Akshay Bhatia just doesn't hit his birdie putt hard enough on 13 and it pulls up agonisingly short of the cup.

Danny Walker thought he'd found the water off the tee but his ball managed to cling on, and after a chip he's left with a naughty four footer that just breaks away from the hole and costs him a shot.

Bob MacIntyre's hopes of threatening the leaders has stumbled on the 15th. He was in the cabbage off the tee and if you stray offline at Sawgrass you often pay the penalty.

He misses a 16-footer for par and falls back into a share of 10th place.

Remember when Scottie Scheffler couldn't putt?

He's just fluffed a short one at the 16th as he eyed up birdie on the easiest hole at the golf course.

He's been marooned at five under par all day today.

Thunder has been reverberating around TPC Sawgrass for the past four hours but now the rumbles are being brought by Rory McIlroy who suddenly has a commanding three-shot lead at The Players.

JJ Spaun looks rueful as his eight-foot putt drifts by and another shot is given up.

Trying to rein in McIlroy when he's three behind? I don't envy him.

What a way to get back into the action as Rory McIlroy rolls a beauty 12 feet down the hill and his ball just catches enough of the left edge to drop into the hole with perfect pace.

That instantly gives McIlroy a three-shot lead.

Tom Hoge hits a great putt on 18 from 15 feet or so that just parks up right next to the hole, so he'll have to settle for a par to finish on 10 under.

It's a fine round of 66 though and he sets the clubhouse target which could be interesting with the leaders still having to negotiate this tough finishing stretch.

We join JJ Spaun facing up a 70-foot putt for birdie at the back of the 11th green. He'll need to get down in two otherwise Rory McIlroy will have daylight at the top.

It can't be easy reading these greens after four hours of rain but his pace is good - he's just a way off line with it and leaves himself eight feet for par

Iain Carter
BBC golf correspondent at Sawgrass

If it goes to a play-off, which is three holes - 16, 17 and 18 - they won't get that in today. They are estimating two hours and 15 minutes of play left and sunset is 7.35pm local time (23:35 GMT)

Right then, after four hours that seemed like twice as long, we've got live golf back at Sawgrass.

Rory McIlroy resumes with a nice wedge from 91 yards that sticks, grabs and spins back towards the hole on 12. He'll have a nice birdie look coming up.

Image source, Getty Images

The players are making their way back out onto the course as the tournament is about to resume.

Can Rory McIlroy claim the title?

Right then, let's get back on it.

Give us a thumbs up if you've been with us since 17:15 GMT - and enjoy the action as we race through to the finish line.

About nine hours ago, I suggested to my colleague that we get this show on the road hour earlier than we'd originally planned. Make the most of it, y'know.

And so we did.

Didn't factor in a four-hour storm delay though, did I?

At least that's almost over!

He's also refused to comply with fashion norms this week.

This was JJ Spaun on Friday.

And I say fair play to him.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

We've not really talked about JJ Spaun in this interim but the overnight leader is still hanging around.

He does have a PGA Tour victory on his resume - in 2022 at the Texas Open - and it's definitely windy in San Antonio.

So far today he is one over par but has coped with being in the final group better than playing partners Bud Cauley and Lucas Glover.

He's refusing just to hand this to Rory McIlroy.

This is what Rory McIlroy's game has been built upon this week.

Check out those putting and approach stats. In grisly conditions these past two days, he has been immaculate.

Never thought I'd say this, but Rory's long game has been letting him down.

Relatively speaking, of course.

Phil Mickelson has plenty of hot takes these days - including this one on Scottie Scheffler that seems crazy on the face of it, given the year he had last year, but could have legs going on his display at Sawgrass.

So just before we get back to the action, we're asking if you agree with Phil or not? Let your thumbs do the talking...

Image source, X: @PhilMickelson

Seems a long time ago now, well it is a long time ago I suppose!

But here's how Rory McIlroy took the solo lead earlier....

So what happens now? Well the gates have just been opened up again to allow spectators back onto the grounds, and the players are back out there heading to the range for a quick warm-up.

They'll all try to get loose and will then probably practice the first shot they have to hit back out on the course, so for Rory McIlroy he'll face a tricky 91-yard wedge into the 12th green.

As you know, TGL stands for Tomorrow's Golf League and, if the thumbs are anything to go by, it's a healthy debate to have.

But what else could TGL stand for?

Keep it clean and ping us your answers via #bbcgolf.

Quick vote time. TGL, are you a fan or not?

Vote with your thumbs...