite playing the first eight holes one over.
Birdies and eagles on the next two par 5s gave Åberg control, and a bogey at the end put him comfortably ahead of Michael Thorbjornsen, who debuted at 13 under par with a 1-under 71.
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Justin Thomas had a triple bogey 7 in the third round of The Players.
Young held on to a solo second place until a double bogey on the final hole dropped him to 9 under par, while Fitzpatrick also finished the third round with six shots to move into a tie for fourth with Xander Schauffele, Brian Harman, Viktor Hovland, Justin Thomas and Corey Conners.
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler went from stuttering into the weekend with a bogey-free 67 to move to 4-under par, while defending champion Rory McIlroy shot a level-par 72 to move to 1-over par.
How Åberg built a big lead at The Players
Åberg started the third round slowly, giving his pursuers some early hope. He failed to capitalize on the par-5 second round and made bogey in the fourth after making a layup in thick rough.
Thorbjornsen closed within one after following up the front nine’s 33rd with an eagle on the par-5 11th, and Jacob Bridgeman did the same on the 32nd, but both bogeyed the next hole and saw Åberg clear by three with a 7-foot birdie on the ninth.
Ludvig Åberg is looking to win The Players for the first time.
Fitzpatrick was two-back to Åberg when the Swede rolled in a 20-foot eagle on the par-5 11th to take a four-point lead, while Young was outright second after exploiting the same hole and sinking a 45-foot birdie on the 13th.
Åberg hit a series of pars on the back nine and saw his lead increase when Young found water off the tee, canceling out a spectacular birdie on the par-3 17th and leading to a double bogey, dropping him back to 9 under.
Åberg was playing alongside Xander Schauffele in the final group.
Thorbjornsen’s back-to-back gains on the 16th hole took him into solo second place after canceling two bogeys on the back nine, lifting him to 10 under par, while Åberg made the advantage cut when he finished his round with a three-putt bogey.
“I made a few mistakes early on, but I birdied well and it felt good to have a birdie on the ninth,” said Åberg. sky sports. “I didn’t feel like I had my best stuff today, but overall I was happy with how I got it and put the ball in the hole.”
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Ludvig Åberg recalls shooting a 1-under-par 71 in his third round at The Players.
“Sawgrass is about execution. If you hit the fairway and hit your shot, you’ll get a lot of chances, and if you don’t, you’ll get punished. That’s the kind of golf I really like. I love tournaments with this big feel. Tomorrow will be a challenge, but I’m looking forward to it.”
Åberg is seeking his third PGA Tour title and first since the 2025 Genesis Invitational. The 26-year-old is looking to become the first player since McIlroy in 2019 to take the 36-hole lead at The Players and win the title.
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Rory McIlroy found water twice in the third round for The Players. The defending champion shot a level par 72.
Scotland’s Bob MacIntyre jumped into the top 10 with a day-long 65, while Scheffler rose 25 spots up the leaderboard after recording five birdies with a much-improved, unblemished card.
McIlroy failed to build momentum in his third round of title defense and was unable to match Scheffler’s rise to the top of the standings. Here he mixed three birdies and as many bogeys in another disappointing performance.
Who will win The Players? Watch the final round live on Sky Sports Golf from 1pm on Sunday with featured groups, featured holes and bonus coverage on Sky Sports+. Access or stream Sky Sports with no contract.
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