Bhatia, Lee Face Trouble at Players Championship’s Crucial Third Round

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — Akshay Bhatia and Min Woo Lee, who started the third round of THE PLAYERS Championship tied for the lead, faced unexpected challenges on Saturday at TPC Sawgrass, leaving them with a difficult decision after their tee shots strayed into the trees.

The players, who previously recorded low scores of 67 and 66 in the first two rounds, encountered trouble early on the par-4 fifth hole. High winds directed their drives left, and both opted to take unplayable lies after finding their balls in thick brush.

Utilizing Rule 19 of the Rules of Golf, which allows players to drop as far back as they desire while maintaining the original path to the hole, Bhatia and Lee chose to drop their balls approximately 60 yards behind their original tee locations, near the back of the TPC Sawgrass driving range.

This decision made their third shots challenging; they faced over 250 yards to reach the green. Bhatia, who had birdied the first hole, struggled in the ensuing holes, dropping shots on the third and fourth before his troubles on the fifth. He ultimately finished the hole with a double bogey after missing an eight-foot putt for bogey.

Lee, who began the day with four consecutive pars, found himself two strokes behind the co-leaders after his double bogey. He missed a 15-foot putt for bogey, which capped off a problematic hole that took them about 25 minutes to complete.

The leaderboard shifted after Lee’s poor performance; he dropped two shots, falling behind co-leaders Will Zalatoris, Alex Smalley, and J.J. Spaun. Lee’s woes added pressure on Bhatia, who soon found himself three shots off the lead as the third round progressed.

As the tournament continued, the competition intensified with potential poor weather predicted for Sunday. According to tournament officials, final-round tee times were adjusted to accommodate inclement weather, running from 8:00 to 10:01 a.m. ET.

J.J. Spaun held a slim lead at 12-under, just one shot ahead of Bud Cauley, who delivered an impressive 6-under 66. Rory McIlroy trailed four shots behind, vying for his second PLAYERS Championship title.