2026 Players Championship: Looking ahead to the weekend
PONTE VEDRA, Fla. — Over the course of two rounds at TPC Sawgrass, the Players Championship put together a compelling leaderboard heading into the weekend. Although Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler struggled to gain the upper hand, many of the world’s best managed to tame a tougher version of this annual PGA Tour stop.
With eight players six shots off the lead, including two-time major winner Xander Schauffele and former Players winner Justin Thomas, and leader Ludvig Åberg just two shots ahead, the Players’ final two rounds should once again deliver a blockbuster finish.
Here’s what else we’re watching.
How far is still in the running?
Marc Schlabach: With world number one golfer Scottie Scheffler and reigning Players champion Rory McIlroy struggling, and Collin Morikawa withdrawing due to a back injury, the PGA Tour couldn’t have asked for a much better ranking at the halfway point.
Probably four or five shots back is as far as you can go — unless someone plays like Scheffler in 2024. He was six shots behind Wyndham Clark after 36 holes in the Players Championship, then followed it up with an 8-under 64 in the final round to win at TPC Sawgrass for the second straight season.
There are a lot of accomplished golfers in the top 10, so it will be difficult for anyone to surpass them all.
Paolo Uggetti: Anything can happen on the back nine at TPC Sawgrass next Sunday, and yet I don’t see a name big enough more than four shots back that could scare the leaders into the weekend. I think 5-under is too far and 6-under maybe too, largely because I can’t imagine seeing Aberg, Schauffele and Cam Young all implode.
Which player could be a “surprise” contender on Sunday?
Schlabach: Sepp Straka is not as well known as Schauffele, Åberg or Thomas, but the 32-year-old has won four times in the previous four seasons and was twice a member of a European Ryder Cup-winning team.
Straka’s play was hot early in the week, and he’s 7 under after 36 holes.
Straka’s ball striking hasn’t been spectacular, but he’s scrambled as well as anyone this week, converting 15 of 15 chances. He’s also winning about 3½ strokes putting.
Straka avoided big mistakes. He had just one bogey in the first 36 holes.
After hitting just six of 14 fairways in the first round, he spent a little more time on the driving range. He hit 11 of 14 fairways while posting a score of sub-70 on Friday. His iron play wasn’t as good in the second round, so if he gets his swing under control he could be a contender on Sunday.
The Austrian-born golfer moved to southern Georgia when he was 14 years old. He attended the high school players’ championship every year.
He’s finished tied for 16th or better in three of his previous four starts, so he knows his way around TPC Sawgrass. “It’s obviously one of the biggest golf tournaments in the world,” Straka said. “That would be pretty amazing. [to win]. But yeah, it’s only Friday, just after noon, so [I’m] I’m not trying to get ahead of myself here. »
Uggetti: How about a guy who has already won a big event this season? Jacob Bridgeman has been one of the most consistent players this year, and after winning the Genesis Invitational last month, he’s back near the top in another marquee tournament.
Bridgeman, who has three top-10 finishes this season and hasn’t finished outside the top 25 this year anyway, shot 68 Friday after a 70 Thursday and is 6 under heading into the weekend.
“I think I’ve always liked this place just because I think you have to hit very straight and conservative right off the bat. There’s not really a lot of room for aggression right off the bat,” Bridgeman said. “I just have to hit where the course gives you. I like that style of golf.”
The 26-year-old hasn’t had a particularly good week in terms of ball striking so far (he ranks near the middle of the pack in strokes gained: tee to green) but his putting has once again proven to be his superpower. Bridgeman is winning 5.6 strokes on the green so far. He said Friday that he felt like he played better Thursday than Friday, even though he posted a lower score. If he can find a few more fairways and greens over the weekend, putting could put him back in contention.
Who ends the weekend better, Scottie or Rory?
Schlabach: For a golfer who wasn’t sure he’d be able to play this week due to a back injury — and who didn’t even play a single practice round — McIlroy did a good job rallying to qualify on Friday.
The defending Players Championship winner moved comfortably below the cut line with a birdie on the par-5 ninth, his final hole of the second round. He narrowly missed a 31-foot eagle putt after reaching the green in two shots.
McIlroy said NBC Sports reporter Jim “Bones” Mackay asked him about his pre-Masters plans as he walked up the ninth fairway.
“I said, ‘Bones, I’ll tell you after this hole. There’s a lot to play for on this golf hole,'” McIlroy said. “Obviously, I wanted to qualify. Of course you want to be here for the weekend. »
McIlroy shot a 1-under 71 to move to 1-under after 36 holes.
“I wish I was higher in the rankings,” McIlroy said. “I felt like I played well enough today to be at the top of the leaderboard, I just couldn’t make a putt. I feel like I hit the ball a little better today than yesterday.”
After nursing his back in warm-ups before the third round of last week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational, McIlroy said he was avoiding pre-workouts this week.
He planned to get treatment and take some muscle relaxers after Friday’s round at TPC Sawgrass.
“[My back] “I feel pretty much there,” McIlroy said. “Not all the way, but I feel like it’s gradually getting better every day.”
Uggetti: Considering how rusty McIlroy has been so far this week after not having a consistent week of preparation, I’d still lean toward Scheffler, even though the world’s No. 1 player is dealing with his own struggles.
An even par 72 on Thursday sent Scheffler straight to the range where he hit balls for a while in the pouring rain. Friday wasn’t much better. He missed as many fairways as he did in the first round (seven) and as many greens as he missed as well (six) while losing 1.3 strokes with his putting, a mark nearly three strokes worse than in the first round.
Scheffler did not speak to the media after the round, and although he made the cut by two strokes, he will once again need to find some rhythm to make another weekend charge up the leaderboard.
Choose your winner
Schlabach: Xander Schauffele is once again showing signs of breakthrough and he is certainly starting to look like the golfer who won two major championships in 2024.
Schauffele took the lead after Friday’s first heat, shooting a 7-under 65 to move to 10 under.
He walked all 14 fairways Friday and found 16 of 18 greens. His iron play has been fantastic so far; he led the field in strokes gained: approach (11,413) after 36 holes.
“Yeah, [I] “I wasn’t aware of all the fairways that were hit,” Schauffele said. “It feels really good to hit them all, especially on this property. Most of the time I felt like I was in control and felt like I was attacking the golf course rather than playing defense.”
Schauffele hit just 5 of 14 fairways in the first round. He spent time with swing coach Chris Como on the driving range to work things out.
The 10-time PGA Tour winner isn’t ready to say he’s back to his old form, after a painful rib injury derailed his 2025 season.
“I definitely hit a lot of really good golf shots,” Schauffele said. “I think even earlier this year I started hitting a lot of good golf shots again. 2024 has been a year full of really good results, and right now I think we’re a little more focused on the process, trying to make sure things are sort of settled and in a decent place. Then you go out and compete.”
Uggetti: I’m sticking with my pre-tournament pick, Ludvig Åberg. After a difficult start to the season, the Swede has clearly found something and got into the rhythm as a big season approaches.
“I think my mind is very good when it’s simple and when things are very easy, and that’s what I felt like I was able to do over the last couple of weeks,” Åberg said.
He shot 29 on the front nine at TPC Sawgrass on Friday and finished with a 63 that included two eagles and made him look like one of the best players in the world when he swings it like he has lately. Although he downplayed the advantage, it is important to note that this is now Åberg’s home court and the place where he trains. It’s safe to say that this particular layout fits his game extremely well.
“Sawgrass is also a golf course where you have to execute golf shots, and I love the golf course because it’s right in front of you,” Åberg said. “It’s very simple, but you still have to do it. Is there an advantage? Maybe. But you still have to hit the shots.”
For two days, no one succeeded better than him.
