: Players Championship: Sungjae keeps Asian hopes up, Aussie Min Woo challenges leader Scheffler #IndiaNEWS #Sports Ponte Vedra Beach (USA), March 12 (IANS) Korean star Sungjae Im posted his career-low

Players Championship: Sungjae keeps Asian hopes up, Aussie Min Woo challenges leader Scheffler #IndiaNEWS #Sports
Ponte Vedra Beach (USA), March 12 (IANS) Korean star Sungjae Im posted his career-low score at the Players Championship with a stunning 8-under 64 in the third round to give himself an outside chance of challenging for the PGA Tours flagship tournament.
The two-time Tour winner brilliantly sank nine birdies against a lone bogey at the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass on Saturday evening for a share of eighth place on 8-under. He will enter Sundays final round six strokes back of the third-round leader, Scottie Scheffler of the U. S.
World No. 2 Scheffler birdied two of his last three holes for a superb 65 and 14-under 202 total, two ahead of Australias Min Woo Lee who charged into solo second following a 66. Another Aussie, Cam Davis fired a 67 to lie four off the pace in the US million showpiece.
Scheffler, who successfully retained his WM Phoenix Open title last month for his fifth career victory, is tipped to secure the Tours prized trophy on Sunday but with TPC Sawgrass capable of showing its teeth, the 24-year-old Im is not giving up hope just yet in chasing Scheffler down.
Min Woo Lee, a two-time DP World Tour winner, had just one bogey in his third round of six-under 66. His only bogey came with a three-putt from the fringe on the 18th. He will play in the last group alongside Scottie Scheffler.
Min Woos dropped shot and Schefflers closing birdie in a round of seven-under 65 will see Lee enter the final round two shots back and two clear of fellow Australian Cam Davis (67).
Among the highlights of the round were Lees hole-out eagle from 112 yards at his opening hole and Davis chip-in for an eagle at the par-5 11th.
After opening his campaign on Thursday with a lacklustre 75, the smooth-swinging Sungjae Im burst to life on golfs Moving Day with a flurry of birdies to haul himself into the top 10.
On the first day, my back was a little bit stiff. I had some difficulties in the first and second rounds. I was kind of loosening it and my back got better. The putting was something we needed to work on, and my coach and I were trying something new and it kind of worked out and turned out great today, said Im.
When I was starting the third round, I was kind of tired. But the weather was good, with no wind. So I was like, I could do this. Made some birdies at the beginning and I was trying to keep my focus till the last hole and thats how it turned out, he was quoted as saying by the PGA Tour in a report.
This course has a lot of difficult holes. Im not taking it for granted. Hopefully, the weather is good and I can finish it well tomorrow, said Im, whose best finish at The Players was T17 in 2021.
Scheffler, 26, expects a tough race to the finish line on Sunday after earning his seventh career 54-hole lead/co-lead on TOUR.

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