Scheffler takes a two-shot lead among low-scoring players

America’s Scottie Scheffler shagged the last hole to complete a 65-under par and go two shots ahead into the final round of Sunday’s Players Championship.

With Spain world number one Jon Rahm withdrawn from the tournament due to illness and number three Rory McIlroy missing the cut, Scheffler, who is under 14, reclaims world number one with a top five result at TPC Sawgrass.

He faces an international challenge, however, with Australia’s Min Woo Lee at 12-under after a carding of 66 and compatriot Cam Davis a further two shots behind.

The English pair of Tommy Fleetwood and Aaron Rai are tied in fourth place, five strokes behind Scheffler, along with South African Christiaan Bezuidenhout and American Chad Ramey, the 18-hole leader.

Rai made a hole-in-one on the par-3 17th with his famous island green, followed by Hayden Buckley, who also attacked the famous hole on the opening round.

American Tom Hoge set a new course record with his 62 round and is six strokes off the lead after carding 78 in the first round.

But a sixth tournament win in 13 months is Scheffler’s sights after he got off to a flying start with a birdie on the first, followed by an eagle on the par-five third, where he potted a 61-yard chip shot.

A bogey on the par 4 seventh was the only blemish for the man who travels to Augusta next month as the defending champion.

“I played really well today. I got off to a good start, which is always good. I kept it going from there, got a lot of looks. A good ending too,” he said.

– Harder test –

It was the lowest third-round field result since the players switched to Sawgrass in 1982, with 15 players shooting 67 or better, but Scheffler expects a tougher test Sunday.

“I think the conditions are going to be quite difficult. From what I’ve seen there will be quite gusty winds tomorrow afternoon so it should be a good challenge,” he said.

Lee had a sensational start to his round, first making an eagle on the par 4, potting from 112 yards before sinking a 34-yard putt to birdie on the fourth.

The story goes on

The 24-year-old from Perth made four more birdies before ending slightly sour on the 18th with a bogey that saw him miss a 7-foot par putt.

The Sawgrass crowd warmed him up with “Woo” chants that blared across the court.

“It was an amazing, amazing day. Just come at 5 and 6pm and hear the crowd and that’s all I ask. Yeah, I just had a lot of fun,” he said.

“It’s really special to get that vocal. I had the same thing at the Aussie PGA last year. It’s even cooler here on the 17th in Sawgrass; You can not ask for more.

“I love playing in front of audiences and I love entertaining them. So I hope they had a good show today and I hope I can do it again tomorrow.”

Hoge had started his day finishing the delayed second round and fighting for the cut by saying he booked a flight home after opening ’78.

But his course record of 10 under 62 forced a change of plan as he raced up the rankings.

“It was nice to cancel a few flights,” he said. “I didn’t even know it was a course record until we finished in the classification (hut).

“Today would be the day you would do it if you were out here because it was soft and little wind so you felt like you could birdie and keep trying to birdie. So you just felt lucky and tried to take advantage of it the best I could.”

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