PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — J.J. Spaun etched his name atop the leaderboard at the 2025 Players Championship, seizing a surprising one-shot lead after a wind-whipped third round at TPC Sawgrass on Saturday.
The 34-year-old Californian battled through gusting conditions to card a 2-under-par 70, finishing at 12-under 204 for the tournament, putting him in prime position to chase the PGA Tour’s most prestigious title — and a $4.5 million payday — as the final round looms.
Spaun’s day was a masterclass in grit, culminating in a dramatic 25-foot par-saving putt on the 18th hole that preserved his edge over a stacked field.
“It was a tough day out there with the wind,” Spaun said after his round. “To make that putt on 18 and keep the lead feels huge going into tomorrow.”
His closest pursuer, Bud Cauley, sits one shot back at 11-under after a stellar 6-under 66, a score posted earlier in the day before the winds turned the Stadium Course into a survival test.
Rory McIlroy, the 2019 champion, lurks four shots off the pace at 8-under following a 1-over 73, while world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler stumbled late to land seven back at 5-under.
Saturday’s conditions separated the field, with only five players breaking par as the iconic layout bared its teeth. Spaun, ranked 15th in the FedExCup standings entering the week, leaned on his season-long form—highlighted by two top-3 finishes—and an uncanny knack for scrambling. Through 54 holes, he’s converted 15 of 19 up-and-down attempts, a stark improvement over his career 42% scrambling rate at Sawgrass.
“I’ve just been staying patient and trusting my game,” Spaun noted. “This course doesn’t let you get away with much, so you have to grind.”
The journeyman, whose lone PGA Tour victory came at the 2022 Valero Texas Open, is no stranger to pressure, having held a 54-hole lead or co-lead five times in his career. Yet, leading “The Fifth Major” after three rounds marks uncharted territory for Spaun, who missed the cut in three of his last four starts at this event. His emergence as the frontrunner adds an unexpected twist to a tournament often dominated by the game’s biggest names.
Behind Spaun and Cauley, the chasing pack remains formidable including Lucas Glover (71), who sits at -9. McIlroy, despite a rollercoaster round that included a double bogey on the 14th, believes he’s still in contention.
“Four shots isn’t much here if you get it going early,” said the 35-year-old Northern Irishman.
Scheffler, meanwhile, will need a Sunday surge after a bogey-bogey finish dropped him to 5 under and out of the top chasing pack.
Overnight co-leaders, Akshay Bhatia (75) and Min Woo Lee (78), sit -8 and -5, respectively, after both young stars struggled on Saturday.
With storms forecast for Sunday afternoon, officials moved tee times up, setting the stage for an early sprint to the finish.
History offers a mixed outlook for Spaun: only five of the last 17 Players champions held the solo lead after 54 holes. Spaun, ranked 57th in the world, understands the odds, yet remains focused.
“I’ve got one more day to stay in the moment,” he said. “That’s all I’m thinking about.”
Top-10 Leaders: THE PLAYERS
Pos-Player-To Par (Rd 3)
1. J.J. Spaun -12 (-2)
2. Bud Cauley -11 (-6)
3. Lucas Glover -9 (-1)
3. Alex Smalley -9 (E)
5. Corey Conners -8 (-6)
5. Rory McIlroy -8 (+1)
5. Akshay Bhatia -8 (+3)
8. Danny Walker -7 (-6)
8. Patrick Cantlay -7 (-2)
8. Stephan Jaeger -7 (-2)
8. Max McGreevy -7 (-2)
8. Sepp Straka -7 (-1)
8. Jake Knapp -7 (E)
Credit: PGA Tour Media, Grok, Getty Images
