A valiant closing birdie kept Rory McIlroy in the hunt for a second Players Championship crown after tough conditions here at the Stadium Course had seemingly forced the world No 2 out of contention.
With the winds swirling – and the forecast for Sunday so wretched that the organisers of the PGA Tour’s flagship event have moved up the tee-times for the final round – McIlroy was able only to post a one-over 73 to fall back to eight-under.
However, his gallant three on the final hole ensured that the Northern Irishman still has an opportunity of reprising his 2019 glory, as he stands in fifth, four behind pacesetter JJ Spaun.
McIlroy’s hopes of netting the £3.5 million first prize appeared to have been extinguished when he three-putted the 17th for his fourth bogey of the day. Yet he dusted himself down and after splitting the fairway on the demanding par-four, he hit his approach from 156 yards to eight feet before holing the putt.
It was such a welcome manner in which to conclude, particularly as he had been struggling with the putter all day. “I played better than I scored,” he said. “All the bogeys I made were really soft. Three-putt on the fifth, three-putted the 13th, three-putted the 17th. I feel like that’s one of the hardest things. They slowed the greens down today for obvious reasons [because of the wind] and I didn’t adjust very well to that.
“I’m not out of it by any means. The wind is supposed to still be blowing tomorrow, so yeah, it was nice to birdie the last just to get one closer to JJ.”
McIlroy, 35, is right to be confident as he tries to add this piece of silverware to the AT&T Pro-Am he won last month at Pebble Beach. He is the quality performer in the upper echelons of the leaderboard and knows what it will take.
“Look, I could have shot something in the 60s today and I have to at least be encouraged by how I hit it and how I controlled myself,” he said. “I just need to chip and putt better tomorrow. When you’re a bit back, like I am, you’d rather have some testy conditions and if I can tidy up my game on and around the greens tomorrow, I feel like I’ll have a really good chance.”
Playing with McIlroy, Spaun, the world No 57, was courageous in a two-under 70 and is a shot clear of fellow American Bud Cauley, who leapt up the leaderboard courtesy of a 66. There are two shots further back to Lucas Glover and Alex Smalley.
Fitzpatrick’s struggles continue
Scottie Scheffler has a faint sniff of an unprecedented third Players title in succession, the world No 1 shooting a 72 to stand on five-under alongside Scotland’s Bob MacIntyre. Alas, it seems that England’s wait for a first Players Championship title will continue after Tommy Fleetwood’s challenge collapsed with four dropped shots in the last five holes. The world No 10’s 75 caused him to drop back to four-under and outside the top 20.
It could be worse, however – he could be Matt Fitzpatrick, who missed the cut to ensure his miserable season continues. He was in the world’s top 10 a year ago, but has fallen outside the top 60 and needs to quickly turn around his form if he is to play in a fourth Ryder Cup in September.
The 30-year-old has not recorded a top 10 since last May and on Friday responded to this woeful run by parting ways with his famous caddie, Bill Foster.
Foster, 61, revealed that Fitzpatrick told him, “it’s not working” after finishing on six-over. The Yorkshire caddie is now looking for a new bag, with the Masters just three weeks away. In their time together, Fitzpatrick and Foster – who formerly worked for, among others, Seve Ballesteros, Darren Clarke and Lee Westwood – won the 2022 US Open.
“Well, after six great years all good things come to an end,” Foster posted on social media. “This game never stops to frustrate you and infuriate you! Unfortunately times change and ultimately it is the caddie or the coach that has to accept results are not good enough and when you stop enjoying what you are doing, it is time for a change. Thanks Matt, we had a great run and who knows where the next chapter will go. Onwards and upwards.”
