Players Championship 2024: 3 Instant Reactions to Friday Leaderboard Scores
The Players Championship is approximately halfway done and the path to victory has presented itself for Wyndham Clark.
The 30-year-old had a spectacular day at TPC Sawgrass and leads the field at 14-under. Several others, including Xavier Schauffele, Nick Taylor and Rory McIlroy remain within striking distance, but will certainly need some help from Clark to get back in the race.
The round also was not finished, as darkness stopped the final group from finishing.
This didn't impact the scoring too much, as a -1 cut meant that the remaining two players were aiming to avoid the cut.
Justin Thomas, Will Zalatoris and Jordan Spieth were unable to make the cut and their tournaments come to an early end.
Here are some instant reactions from Day 2 and what to watch for over the weekend.
Wyndham Clark Racing Towards a Title
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Wyndham Clark entered Day 2 in a three-way tie for first place. 18 holes later, he left Sawgrass with a significant lead.
He rode a 65 to take a commanding four-stroke lead into the weekend. This was his second straight 65 and he did it in a similar fashion to Thursday, with eight birdies and just a single bogey.
He shot a 35 on the front nine, which kept him among the top, but a 30 on the back nine was what really hoisted him towards the top of the field.
Clark's performance has him tied for the second-best 36-hole score at TPC Sawgrass. He joins some excellent company among those who have had a similar start.
He also hit more than 15 greens in regulation, becoming the first player to do it in consecutive rounds at Sawgrass and only the second player to do it twice at The Players Championship, per Justin Ray of Twenty First Group.
While others will challenge Clark, he just has to keep at a strong pace and steer the course in order to nab his fourth PGA victory.
Matt Fitzpatrick Having Success After Adjustment
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Matt Fitzpatrick remains in contention an nine-under and in a tie for second place. However, the English golfer is probably feeling more relieved at using a lighter driver.
A major storyline around him at this event has been his revelation that he had been playing with a weight in the grip on his driver for over a year, and that he has been feeling a smoother swing since its removal.
Considering the fact that he remains in striking distance of Clark, it's safe to say he is feeling better with a lighter club.
He shot a 34 on the front nine and a 35 on the back for a 69 total on the day. While this wasn't as impressive as his 66 on Thursday, it still allowed him to keep pace and remain alive in the hunt for the championship.
Scottie Scheffler Remains in the Mix for Title Defense
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Scottie Scheffler had a pretty decisive victory in this tournament a year ago, with a 17-under finish that had him five strokes ahead of the competition.
He's not going to have a similar path to victory this year, that is something Clark has through two rounds. However, Scheffler's 69 in the second round has him at eight-under overall and in a tie for sixth place.
He is only two strokes back of second place and six behind Clark. He will also need some help to get there, but with 36 holes remaining before the tournament is final, surely crazier things have happened.
He is aiming to be the first repeat champion in tournament history and the sixth person to win the event multiple times.
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