Players Championship: Wyndham Clark’s ‘duff’ into dreaded 17th hole waters allows Xander Schauffele to nudge ahead
By Jack Bantock, CNN
(CNN) — Xander Schauffele capitalized on Wyndham Clark splashing a horror shot into the waters of the fabled 17th hole at TPC Sawgrass to nudge into a one stroke lead and tee up a grandstand finish at The Players Championship.
The American duo waged a pulsating third round battle at the PGA Tour’s flagship tournament on Saturday, and had looked on course to head into the final round level at the top before reigning US Open champion Clark chunked his first swing at the penultimate 123-yard par-three hole.
Opting not to tee up his ball, the world No. 5 sent clumps of turf flying before wincing in anguish as his ball splashed into the water well short of the iconic island green.
“Why would you not tee the ball up when you can?” questioned Sky Sports Golf broadcaster Ewen Murray.
“He’s just duffed it,” added co-commentator and 20-time LPGA champion Laura Davies.
Yet the response was as sublime as the initial effort was shoddy, with a nerveless Clark – having decided against taking a different angle from the penalty drop area to the left of the green – dropping his second attempt to within seven feet of the cup before rolling home.
If good bogeys exist then this was one of them, and Clark certainly thought so – celebrating a job well done in damage limitation with an emphatic fist pump.
After matching Schauffele’s par at the last hole to sign off his two-under 70 round, Clark remains within striking distance of the $4.5 million winner’s purse.
“It’s unfortunate on a hole that’s so iconic and has a bunch of trouble to have your worst swing of the day,” Clark told reporters.
[But] I followed it with a great swing and a great putt … I’m hoping that’s a huge point in the tournament and we look back after tomorrow and say, ‘Hey, that was maybe the shot and the putt that meant it all.’”
Clark dismissed any suggestion of a lapse of concentration contributing his tee shot blunder. Instead, the 30-year-old said a last-minute piece of advice from caddie John Ellis to “take a little off” his typical sand wedge striking distance led to a costly flinch.
“I’m not throwing John under the bus by any means, but it was probably a perfect sand wedge,” Clark said.
“As I was over the ball I kind of got to the top and was like, ‘Take a little off’, and then I just kind of deceled [decelerated] and chunked it.
“It wasn’t really a lack of focus or anything. It just was honestly a poor swing.”
Schauffele makes his move
World No.6 Schauffele started the day four shots back from Clark but quickly reeled in his playing partner with seven birdies as he carded a bogey free 65.
It offers the 30-year-old a one shot cushion in his pursuit of an eighth PGA Tour title and a first Players crown, having finished tied-second in 2018.
“All in all, it was a bit of a grind,” Schauffele said.
“Wind was swirling a little bit for both of us, for everyone out there on the back nine.
Just was happy to stay in it and move on moving day.
“It could be low tomorrow, but for the most part I’m going to try and enjoy myself and stay in my lane,” he added.
Fellow American Brian Harman shot a blistering 64, the best round of the tournament so far, to soar within two strokes of Schauffele as the chasing pack bunched up behind the leader.
After starting the week with a frustrating even-72, the reigning Open Championship winner soared into the weekend with a 65 and poured in nine birdies to go one better on Saturday.
“Thursday was just a dud,” Harman rued. “One of those days – I don’t know, just some bad oatmeal.
“The last two days have felt more like what my preparation was like. So frustrating that I couldn’t get off to a better start, but at least I know that with the prep that I was doing, I knew I was going to play well at some point.”
More mayhem for McIlroy
England’s Matt Fitzpatrick and American Maverick McNealy both shot 68 to end Saturday four shots off the lead, one stroke ahead of world No.1 Scottie Scheffler.
Having battled through a neck injury for most of his second round, Scheffler shot 68 as he bids to become the first golfer to ever win back-to-back Players titles.
World No. 2 Rory McIlroy’s rollercoaster week took even more twists and turns, as a brilliant late rally kept his faint hopes of a second triumph at the tournament flickering.
The Northern Irishman had cut an exasperated figure following a double-bogey at the par-four 14th, but roared home with three consecutive birdies to card 69 – a score exactly in-between his brilliant opening 65 and error-strewn second round 73.
Only Webb Simpson had bettered McIlroy’s 21 birdies and (or) eagles through three rounds in the tournament’s 50 year-history, according to golf journalist Justin Ray.
Yet when Simpson poured in his 22 in 2018, it built him a seven-stroke advantage that he used to clinch the trophy.
By contrast four-time major winner McIlroy, will begin Sunday eight shots behind leader Schauffele, his chances hurt by six bogeys and three double bogeys in the tournament.
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