PONTE VEDRღA BEACH, Fla. — Xander Schauffele is unaf♕raid.
He’s unafraid to speak his mind off the golf course — as evidenced by his powerful remarks regarding the division in the sport with LIV Golf and the questionable job PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan has been doing, saying Monahan “has a lon༺g wꦦay to go to gain the players’ trust.’’
Schauffele, too, is unafraid on the golf course, which makes him dangerous and will make him difficult to chase down in the final round of the Player🌞s Championship on Sunday at venerable Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass.
Schauffele began Saturday’s third ro⛄und — moving day — four shots behind 36-hole leader Wyndham Clark and took dead aim, shooting a 7-under-par 65 to seize a one-shot lead over Clark, who shot a 2-under 70.
This has the 30-year-old Californian on the doorstep of the mos🦋t significant victory of his career, which already includes🦂 seven wins.
Schauffele leads Clark, the reigning U.S. Open champion, by one🌟 shot and Brian Harman, the reigning Brit🌟ish Open champion who shot an 8-under 64 on Saturday, by two shots.
Maverick McNealy, who has no wins in 121 career PGA Tour starts, is four shots back at 13-under, as is Matthew Fitzpatrick, thꦆe 2022 U.S. Open winner.
Scottie Scheffler, the world’s No. 1 ranked player and defending champion of the Players, is five shots behind at 12-under after shooting 68 on🌱 Saturday. He’s tied with Sahith Theegala, who shot 67.
It is, indeed, a decorated 🌺leaderboard and, with the soft, windless conditions this week, it figures to make Sunday’s final round a full-on shootout.
“Looking at scores, it’s not your average Players Championship,’’ said🌺 Harman, who has gone from tied for 75th after the first round to 10th after 36 holes to third entering Sunday. “But it still feels like the fifth major.’’
It will be fascinating t༺o see how Schauffele, who has never won a major championship, handles Sunday. He said after the round he was most proud of the way he “carried’’ himself in the cau🅷ldron of pressure Saturday.
“I ꧒heard roars all around the property and I really just kind of stayed in my lane,’’ he said.
He 🃏said the approach on Sunday will be “probably pretty similar’’ to Saturday. He knows it’s go💝ing to be close to the end.
“I know the guys are good out here [and] no one is going to lay over here and play dead,’’ Schauffel🥀e said. “It could be low [score req💯uired] tomorrow, but for the most part I’m going to try and enjoy myself and stay in my lane,’’ he said. “You want to get to the 18th hole with a six- or seven-shot lead and smiling at your caddie and the crowd.
“I think that’s what we all want when we close o♕ur eyes at night and fall asleep, but i🐻t’s not always the case.’’
Sc𓆏hauffele caught Clark on the 12th hole, where he birdied and Clark parred, leaving them tied at 16-under.
He took a ꧒one-shot lead on Cl🐷ark with a birdie on 14.
Then the day took a dramatic turn for Clark and Schauffele, playing i﷽n the final pairing, on the 16th and 17th holes.
Clark tied theജ lead at 17-under wiℱth a birdie on the par-5 16th while Schauffele settled for a par.
And then Clark inexplicably rinsed his tee shot on the par-3 17th hole, leaving his ball so🍒me 20 yards short of the famous island green.
He re-teed and made a clutch bogey 4 to minimize the damage, but that left Schauffele with a one-shot leaꦰd heading to the 18th tee.
Clark called the swing on 17 a “massive’’ mistake, adding, “But I followed it with a great swing and a great putt. I’m in the final group tomorrow, which is huge. I’m hoping that’s a huge point in the tournament and we look back after tomorrow and look at that hole and say, ‘Hey, that was maybe the shot and the putt tℱhat meant it all.’ ”
Clark, who calls Schauಞffele a friend, said he looks forward to a “fun’’ Sunday with him.
“He has the upper leg right now, and I’m hoping tomorrow I bring it and we can have some fireworks and play some great golf,” Clark said. “He’s so consistent, and obviously ꦅyou saw today the guy makes a lot of putts. Hopefully, tomorrow he doesn’t make that many putts and I make some putts. I have a lot of respect for Xander’s game. He’s just so steady. He doesn’t really have any flaws.’’
He’s unafraid.
