Well played Rory McIlroy.

A great second shot into the par-five 11th hole gives him the comfort of two-putting for birdie.

He's back at level par for the day and joins Jim Furyk and Jon Rahm in a three-way tie for the lead.

Jim Furyk is fourth in the all-time money list on the PGA Tour.

Furyk joined the tour back in 1994 and has earned $68,982,129 since (just over £50m). Longevity is not the word.

Only Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Vijay Singh have earned more. They could probably pick up a few islands in the Bahamas if they pool together!

Tommy Fleetwood looks pretty perplexed and who can blame him as a birdie chance goes begging on the 10th hole.

It wobbled a bit from left to right but still slid past on the left.

Iain Carter
BBC Sport golf correspondent at Sawgrass

This is the 45th edition of the Players Championship and on 20 occasions the third-round leader has gone on to win, most recently Webb Simpson last year.

This is the first time that Jon Rahm has held a 54-hole lead on the PGA Tour, both his wins have been come-from-behind victories.

Hello. Justin Rose is back within three of the lead. He made six straight birdies at Sawgrass in 2018. If he can manage four today, at 16, 17 and 18 he could set quite a clubhouse target.

How did that not drop? Astonishing. Rory McIlroy ends up with a par at 10 as his ball lips out. Still not quite sure how that happened.

Eddie Pepperell is on the move at 15. An birdie puts him right into the conservation again.

"Hold it, hold it," repeats Rory McIlroy as he lets go with a nine iron into the tenth.

I'm not sure what he was worried about. That's exemplary iron play and another birdie opportunity from around 10 feet.

Rory McIlroy is right into the wind on the 10th. And he follows up his birdie with a very solid drive.

That's more like it. Is a birdie blitz on the way?

It's a good job Tommy Fleetwood's short game is in fine fettle. It gets him out of trouble again on nine as he lobs on to the green and take two putts to save par.

Jon Rahm just doesn't quite read a break to the left with his birdie putt. He's still sharing the lead with Jim Furyk though.

Tommy Fleetwood is right on his limit with his second shot into the 564-yard ninth hole.

But he's just tried to leave too much on that slicing his ball into the crowd. I know all about that Tommy, minus the crowd!

Jon Rahm lays up to around 60 yards. He should be able to dolly a sand wedge on the green from there blindfolded.

Yes, Rory!

After getting close to the green on the par-five ninth, he gets down in two for birdie to move within one of leaders Rahm and Furyk.

That was a confident putt.

It's a two-way tie at the top as Jim Furyk sinks another birdie on 11 to go 14 under, alongside Jon Rahm.

Incidentally, Furyk is 48, while Rahm is half his age at 24.

Sunday is pay-day in golfing terms but at the moment it feels like anyone near the top end of the leaderboard has been through the wringer in the opening holes.

Is it a nasty case of the yips or is the cold and breeze just causing chaos - or maybe a bit of both.

John: I am starting off with a big bowl of spicy pasta followed by chocolate ice cream then for the home straight plenty of tea & apple tart. If it goes to a play-off a mix of 2 Weetabix & 2 Oatabix!

Crikey John that is some mix.

Tommy Fleetwood goes firm with his putt but his ball drifts away to the right of the cup.

Good chance for Jon Rahm to get a read on that. He has to commit to this one.....

And his ball drops smack bang in the centre of the cup. He's back in the outright lead.

What a bounce that is.

Jon Rahm finally gets a break as his ball hits a mound to the right of the green at the eighth hole. That helpful diversion has given him a birdie chance.

Tommy Fleetwood lands his ball within a few feet of Rahm's but looks slightly further away than the Spaniard. He'll putt first.

Jon Rahm and Tommy Fleetwood both make par at seven. They stride purposefully to the next tee.

Justin Rose has just bogeyed the 12th to drop back to -10, alongside fellow Englishman Eddie Pepperell who has birdied 7, 9 and 11. However, he has just missed a very makeable birdie chance on the 12th.

Ollie Schneiderjans is nine under in his last 17 holes.

But both he and playing partner Abraham Ancer drop shots at eight. They both fall a shot back from joint leaders Jim Furyk, Jon Rahm and Tommy Fleetwood