Players Championship 2024: 3 Instant Reactions to Saturday Leaderboard Scores
The Players Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass has been zero match for the PGA Tour's best this week as the game's elite have posted low scores over three days in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.
After three days, Xander Schauffele leads a crowded leaderboard at 17-under, aided by his second seven-under 65 of the tournament.
He's one stroke ahead of reigning U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark, who grinded to a two-under 70 after carding two seven-under 65 marks of his own to start his week.
Neither can rest well. No golfer is hotter than reigning Open champion Brian Harman, who is third at 15-under after posting 65 and 64 over the past two days.
Maverick McNealy and Matt Fitzpatrick are in the mix at 13-under, but then World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler isn't done yet, sitting tied for sixth at 12-under alongside Saheeth Theegala, who got there courtesy of a back-nine 31.
One more day of competition remains. Here's a look at three instant reactions following Saturday's play.
Schauffele and Clark Trade Places
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Schauffele and Clark sit fourth and fifth on the Official World Golf Rankings, respectively, and their pairing was obviously Saturday's main event as the two teed off last.
Clark entered Saturday at 14-under, four strokes against of second-place Schauffele. However, this ended up being Schauffele's day. He finished a bogey-less day with seven birdies, including one on three of the course's four par-five holes.
His putter and short game were cooperative, perhaps none more than when he made a 58-footer on the par-four 14th to move to seven-under on the day.
Meanwhile, this was a rough day for Clark off the tee, where he lost a full stroke to the field. He found the water on the 12th and 17th holes on the back nine. Clark was able to save par in the latter instance, but doing so on the infamous 17th with its island green is near-impossible. Still, he was impressively able to make bogey.
Ultimately, this day could have been a lot worse for Clark, who started well at two under through seven holes before going even par on the last 11. His scorching-hot putter (No. 1 in strokes gained in the field) should keep him in the mix Sunday.
Brian Harman Stays Hot
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Brian Harman has been a machine for two days. He's finding fairways and greens and holding a molten-hot putter right now, and that's led to a 15-under result over two days.
It's a remarkable result for a player who began Friday right at even par, one stroke below the cut line. No cut sweats have been needed for Harman, though, as he's been the best golfer in the world for the past 48 hours.
As for Saturday, Harman finished with nine birdies, thanks largely to a fantastic approach game (16-of-18 in greens in regulation). He also ended No. 1 on the day in strokes gained putting. The only blemish was a bogey on the par-five ninth, when he hit his tee shot into the trees and needed two shots to get back to the fairway.
After the round, Theegala told reporters in his press conference that Harman "one of the most impressive golfers" he's seen in his life, adding that he's a "striper."
At the moment, Harman looks invincible, and if he keeps the hot streak up for one more day, it's hard seeing him leaving town without a trophy.
Despite Neck Injury, Scottie Scheffler Still Lurks
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Another week, another tournament where the World No. 1 is lurking at or near the top of the leaderboard.
This week is remarkably impressive though for Scheffler, who has dealt with a neck injury that appeared early in his second-round outing on Friday. Scheffler had work done on his neck and shoulders during that round, and he was still clearly bothered Saturday.
And yet despite this, Scheffler is in contention, a remarkable feat.
"I know there's been a lot of talk about Scheffler's record-setting ballstriking numbers from last year, but the fact that he's 3rd in driving accuracy and 8th in greens hit this week while dealing with incredible pain in his backswing is more impressive than all of those," Sean Martin of the PGA Tour wrote.
Scheffler has some work to do to make up five strokes and surpass the five golfers ahead of him, but he can certainly get this done.
He's played very well over three days, posting 67-69-68 for his 12-under through Saturday. The reigning Players champion is just one of six golfers who has posted three rounds under 70
The only difference between him and those in better contention right now is that he hasn't had that one round where everything comes together for that super-low score.
He's third in the field in strokes gained off-the-tee and tied for eighth in greens in regulation, but the putter has been a mixed bag (40th in strokes gained for the week). Scheffler had makable putts of eight and seven feet for birdie on the fourth an 15th holes, respectively, but he missed both. He also had putts of 11 and 13 feet on the par-five ninth and 11th holes for birdie but missed those as well.
Have no fear, though, as Scheffler caught fire down the stretch, posting birdies on the final three holes to launch himself into contention. If he parlays that momentum into Sunday, watch out.
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