The Players Championship: Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler ready to tackle tougher test at TPC Sawgrass

14 March 2025, 14:35 | Updated: 15 March 2025, 13:01

Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler are ready to embrace a tougher TPC Sawgrass test after getting themselves in contention heading into the weekend at The Players Championship.

McIlroy followed an opening-round 67 with a four-under 68 on Friday morning, where he briefly held the solo lead before two bogeys in his last four holes dropped him back to nine under and two behind clubhouse leaders Akshay Bhatia and Min Woo Lee.

The Northern Irishman was playing in the marquee group alongside Xander Schauffele and world No 1 Scheffler, who is on five under and six strokes off the halfway lead for the second successive year as he chases a historic three-peat at The Players.

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