Players Championship 2021 R3
March 11-14
TPC Sawgrass, Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida
$15,000,000
Round 1, Round 2, Round 4

Lee Westwood was even par at the turn, fired three birdies over the next six holes capped off by a fourth at the par-3 17th to close with a 68 and take the lead of The Players Championship at 13-under 203. He has been bogey-free for 44 holes and remarkably has only dropped two shots this week.

"His driving is impeccable, his iron play is impeccable and he makes putts when he needs to," said Bryson DeChambeau. "Fortunately for me last week I was able to get the job done, and I think tomorrow is going to be an incredible battle."

For the first time in over fourteen years the same two players will be in the final group in back-to back PGA tournaments. Vijay Singh and Adam Scott played together nine weeks apart at the 2006 Tour Championship and the season-opener Sentry Tournament of Champions at Kapalua while Westwood and DeChambeau were vying for the title just last week at Bay Hill where DeChambeau came from one shot behind to beat Westwood by one shot.

"It's like Round 2, the rematch," said Westwood.

On the face of it Sawgrass is less suited to DeChambeau's style of play, requiring more strategy than power, but he's not letting that stop him. With six birdies and a single bogey at the par-4 14th he signed for a 67 on Saturday and lies two shots behind Westwood.

"I suppose if you sat Bryson down here and you asked him which golf course would suit him more, he'd probably say Bay Hill," said Westwood. "You can open your shoulders a little bit more around Bay Hill than you can around here. This place is a little bit more strategic. But credit to Bryson. You wouldn't associate this golf course with his style of play, and he's up there. It shows he can adapt his game."

Justin Thomas fired five birdies and a bogey to make the turn in 32, made back-to-back birdies on the next two holes and eagled the par-5 16th to close with a 64 and a tie for third at 10-under alongside Doug Ghim (68).

Paul Casey produced six birdies and an eagle at the par-5 2nd but also three bogeys for a 67 and a share of fifth place at 9-under alongside Jon Rahm (67) and Brian Harman (69).