Matt Fitzpatrick says if he can still catch Ludvig Aberg over the weekend at The Players
· Yahoo Sports
Ludvig Aberg just fired into the lead of The Players with a second-round 63, but the chasing pack aren’t giving up hope of catching the young superstar.
It’s a star-studded leaderboard with Aberg leading Xander Schauffele by one stroke, and Cameron Young, Justin Thomas and a host of Ryder Cup stars following closely behind.
Visit asg-reflektory.pl for more information.
Among that group is Matt Fitzpatrick, who shot a 69 in his second round to move into the top 10 at five-under par, six shots back of the leading Aberg. It’s a long way to climb back over the weekend, but Fitzpatrick explained why it’s more than possible at TPC Sawgrass.
Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty ImagesMatt Fitzpatrick says why he can still catch Ludvig Aberg this weekend at The Players
Fitzpatrick has been rounding into form at TPC Sawgrass and pulled together two really solid rounds to get within touching distance of the top of the leaderboard. And afterwards, he explained how things can go wrong very quickly at this brute of a golf course.
Fitzpatrick was asked if he needs to push to get into contention over the weekend, and he said, “A little bit. I think it depends on how you’re feeling, obviously. I don’t think it’s a golf course where you can count on making loads of birdies. It’s not an easy golf course. It’s a tough test.
“Obviously [Ludvig] played unbelievably today, and he’s a fantastic player. It’s in his hands, and the leaders, as it always is. It’s a tough golf course, and it’s easy to fall back or pick up shots, likewise if you’re playing well. That’s why it’s a great test.”
We’ve seen players throw away leads down the legendary closing stretch, and catch fire and storm into the lead late at The Players. History will give Fitzpatrick hope that he can still win this coveted prize.
The biggest comebacks in The Players’ history
The Players Championship is famously volatile, thanks in no small part to the gauntlet of holes 16 through 18 at TPC Sawgrass. History has shown that no lead is safe, and several champions have etched their names into the record books by erasing massive deficits on Sunday.
The gold standard for a final-round charge was set by Raymond Floyd in 1981. Trailing by six strokes, Floyd carded a 68 to force a three-way playoff, which he won on the first extra hole.
More recently, in 2024, Scottie Scheffler matched the tournament’s largest comeback at TPC Sawgrass. Starting the day five shots back, Scheffler delivered a masterclass 64, the lowest closing round by a winner, to become the first player in history to successfully defend his title.
He joined Justin Leonard and Henrik Stenson as the only other winners to overcome a five-shot Sunday gap.
While not the largest mathematical comeback, Rickie Fowler’s 2015 victory is widely considered the most spectacular. Over the final six holes, Fowler went a staggering 6-under-par.
He then survived a high-stakes playoff against Sergio Garcia and Kevin Kisner, birdying the iconic island-green 17th three separate times in a single day.