Golf’s elite may have had their best conditions while they lasted. Forecasts predict gusts of up to 30 mph at Sawgrass on Saturday, turning the Players Championship into a battle of endurance. With a 70% chance of storms on Sunday, the tournament could soon become even more demanding.
There was a time when difficult weather conditions posed a challenge for Rory McIlroy, but those days are long gone. Now, he embraces the struggle. His second-round 68 left him just two strokes off the lead, which is shared by Min Woo Lee and Akshay Bhatia.
“I’m looking forward to it,” McIlroy said regarding the expected conditions. “It’s going to be really important to flight your ball and keep it under the tree line. Once it gets above the tree line here, it can really get hit by the wind. It does swirl a little bit, but I think when the wind is so strong, it will be a little more consistent. This course is already challenging, but with wind like that … I’m excited for that challenge.”
McIlroy started his round in explosive fashion, chipping in for birdie at the 10th hole—his first of the day—and playing the back nine in just 31 shots. Since 2013, his aggregate score of 56 under par on this half of the course is 20 shots better than any of his rivals.
His second nine was less impressive, though he did birdie the 2nd before dropping shots at the 6th and 9th. The four-time major champion acknowledged the historical contrast between his performances on the two halves of the course. “The front nine is much harder,” he admitted.
There was noticeable improvement in his tee shots compared to the first round. “I think I hit more fairways in six holes today than I did in 18 yesterday,” McIlroy noted. “I got it in play much better and then from there was able to give myself some opportunities and make some birdies early. I couldn’t quite continue that on the back nine, but it was much better off the tee.”
The leaderboard remains tightly packed. Collin Morikawa, who suffered a painful defeat at Bay Hill last Sunday, carded a 65 to join McIlroy at nine under. “I don’t have to get motivated for this week,” Morikawa said. “You show up and you know what the goal is. I reviewed Bay Hill on Monday and Tuesday, figured out what I need to do differently, and tried to put myself in position again. Sometimes things go your way, sometimes they don’t.”
Tommy Fleetwood, a player known for excelling in windy conditions, sits at seven under after a second-round 66. Like McIlroy, he remains unfazed by the approaching weather. “With the wind, it’s a completely different test,” Fleetwood said. “Controlling your ball off the tee becomes even more important, and you have to stay patient, just keep hitting shots and adapting to whatever comes.”
Scottie Scheffler, aiming for a third consecutive Players Championship victory, stands at five under after rounds of 69 and 70. Despite being six shots behind the leaders, his recent dominance on the PGA Tour suggests he remains a contender. However, he expressed some frustration over his performance so far.
“The golf course was definitely gettable the first two days,” Scheffler said. “I wasn’t able to take advantage of it the way I would have hoped. I felt like I could have scored a lot better. I hit a lot of good putts that just lipped out, whether due to slight misreads or just bad luck. Last year, those putts were dropping, but the last few weeks they haven’t been.”
Scheffler’s struggles at least leave the door open for others to capitalize as the tournament moves into its decisive stages
