Rahm takes lead at Players, Fleetwood and Mcilroy battle

Jon Rahm stormed into the lead at the Players Championship in Florida on Saturday, firing an eight-under-par 64 to take a one-shot advantage into the final round as he chases his first win of the year.

The 24-year-old Spanish ace surged into contention ater taming TPC Sawgrass’s Stadium Course at Ponte Vedra Beach with a scintillating exhibition of accurate iron shots and solid puting.

The world number 10 only narrowly missed out on equalling the course record 63 ater finishing the third round with a 15-under-par aggregate of 201.

Rahm took sole possession of the lead ater overnight leader Rory Mcilroy endured a mixed round. The Northern Ireland star recovered from a bogey-bogey start to card a two-under-par 70 to finish the day at 14 under.

England’s Tommy Fleetwood will also start the fourth round one off the pace.

Fleetwood recovered from a double-bogey on the first, and two more bogeys on the front nine, to card a two-under-par 70 for 14 under.

Rahm meanwhile is hoping to claim his first win of the year ater a remarkably consistent start to 2019 which has included top-10 finishes in five of six starts.

The Spaniard atributed his success on Saturday to a new-found mental durability.

“For the past year or so, I’ve been working so hard in the mental aspect of my game, trying to keep myself in check a litle bit more,” Rahm said ater his round.

“That’s been the key this week. I’ve been so balanced, nothing like I used to be, not geting frustrated when I miss shots.

“I’ve been really proud the way I’ve handled. Hopefully tomorrow I can continue it and get a good round.”

Rahm’s fireworks on Saturday came on the back nine, which he completed in six under to move clear of the field. A birdie on the 10th was followed by an eagle on the par-five 11th, when he drilled a magnificent second shot from the fairway to three feet from 244 yards.

A laser-guided tee shot to three feet on the par-three 13th yielded a further birdie, and then two more birdies on the 16th and 17th took him to eight under for the day.

Mcilroy meanwhile was in trouble from the start, carding bogeys at the first and second to immediately give the chasing pack hope.