PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — Well, would you have a look at who’s leading The Players Championship?
Surprise, surprise. Scottie Scheffler is atop the leaderboard entering the ultimate round Sunday at TPC Sawgrass.
Scheffler, who was born in Bergen County, N.J., then grew up within the Dallas area, has spent the higher a part of two years lurking around PGA Tour leads, winning five times for the reason that starting of the 2021-22 season, a run that features the 2022 Masters.
And he looks so damned comfortable in contention, like he belongs.
“I feel very comfortable,’’ Scheffler said after seizing the tournament lead with birdies on two of his final three holes to shut out a 7-under 65 and take a two-shot lead over Min Woo Lee entering the ultimate round. “[I’ve] put in quite a lot of labor over time, and it’s been a blessing to see so many results. It’s been quite a lot of fun. [I’m] hoping to proceed that going into tomorrow.’’
If Scheffler closes this thing out, it’ll be the second-biggest win of his profession and it’ll vault him back to No. 1 on the planet rankings, overtaking Jon Rahm, who withdrew from The Players on Friday with a stomach illness.
“I’m at all times hopeful to play well,’’ Scheffler said. “I prepare to be in these moments. I prepare to return out here and play well. So, after I’m at home preparing for tournaments, I’m hopeful that I’m going to be on this position, and I’ve been fortunate to this point this 12 months that the labor is constant to repay.’’
Scheffler’s 14-under leads Lee at 12-under, Cam Davis at 10-under and Tommy Fleetwood, Aaron Rai, Chad Ramey and Christiaan Bezuidenhout at 9-under.
Scheffler needs a finish of top-5 or higher to return to No. 1. That, he said, shall be the furthest thing from his mind entering Sunday.
“I believe the rating is just an algorithm,’’ he said. “I might much relatively win the tournament than get back to No. 1 on the planet. So, that shall be my focus going into tomorrow — just going out and having a solid round of golf, and the rankings shall be the rankings. I’m going to go on the market tomorrow and take a look at and win the golf tournament.
“I’ve been on quite a lot of leaderboards. It’s quite a lot of more fun being within the lead than it’s being in twentieth going into today and shooting 2-under and ending thirtieth or whatever it’s. It’s so much more fun being in the sector and being within the moment.’’
There are few who look more relaxed within the pressure of the moment than Scheffler.
Lee, a 24-year-old Australian, looked comfortable playing in his first Players Championship. He eagled his first hole of the day en path to a 31 on the front nine, and his round was with out a blemish until he bogeyed the 18th hole to fall out of a tie for the lead.
Scheffler, playing within the group behind Lee, followed that with a birdie on 18 to increase his result in two shots. He and Lee shall be paired Sunday in the ultimate group, something Lee said he’s embracing.
“Tomorrow may very well be the largest day of my life, but I’m going to go on the market and have a good time again,’’ he said. “It’s been the motto for the last three months. Not taking it too seriously. I prefer to have a good time and interact with the fans after I can. Unlike others, , they’re very serious.
“I’m just out here having fun with my time. I just crept into this tournament [by being just inside the top-50 in the world rankings] and benefiting from it and soaking all of it in. I just had quite a lot of fun today. Did quite a lot of the proper things, and hopefully I can do it again tomorrow.’’
Lee acknowledged the challenge.
“Sawgrass is frightening,’’ he said. “There’s quite a lot of times where people have faltered and also you don’t wish to be one in every of those.’’
Lee praised Scheffler for his uncanny consistency.
“That’s where I need to be in the future,’’ he said. “He’s just, I assume, so comfortable being out here and he’s found his craft, and that’s where every player desires to be. Hopefully, I can take him down tomorrow, but it should, it could be a giant effort.’’
