Ludvig Aberg builds a 3-shot lead in The Players Championship

Ludvig Aberg builds a 3-shot lead in The Players Championship Ludvig Aberg started with a two-shot lead and now leads by three going into the final round at The Players Championship By DOUG FERGUSON AP golf writer March 14, 2026, 7:39 PM PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- The biggest challenge for Ludvig Aberg was finding satisfaction in a three-shot lead Saturday at The Players Championship instead of wondering how much larger it could have been. Aberg had only two bogeys on his card all week and was four shots ahead of Michael Thorbjornsen when he stood in the fairway on the par-5 16th hole, 193 yards away with a 7-iron in his hand. He had an 8-foot birdie putt on the island-green 17th hole. He smashed his drive on the daunting 18th that set up a 25-foot birdie attempt. Par. Par. Bogey. Aberg still managed a 1-under 71 thanks largely to his third eagle of the week with an 18-foot putt on the par-5 11th. He was three shots clear of Michael Thorbjornsen, a rival in college and now a neighbor in the Ponte Vedra Beach area. “Definitely would have loved to come out of 16 and 17 with at least one birdie, and then obviously the three-putt on 18 kind of stings, annoys me a little bit,” Aberg said. “But overall, I started the day with a two-shot lead and ended with a three, so that's a positive.” If nothing else it was reminder nothing comes easily on the TPC Sawgrass even when it looks that way, and the final 18 holes isn't always a sprint to the finish. “It's all about executing,” Aberg said. “You're going to get punished if you don't, which is a fun way to play golf.” Fun? Aberg smiled and mouthed the word, “Fun.” Aberg was at 13-under 203 and will be in the final group with Thorbjornsen, who also took up shop at the TPC Sawgrass when he got out of college. They are friends who play often, just as they did as two of the most elite college players. Both were No. 1 in the PGA Tour University ranking in consecutive years to earn PGA Tour cards. Thorbjornsen made up ground with a 6...