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Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Bob Harig

J.J. Spaun Leads Players Championship After Brutal Winds Batter Field at Sawgrass

Spaun tees off on the par-3 17th hole Saturday at Sawgrass. | Jeff Swinger-Imagn Images

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — The sunny skies, green grass and vibrant crowd masked the meanness that prevailed Saturday at TPC Sawgrass and the iconic Stadium course, where a leaderboard of mostly grinders emerged atop the leaderboard of the PGA Tour’s flagship event.

Rory McIlroy, Patrick Cantlay and Sepp Straka give the tournament some Official World Golf Ranking firepower but they are among a dozen contending players who lack the same name recognition, led by J.J. Spaun, who managed to avoid the disasters that confronted so many while shooting 2-under 70 to lead by one shot with 18 holes remaining.

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