Rory McIlroy Soars to the Top at The Players as Lightning Interrupts Play

On Monday, The Players Championship transformed into a race against the clock as thunderstorms interrupted play shortly after Rory McIlroy took a one-shot lead on the back nine.

Play was suspended by the PGA Tour at 1:15pm local time in Florida.

The final group had yet to finish the 11th hole, necessitating a delay of more than two hours to complete the round.

With nearly $40 million up for grabs—$7 million for the winner—this tournament is often referred to as golf’s fifth major and is the flagship event of the PGA Tour.

Australian star Min Woo Lee had a solid lead after two rounds but faltered significantly in round three, resulting in a drop down the leaderboard.

McIlroy, who had already secured a victory earlier this year and aimed for a second title at The Players, started the final round four shots behind. His opening birdie-eagle grabbed the spotlight, and a birdie on the par-5 11th hole brought him to 12-under.

JJ Spaun, who went into the final day with a slim one-shot lead, was 1-over for his round and found himself one stroke adrift of McIlroy.

Akshay Bhatia and Tom Hoge were trailing by two shots.

Hoge, who was at 6-under for his round despite tough conditions, was poised to make a move as he approached the 18th hole, hitting his approach to within 15 feet when play was halted. He aimed to set a target and see if it could hold up under pressure.

If the storms lingered and daylight proved insufficient to complete the round, players might have to return later that evening (AEDT) to determine the winner of golf’s richest event.

Two-time defending champion Scottie Scheffler was trailing by seven shots as he played the 16th hole. Remarkably, Scheffler went 15 consecutive holes without a birdie, starting from the 13th hole on Saturday until finally making one at the 11th on Monday.

The last time The Players faced a Tuesday finish (AEDT) was in 2022, when Australian star Cameron Smith emerged victorious. Weather disruptions forced completion of the third round on a Monday evening that week.