The Players Championship: Ryan Fox moves up leaderboard in testing day at TPC Sawgrass

Ryan Fox was one of just 28 players to shoot even or better in the third round of the Players Championship. Photo / Getty Images

On a day where conditions were causing problems, Ryan Fox held his own to move 16 spots up the leaderboard in the Players Championship in Florida.

Fox went into Sunday’s third round in a tie for 49th at two-under par, making the cut by a couple of shots and looking to continue his improvements into the weekend.

His score didn’t get any lower following his third round at TPC Sawgrass, but shooting an even-par 72 was enough for Fox to make a nice run up the leaderboard into a share of 33rd as the wind got up.

Again, Fox kept things interesting on the scorecard with four birdies cancelled out by as many bogeys, including a dropped shot on the par-four 18th. It’s the second time in three rounds Fox has dropped a shot on the hole, although he birdied it in his second round when he started on the back nine.

Fox was one of just 28 athletes to score even or better in the third round, with 44 others going over par.

That saw changes at the top of the leaderboard, with second-round leaders Min Woo Lee and Akshay Bhatia carding rounds of six-over and three-over respectively.

American J.J. Spaun took over at the top after his two-under 70 saw him improve to 12-under for the tournament with a one-shot lead on compatriot Bud Cauley.

Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy, who shot a one-over 73 on Sunday, said the conditions made it tricky, but also meant it would be possible to make up a deficit of more than four shots in Monday’s final round.

“I think with these conditions it is,” McIlroy said.

“I feel like every bogey was really soft. I could have shot something in the 60s. I have to at least be encouraged by how I hit it and how I controlled myself around there. I just need to chip and putt better tomorrow.

“I think when you’re a little further back, you’d rather have some testing conditions.”

Fox will be among the first players to get under way on Monday morning, playing in the first group to go from the back nine alongside Americans Jordan Spieth and Joe Highsmith.

Christopher Reive joined the Herald sports team in 2017, bringing the same versatility to his coverage as he does to his sports viewing habits.