Congratulations, you’re the 54-hole leader at the 2025 Players Championship. Your reward? Absolutely nothing. J.J. Spaun was brilliant on a brutal Saturday at TPC Sawgrass in securing a one-stroke lead with 18 holes to play, but the hard work has only just begun for the 34-year-old.
Only five of the last 17 Players Championship winners have entered Sunday’s final round with the solo lead. In fact, since the championship was moved from March to May the 54-hole leader has gone onto win exactly one time with that honor going to Scottie Scheffler in 2023.
Rory McIlroy entered the final round in 2019 one stroke adrift. Justin Thomas was three behind Bryson DeChambeau and Lee Westwood. Cameron Smith carded 10 birdies in the final round of his Players Championship victory and started the last day two off the pace. While Scheffler was five clear of the field in 2023, he was five behind Xander Schauffele in 2024. Scheffler won both.
Will Spaun convert his 54-hole lead into the biggest victory of his career? Absolutely possible. Will he? Well, that is a whole other question and one we will look into below as we identify five of the likeliest candidates that could possible chase him down across the final 18 holes at TPC Sawgrass.
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