Featured Groups: AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am

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PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Jon Rahm felt like every shot would be good and most of them were Saturday as he posted an 8-under 64 and built a one-shot lead over Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood at THE PLAYERS Championship. Five shots behind going into the third round, Rahm shot 30 on the back nine at the TPC Sawgrass Stadium Course and surged into the lead when McIlroy and Fleetwood couldn’t keep pace. His only bogey was on the sixth hole, and even that landed next to the pin until running over the back. “Didn’t miss many shots out there,” Rahm said. “Really, really confident with my irons. Every time I stepped up, I felt like I was going to hit a good shot.” There were too many to single out for the 24-year-old Spaniard, who was at 15-under 201. McIlroy and Fleetwood struggled from the start and both eventually recovered, McIlroy sooner than Fleetwood. McIlroy muffed a chip and had to scramble for bogey on the opening hole, hit a chip over the green on the par-5 second hole and turned potential birdie into bogey, and that was as bad as it got. He still was under par at the turn by running off three birdies, including a 4-iron to a foot on the hardest par 3 on the course at No. 8. But after a two-putt birdie on the par-5 11th, McIlroy’s chances dried up. Even on the par-5 16th, he tried a low runner out of the pine trees and it came out so hot that it ran through the green and into the water. Even so, he was bogey-free over the last 16 holes and shot 70. And he can at least avoid questions about winning from the final group, something McIlroy hasn’t done in his last nine occasions dating to the start of 2018. “I just need to hit fairways and greens. If I can do that, and take the opportunities I give myself, hopefully I can turn tomorrow into the best Sunday of the year so far,” McIlroy said. Fleetwood missed a 30-inch putt on the opening hole and took double bogey, and he fell three shots behind through seven holes. He holed a 30-foot birdie putt on No. 8 after McIlroy tapped in for his birdie, and then picked up four birdies where they were available for his 70. “It was just a grind,” he said. “I’m glad I showed the strength mentally more than anything. Under par is always a good score around here no matter how you play.” Jason Day had a 68 and was three shots behind. Tiger Woods was five shots better on the par-3 17th — a quadruple bogey on Friday, a 2-foot birdie putt on Saturday — but still started so slowly that even a late run of birdies was only good for a 72. Five players were within five shots of Rahm, the deficit the Spaniard made up on Saturday. That group included Brandt Snedeker (65) and Keegan Bradley (68), and Dustin Johnson, who played the par 5s at even and still shot a 69. Rahm, who already has six worldwide victories in just short of three years as a pro, was still lagging behind when he made the turn, and then quickly moved to the top. After a short birdie on the 10th, he hit 4-iron from 243 yards to 3 feet on a front left pin at the par-5 11th for an eagle. He hit the right shot on the par-3 13th, with the pin below a ridge near the water, into 3 feet for another birdie. By the end of the day, his 64 was about as high as it could have been. He two-putted from just inside 15 feet for a birdie on the 16th, and he had another birdie chance from about that range on the 18th that would have tied the course record. No matter. He was in the lead, facing a Sunday pairing with Fleetwood as he goes for the most important win of his young career. It figures to be a mental test as much as anything he does with his irons. The Stadium Course can take as quickly as it gives, and the forecast was for much stronger wind — compared with very little on Saturday — and cooler weather. Rahm is fiery, and his emotions at times can get in his way. He has worked hard to control his temper and still let his passion carry him to great shots. “It was a year of personal growth rather than golf game,” Rahm said. “It’s been a work in progress of many years to get to this point, and it’s hard to do when you’re playing highly competitive golf. … This is what I called earlier a midterm of hopefully a very good final project.”

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Here are nine tidbits from the second round of the Valspar Championship that gamers can use tomorrow, this weekend or down the road. The Copperhead Course at Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club in Palm Harbor, Florida, plays to 7,340 yards and is par 71. PAIN OR GAIN These were the top-five picked golfers in the PGA TOUR Fantasy One & Done presented by SERVPRO: No player has defended their championship and nobody has won more than once since the event moved to March in 2007. Stenson and Finau saw themselves out with matching 74-74, while Rose is the best of the bunch playing the weekend at T7. Those who were three over par or better will tee it up on the weekend and will only be nine shots off Corey Conners lead. People’s Choice: Henrik Stenson The big-hitting Swede skipped Mexico last week and prepped for this event instead. I’m not sure many gamers could tell after he circled one birdie in 36 holes. Sadly, he made just as many doubles. The shocking part for investors THIS WEEK is that he painted 20 of 26 fairways (T2). That’s good news for folks hopping on next week at Bay Hill where the Lake Nona resident and his record is even better. Tiger Woods He was the morning leader by himself at five under par before a bogey at the last saw him settle for 68 and a share of the lead. He only hit one more fairway and two more greens in Round 2, but he finds a way to get the ball in the hole. It’s his first round this season on TOUR in the 60’s, so there’s another item crossed off the list. His health is allowing him to play and the more he plays, the sharper he’s going to be. But when he hasn’t been sharp, he’s grinding like the old days. We’re almost to DEF-CON 1. Almost. Oh, and both of his playing partners MC again this week. Morning Show Ryan Palmer posted 66 in the morning wave to jump 46 spots to T2. He credited holing putts as the difference in Round 2 after opening with 72. Palmer hasn’t played this event since 2016 and this was his first round in the 60’s here in his last 11 tries. … Brandt Snedeker took one for the team at The Honda Classic (MC) as he was paired with Woods the first two rounds. Tomorrow, he’ll get a front-row seat with the circus again as he’ll play with Woods in the second-to-last group after his 68. He said after the round he’s in the best shape physically and with his swing in the last four or five years. … Englishman Paul Casey continues his excellent form after T12 last week in Mexico City where he played the final three rounds 11-under. He also posted 68 in the first wave and only has two bogeys for the week. Floor it. Afternoon Edition Corey Conners is the only player in the field to post his first two rounds in the 60’s (67-69). Whatever jitters he may have had sleeping on the lead didn’t last long. He racked up three birdies in his first seven holes and didn’t make a bogey. He did have a double, but the rookie’s lead is still two after 36 holes. He’ll have more time to sleep on his lead tonight, as he’ll be in the last group out with Casey tomorrow afternoon. … Webb Simpson’s 68 included LOSING strokes on the green. Simpson is currently in the top 10 this season in strokes gained: putting, so I wouldn’t expect that to last. He’s T7 and is looking for his third top-10 in his last six events. 3 up South African Tyrone Van Aswegen, giggling allowed of course, posted the round of the day with a bogey-free 65. He moved up 90 spots after posting 75 on Thursday. Van Aswegen has quietly made 10 of 12 cuts this season and has a trio of top-25 finishes. He opened 69-65 here last year, so I should have caught that! …  Big-hitting Jason Kokrak posted 67 and jumped 41 spots into the top 10 (T7). He’s in the top 10 of three of the four strokes-gained metrics after 36 holes so he’s not using smoke or mirrors. … Shrewd gamers are following the development of Aaron Wise. After squaring six bogeys to one birdie in Round 1, he flipped the script with a bogey-free 67 to move up 84 spots to sit T38. He cashed six times from 11 events this season and all of his checks are T33 or better. 3 down                               Fantasy golf is hard. REAL golf is even harder. Andrew Putnam entered the field on Wednesday after Vaughn Taylor’s WD and hit the ground running with 70. He dropped from T8 to MC after double hockey sticks (77) on Friday. … Former champion and recent winner Gary Woodland struggles continued after winning Waste Management Phoenix Open. He opened with 71, but he added 75 more today to drop 51 spots and miss the weekend. His best finish in four starts after his win is T49 and includes two MCs. … Luke Donald began the day in the top 10 as well (T8) but those of you just joining us will need to scroll down to T59 to see where he landed after 74. MC HOF The list of premium players heading home early from Palm Harbor is real and spectacular. Jordan Spieth’s issues on the greens continue and his inability to bounce back today was puzzling. I can’t remember the last time he made only three birdies in 36 holes. … Rory McIlroy continues to confound gamers, as his only consistency is his inconsistency.  Of his 13 rounds in the States, 10 are in the 70’s. … Ryan Moore received an interesting look in the PGA TOUR Fantasy One & Done Presented by SERVPRO as he checked in at No. 6. In six rounds in Florida in two events, his best loop was 70. … Jason Dufner’s streak of nine in a row at Valspar is over. Study Hall Friday’s scoring average of 72.29 was over half of a stroke better than Thursday’s 72.81. … There were three bogey-free rounds on Friday after two on Thursday. … Bryson DeChambeau opened with 76 and complained about a back issue. He WD before his 7:34 AM tee time on Friday. … Bud Cauley WD at Honda with a wrist issue. He returned this week and MC (78-73). … Alex Cejka WD at Honda with a thumb injury but will play the weekend after 71-72 (+3). … Tweet of the Day:

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