R2 Players: Scheffler, Morikawa remain in mix as Bezuidenhout and Svensson lead
The second rounds of tournament favourites Scottie Scheffler and Collin Morikawa are cut short as a storm hits Sawgrass.
Adam Svenssson and Christiaan Bezuidenhout hold a share of the second-round lead as things stand at a weather-interrupted Players Championship, but two of the PGA Tour's biggest stars Scottie Scheffler and Collin Morikawa remain firmly in the mix for the flagship title.
The second round was called for the day just before 5pm local time as a result of storms in the area.
Half the field will now return early on Saturday morning to complete their second rounds.
Just as the buzzer sounded, Keith Mitchell smashed his driver into the tee box as his ball sailed into the water.
Chief Referee Gary Young discusses the outlook and conditions for the weekend @THEPLAYERSChamp. pic.twitter.com/Nh45WxhMFP
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 10, 2023
Canada's Svensson and South Africa's Bezuidenhout are both 4-under par for their rounds and 8-under par for the tournament.
Svensson has played 14 holes, while Bezuidenhout has played 11.
They are two shots clear of America's Ben Griffin, who double-bogeyed the 18th hole earlier in the day to set a target of 6-under.
Australia's in-form Min Woo Lee is also at 6-under par, having played his first 15 holes in 2-under par, as too is two-time major champion Collin Morikawa, who is 1-over par for the round thru 11 holes.
Scheffler is a further shot back at 5-under par but the World No.2 will return on Saturday morning to a 16-footer for eagle at the 11th.
Inside the ropes with Scottie Scheffler for his pre-round prep @THEPLAYERSChamp pic.twitter.com/YQdqMaY68Y
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 10, 2023
The reigning Masters champion is just 1-under par for the round, but he is slowly climbing the board with a minimum of fuss.
Canada's Taylor Pendrith is also at 5-under and has five holes left to play in round two.
Scheffler has now been installed as a warm 9/4 tournament favourite as things stand, while Morikawa is next at 6/1.
Svenssson and Bezuidenhout are now 8/1.
Australia's Jason Day, who was one of GolfMagic's picks for the title at 50/1 this week, is 4-under par for 36 holes alongside Norway's Viktor Hovland.
Overnight leader Chad Ramey had progressed to 10-under par early on in his second round, but the wheels quickly came off when he found the water twice on the Island Green 17th. That led to a quadruple-bogey seven, and he now looks on from 4-under par with eight holes left to play.
Elsewhere, Jordan Spieth received the break of all breaks on his final hole when a golf fan saved his ball from finding the water.
Spieth's tee shot was heading straight into the water but the ball clattered into the fan's knee and rebounded back into the middle of the fairway.
He would go on to chip his ball into the hole for an eagle-three and comfortably make the cut, which is likely to fall at 2-over par, possibly 3-over par.
Spieth says he will give the fan whatever he wants over the weekend.
Further down the board, Rory McIlroy is likely going to miss the cut unless he plays lights out in the morning.
McIlroy is having a week to forget so far and is 6-over par overall in a tie for 113th.
He will return alongside Scheffler in the morning with eight holes to play.
The World No.3 has ranted about his new driver, while Paul McGinley believes he's fatigued due to being the lead voice of the PGA Tour right now.
World No.1 Jon Rahm was sadly forced to withdraw from the tournament prior to the start of his round due to a stomach bug.
Rahm was 1-under par thru 18 holes.
The Players Championship R2 Leaderboard
-8 A Svensson* (Can), C Bezuidenhout* (SA)
-6 B Griffin, C Morikawa* (US), MW Lee* (Aus)
-5 T Pendrith* (Can), S Scheffler* (US)
Selected others:
-4 J Day (Aus), V Hovland (Nor)
E J Spieth (US)
+2 J Thomas (US)
+6 R McIlroy* (NI)
* still to complete second round
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