Ludvig Åberg fired an eagle at the par-5 11th and two bogeys to close with a 1-under 71 and take a three-stroke lead into the final day at The Players Championship.
He Leads the field in Strokes Gained: Tee to Green (11.226), driving distance (301.3) and proximity to hole on approach (28’7”).
“I think Sawgrass is a golf course where you have to execute and you have to hit fairways and golf shots, and obviously the eagle on 11 was nice, coming off the birdie on 9, and felt like I didn’t play amazing but I got a little bit out of it, at least, which was nice, then would have loved to have a little bit of something on 16, 17 and 18. But overall pleased with the way I was playing today in a tough condition,” said Åberg.
“Overall I started the day with a two-shot lead and ended with a three, so that’s a positive for sure. But yeah, Sawgrass tomorrow is going to be a challenge. Like I said before, it’s all about executing, you’re going to get punished if you don’t, which is a fun way to play golf.”
The 26-year-old Swede holds his third 54-hole lead/co-lead and is 1-for-2 converting to victory, he won the 2023 RSM Classic and finished T4 at the 2024 Genesis Scottish Open. He seeks his third career PGA Tour victory in his 62nd start (2023 RSM Classic, 2025 Genesis Invitational).
His three-stroke lead is the largest 54-hole lead at The Players Championship since 2018 (Webb Simpson/7 strokes) helped by matching the most eagles by a player in a event (3).
American Michael Thorbjornsen also eagled the 11th and made five birdies and two bogeys for a 67 to move into second place at 10-under. The 24-year-old seeks his first win on Tour in his 52nd start (best finish: T2/2024 John Deere Classic, T2/2025 Corales Puntacana Championship).
Canada’s Cameron Young fired four birdies and two bogeys before closing with double bogey-6 at the 18th and enters the final round in third place at 9-under. He seeks his second Tour win (2025 Wyndham Championship) and entered the week with back-to-back top-10 finishes (T7/The Genesis Invitational, T3/Arnold Palmer Invitational).
Making his second start of the 2026 season since returning from back surgery in November, 2021 Champion Justin
Thomas of the United States made six birdies, three bogeys and a triple bogey at the par-4 6th for a 72 and lies in T4 at 8-under. He is aiming to become the ninth multi-time winner at this event (3/Jack Nicklaus, 2/Fred Couples, 2/Steve Elkington, 2/Hal Sutton, 2/Davis Love III, 2/Tiger Woods, 2/Scottie Scheffler, 2/Rory McIlroy).
Among those tied alongside him in fourth place is England’s Matt Fitzpatrick who carded seven birdies, two bogeys and a double bogey at the par-4 18th for a 69.
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler of the USA lies in T26 at 4-under after posting a bogey-free 67, his 11th round in the 60s in 21 rounds at The Players Championship and first time breaking par this week after opening 72-73.
Making his 24th consecutive appearance at The Players Championship, the longest active streak, 2004 champion Adam Scott of Australia recorded his 24th birdie at the 17th, the second-most of all-time (26/Bernhard Langer) and lies in T43 at 1-under having also made four more birdies and four bogeys for a 71.
World No. 2 Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland made three birdies and three bogeys and lies in T57 at 1-over.
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