Ludvig Aberg carries three-shot lead into final round of Players Championship

[p]The 26-year-old Swede, third last week at Bay Hill, made an eagle, birdie and two bogeys to stand on 13-under 203 after 54 holes at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.[/p][p][b]"Overall I didn't play my best golf today but felt like I kind of hung in there, which was nice," [/b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/aberg-ludvig/67ZVNhdN/"]Aberg[/a] said.[/p][p][b]"Started the day with a two-shot lead and now we've got a three-shot lead, so I guess that's a good thing."[/b][/p][p]American [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/thorbjornsen-michael/l4vvpI4A/"]Michael Thorbjornsen[/a] shot 67 to grab second on 206 with compatriot [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/young-cameron/WAjf7EFq/"]Cameron Young[/a] third on 207.[/p][p][b]"I don't think I have to change too much," [/b]Thorbjornsen said.[/p][p][b]"If you play some really steady golf you'll run into some birdies... slow and steady wins the race and we're just going to play some solid golf."[/b][/p][p]Aberg missed a birdie putt from just inside 60 feet at the par-five 16th and missed eight-foot putts for birdie at the par-three 17th island hole and for par at the 18th.[/p][p][b]"Would have loved to have had maybe a couple of those putts on 16 and 17 and obviously the one on 18 as well,"[/b] Aberg said.[/p][embed guid="ed3a4afd-900e-4f4d-92d5-470b41ff5613" url="https://x.com/PGATOUR/status/2032983830684991788?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]Even with his stumble at the last, Aberg owned the largest 54-hole lead at the Players since 2018 when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/simpson-webb/GAKhHC9S/"]Webb Simpson[/a] was ahead by seven on his way to victory.[/p][p][b]"It will be fun. It's a challenge for sure,"[/b] Aberg said of his lead entering Sunday's final round.[/p][p][b]"I slept on the lead last night and it's fun. That's why we play tournaments. I love big tournaments, I love these tournaments that have that 'big feel' to it with the atmosphere.[/b][/p][p][b]"I'm looking forward to a good day and we'll see where that ends up tomorrow night."[/b][/p][p]A fourth-place pack on 208 includes England's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/fitzpatrick-matthew/6whOHmtf/"]Matt Fitzpatrick[/a], Norway's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hovland-viktor/lWxyqX2t/"]Viktor Hovland[/a], Canada's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/conners-corey/SABiQcB3/"]Corey Conners[/a] and Americans [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/thomas-justin/jV7EtuiD/"]Justin Thomas[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/harman-brian/llYhTgVG/"]Brian Harman[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/schauffele-xander/OnIoiVkm/"]Xander Schauffele[/a].[/p][p]No one has ever come from farther behind in the final round to win the Players.[/p][p][b]Aberg, the 2024 Masters runner-up, seeks his third PGA Tour title after the 2023 RSM Classic and last year's Genesis Invitational.[/b][/p][p]Aberg stumbled at the fourth after finding the right rough off the tee but made a seven-foot putt for bogey.[/p][p]Other leaders struggled early as well, with second-place Schauffele making bogey at the par-three third after finding a bunker.[/p][embed guid="420e4dee-d30d-4929-8345-94d1e37683b5" url="https://x.com/THEPLAYERS/status/2032964583451693321?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]Aberg bounced back with a seven-foot birdie putt at the par-five ninth and made the turn with a three-stroke lead.[/p][p]Young blasted out of a bunker to five feet at the par-five 11th and made the birdie putt to pull within two.[/p][p]Aberg, however, answered minutes later by sinking a 17-foot eagle putt at 11 for a four-stroke advantage he kept until 18.[/p][p]Young suffered a bogey at 14 and double bogey at 18.[/p][p][b]"I feel like I battled pretty well. I didn't play great," [/b]Young said. [b]"I just didn't get it in the fairways much."[/b][/p][p]Top-ranked [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/scheffler-scottie/bXfIuBYu/"]Scottie Scheffler[/a] fired a bogey-free 67 to stand on 212.[/p][p][b]"I was a little sharper than I was the first two days,"[/b] he said.[b] [/b][/p][p][b]"I was swinging it better each day of the tournament. Today hit a few more fairways and was able to give myself a few more looks for birdie."[/b][/p][p]World number two [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mcilroy-rory/djwanksN/"]Rory McIlroy[/a], the defending champion, shot 72 to finish on 217.[/p]