Summary

  1. Bounce back birdiepublished at 16:05 Greenwich Mean Time 16 March

    Smalley -7, Conners-7, McIlroy -11 (8)

    Great response from Rory McIlroy as he pours in a birdie putt on the par-three eighth from around 15 fett to get that shot he dropped on the last right back.

    There's a little victory lap on the ball as it rolls around the top of the cup but it drops and that means McIlroy goes back into a share of the lead with JJ Spaun.

  2. Spaun saves parpublished at 16:02 Greenwich Mean Time 16 March

    Spaun -11, Cauley -9, Glover -7 (7)

    Fair play to JJ Spaun as he sends his approach into seven whizzing over the tree and onto the back of the putting surface.

    Very nicely done.

    It's another enormous putt for birdie and he judges the pace far better.

    A tap-in par keeps him in front.

  3. Big miss from Morikawapublished at 15:58 Greenwich Mean Time 16 March

    Morikawa -8 (13)

    Collin Morikawa misses from six feet for a birdie on 13 that would have been huge in the context of this tournament.

    He's still well in this at just three shots off the lead but moving to nine under would have been massive, given he's well ahead of the leaders on the course and with that storm approaching...

  4. Postpublished at 15:56 Greenwich Mean Time 16 March

    Spaun -11, Cauley -9, Glover -7 (6)

    All of a sudden, JJ Spaun is back on his own at the top.

    He's not on his own after his tee shot on seven though. He's flashed it into the spectators down the right side of the fairway so will have plenty of people to contend with when he reaches his ball.

    There's a big tree and an enormous bunker in the way of the green.

  5. Bogey for Bhatiapublished at 15:56 Greenwich Mean Time 16 March

    Bhatia -10 (8)

    Akshay Bhatia can't save his par on eight and after Rory McIlroy just a few minutes ago he's also dropped out of the lead to leave JJ Spaun out on his own.

    For now.

  6. Shot gone for Rorypublished at 15:55 Greenwich Mean Time 16 March

    Smalley -7, Conners -7, McIlroy -10 (7)

    Rory McIlroy Players ChampionshipImage source, Getty Images

    Rory McIlroy knocks it in for a bogey five, which will be annoying but he kept a big number off his card and that tough break with his lie on the fairway was largely to blame.

  7. Postpublished at 15:53 Greenwich Mean Time 16 March

    Bhatia -11 (7)

    Akshay Bhatia has a spot of bunker trouble as well on eight, with a pretty simple escape really he's just a bit heavy handed and rolls it well by the hole with plenty of work to do to save par.

  8. Thinned it!published at 15:50 Greenwich Mean Time 16 March

    Smalley -7, Conners -7, McIlroy -11 (6)

    Nasty little bunker shot for Rory McIlroy from a small, shallow sand trap but with a big mound in front of him and then going across the slope towards the hole.

    He never looks comfortable over it and catches it far too thin to send it whizzing across the green and almost into the sand on the other side.

    He's in the rough and now faces a tough up and down just for a bogey.

  9. Spaun saves parpublished at 15:49 Greenwich Mean Time 16 March

    Spaun -11, Cauley -9, Glover -7 (6)

    Three-and-a-half feet for par and JJ Spaun makes it to stay at 11 under.

    After back-to-back bogey, two straight pars for Bud Cauley ought to settle him down too. He's only two shots back.

  10. Live radio commentarypublished at 15:48 Greenwich Mean Time 16 March

    Live commentary has just got under way on 5 Live Sports Extra - join Iain Carter, Kat Downes and tour pro Zane Scotland by clicking the link on this page, or tuning in via BBC Sounds.

  11. Postpublished at 15:47 Greenwich Mean Time 16 March

    Bhatia -11 (7)

    I think Akshay Bhatia has seen he's in a share of the lead now judging by his nervy putt on seven that was for birdie and the outright lead - only about seven feet away.

    His tee shot on eight is also a bit on the nervous side, as he's carved it left and into or in and around the greenside bunker.

  12. Another bogey for Cantlaypublished at 15:44 Greenwich Mean Time 16 March

    Cantlay -6 (8)

    What not to do when you've just made double bogey?

    Follow it up with another dropped shot.

    That's the life Patrick Cantlay's living - and it shows how quickly things can unravel at this diamond of a golf course.

  13. Postpublished at 15:43 Greenwich Mean Time 16 March

    Spaun -11, Cauley -9, Glover -7 (5)

    Really glad I was given the final group to cover today...

    They're the only three-ball on the course so far without a birdie and are cumulatively five over through five holes.

    At the sixth green, JJ Spaun leaves another lengthy birdie putt short.

  14. Double bogey for Cantlaypublished at 15:36 Greenwich Mean Time 16 March

    Cantlay -7 (7)

    Patrick CantlayImage source, Getty Images

    Hang on, a giant chink in Patrick Cantlay's armour as he serves up a double bogey at the seventh.

    Usually so clinical on the green, he's three-putted from 20 feet to gift two shots up to TPC Sawgrass and slip away from the challengers.

  15. Hot Hoge making movespublished at 15:34 Greenwich Mean Time 16 March

    Hoge -9 (10)

    Tom Hoge is the hottest man on the course right now as he grabs a fifth birdie of the day at the 10th to move to nine under and just two off the lead.

    Another of what you'd probably call a journeyman, Hoge has played in 294 events on the PGA Tour and managed just one victory - the 2022 Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

  16. Wanna see a hole in one?published at 15:31 Greenwich Mean Time 16 March

    Bradley -6 (13)

    Of course you do.

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  17. Postpublished at 15:31 Greenwich Mean Time 16 March

    Bhatia -11 (6)

    Akshay Bhatia has also been given a share of the leader after JJ Spaun's bogey as he tees off on the seventh - where he's pulled his drive just off the right, being a left hander, and he's found the fairway bunker.

  18. Great shotpublished at 15:29 Greenwich Mean Time 16 March

    Smalley -8, Conners -7, McIlroy -11 (5)

    Rory McIlroy TPC SawgrassImage source, Getty Images

    Magic from Rory McIlroy on six after blocking out his drive wildly to the right into the trees. He draws a nice lie in the pine straw but needs to carve a big slice under and then around the trees to get in near the green.

    Which he does! It's got plenty of swazz on the ball as he bends around the trees and settles just on the edge of the putting surface. Great shot from our now co-leader.

  19. Three-way tie for the leadpublished at 15:29 Greenwich Mean Time 16 March

    Spaun -11, Cauley -9, Glover -7 (5)

    Every time we see JJ Spaun, he seems to be facing a nervy putt for par.

    This is the longest yet at eight feet and he's slightly off line.

    A first dropped shot for the leader and suddenly it's a three-way tie for the lead.

  20. Ace from Bradley!published at 15:25 Greenwich Mean Time 16 March

    Bradley -6 (13)

    Rain spots dot the camera as the storms begin to take their first effect, but the sun is shining on Keegan Bradley.

    He's just delivered a majestic hole-in-one at the 13th and the smile of Team USA's Ryder Cup captain duly lights up TPC Sawgrass.

    Captain America? Well, he's shown some super powers there.