Day Two is underway at TPC Sawgrass for the Players Championship, with the biggest names in the sport all battling it out for the event dubbed the 'fifth major'.
After heading out alongside Viktor Hovland and Jordan Spieth, Rory McIlroy ended the first round with a share of the lead at seven under alongside American duo Xander Schauffele and Wyndham Clark. Meanwhile, defending champion and World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler remains in the hunt at five-under - just two shots back.
The Players Championship is strictly PGA Tour members only, meaning those who chose to leave for the LIV Golf riches - including the likes of Brooks Koepka, Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau - will all be watching from home.
Mirror Sport will keep you up to date with all the latest golf action.
That brings to a close coverage of day two of the Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass! Make sure to return tomorrow for all of Saturday's action, with a whole host of big names hoping to chase down Wyndham Clark.
Golf star rants over Patrick Reed tree shot and says LIV rebel 'f****** cheated'
After 36 holes here is how things look at the top of the leaderboard.
1: Wyndham Clark -14
T2: Xander Schauffele -10
T2: Nick Taylor -10
T4: Matt Fitzpatrick -9
T4: Maverick McNealy -9
T6: Matti Schmid -8
T6: Scottie Scheffler -8
T6: Corey Conners -8
T6: Tom Hoge -8
Poulter admits Ryder Cup captain snub over LIV loyalties would be "devastating"
Xander Schauffele has company in second, with Nick Taylor making his move on day two. Despite a bogey at the 14th, back-to-back birdies at 15 and 16, before finishing with pars at 17 and 18 saw Taylor finish his day with a four-under-par 68.
He heads into the weekend at 10-under alongside Schauffele, four back of solo leader Wyndham Clark.
After Thursday's overnight lead, Rory McIlroy would have been keen to kick on on day two but the Northern Irishman has failed to make his move.
A chaotic second round that included five birdies, four bogeys and a double bogey has seen him sign off a one-over-par 73, to leave him at six-under for the tournament. He heads into the weekend eight shots behind Wyndham Clark, with plenty of work to do.
Xander Schauffele has moved into solo second, thanks to a superb eagle at 16. After splitting the fairway from the tee box, Schauffele's approach was even better, leaving his second shot inside 10-feet before making the eagle putt.
He sits at 10-under-par, four shots behind the man in front Wyndham Clark.
It has been one of those days for Rory McIlroy...
After a much-needed birdie at the par-three 13th, a frustrating double bogey has followed to drop him back to six-under. The Northern Irishman is giving himself plenty of work to do heading into the weekend.
Wyndham Clark has become the first player in Players history to shoot back-to-back 65's at TPC Sawgrass, and is the man to catch at the halfway point.
"I guess I've been breaking some records recently, which is pretty neat," he said post-round. "More than anything I'm just super excited that kind ofhad a ho-hum front nine and then turned and really just gotinto a nice zone and felt really good on the greens and shot an awesome number."
Wyndham Clark leads the way at TPC Sawgrass (Getty Images)Amid all the star-studded names, Nick Taylor has made his move up the leaderboard. Taylor is three-under through 11 holes in his second round, which has seem move into a tie for second at nine-under-par, five back of leader Wyndham Clark.
With the afternoon wave making the turn, here is a look at how things stand.
1: Wyndham Clark -15 (F)
T2: Matt Fitzpatrick -9 (F)
T2: Maverick McNealy -9 (F)
T4: Matti Schmid -8 (F)
T4: Scottie Scheffler -8 (F)
T4: Corey Conners -8 (10)
T4: Jason Day -8 (14)
T4: Xander Schauffele -8 (13)
T4: Nick Taylor (10)
Scottie Scheffler has provided an update on the neck injury that saw him struggle during his third round - despite of course still impressing with a three-under-par 69.
"I hit a shot on my second hole today and I felt a little something in my neck, and then I tried to hit my tee shot on 12, and that's when I could barely get the club back," he said post-round. "Most of the day I was pretty much laboring to get the club somehow away from me... I did enough to keep myself somewhat in the tournament, that's really all I could ask for.
"I didn't know if I was going to be able to continue playing… hopefully it'll loosen up and then I'll be able to make somewhat normal swings tomorrow."
Scottie Scheffler struggled with a neck injury (Getty Images)This is very, very Rory McIlroy...
The Northern Irishman is gridning his way around TPC Sawgrass and has brought to an end a topsy-turvy front nine with a superb up-and-down birdie at the par-five ninth. Four birdies, three bogeys and two pars on the front leaves him six back of Wyndham Clark.
Jordan Spieth and Rory McIlroy were embroiled in a lengthy rules discussion during Thursday's opening round, and it is not the first time the pair have been locked in debate following a recent phone call over the PGA Tour's ongoing discussions with Saudi Arabia.
Read more below...
Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth were involved in a heated discussion (Getty Images)Amid the McIlroy chaos, it has been a superb start for Jason Day. The Australian is three-under-par through his first seven holes on Friday, leaving him at eight-under for the week in a tie for forth alongside McIlroy and Xander Schauffele.
Rory McIlroy is certainly making things happen!
After his bogey-birdie-bogey start the Northern Irishman is settling back in at TPC Sawgrass, making back-to-back birdies at four and five to move into the red for the day. He currently sits eight-under for the week, six behind leader Wyndham Clark
After getting himself back to level-par at the second, it is another drop shot for McIlroy who cards a bogey at the par-three third. After cutting his tee shot in the right rough, McIlroy had company, with a member of the TPC Sawgrass wildlife in a resident frog hopped its way around his ball.
This did McIlroy no favours though, who after pushing aside his new pal, de-greened his chip shot leading to yet another blemish on the card.
This frog wanted a front row seat to @McIlroyRory's chip. pic.twitter.com/5ur5VMdBTn
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 15, 2024
Instant reply from Rory McIlroy who gets himself back to level for the day with a birdie at the second following his blemish at the first. He finds himself six behind Wyndham Clark but has plenty of Friday golf ahead of him.
With Wyndham Clark moving way ahead of the field, Rory McIlroy will no doubt be keen to chase him down, but it is not an ideal start for the Northern Irishman. An errant tee shot and approach has seen him bogey the first. He will be keen to bounce back at the par-five second.
The first half of Friday belongs to one man and one man only, and that is Wyndham Clark. The U.S. Open champion signs off his second round with yet another birdie at the tenth, his sixth in his final nine holes to move to 14-under-par for the week, five clear of the rest of the field.
Its Rory McIlroy time!
The Northern Irishman gets his second round of the week underway after a superb seven-under-par 65 on Thursday. He has work to do though after the blistering performance of Wyndham Clark earlier this morning.
Another superb round of golf for Matt Fitzpatrick. He ends his day two in second four back of Wyndham Clark, after signing for a three-under 69. The Englishman sits at nine-under-par for the tournament.
It has been a tough day for Scottie Scheffler, who has battled through injury after receiving physio treatment partway through his round. In typical Scheffler fashion though he has soildered on, carding an impressive three-under-par 69 to move to eight-under for the week. His five shots behind leader, Wyndham Clark and well in the mix.
A big week was expected for 2021 champion Justin Thomas after refinding his form in recent months, but the American looks like he is set to miss the weekend.
He ends his second round with a par at the par-five ninth, to leave him at one-over-par for the tournament.
It has been the Wyndham Clark show on day two so far, with the U.S. Open champion moving away from the early starters at 13-under-par. Just an hour or so ago the leaderboard looked wide open, but Clark has burst out the pack to hold a five-shot lead.
Clark has five birdies from his last six holes, and has shown no signs of stopping with three still to play.
Wyndham Clark is on fire!
He makes a fourth-straight birdie on the fourth, and now has a great chance to keep the roll going as he makes his way to the par-five fifth.
Wyndham Clark is flying around the TPC Sawgrass front nine!
Since making the turn after starting on the 10th, the U.S. Open has made three birdies on the bounce, capped off with a superb putt from 12-feet on the par-three 12th for a two. He now leads the way by two on 11-under-par.
Matt Fitzpatrick has stretched his Players Championship lead to two at 10 under with a sensational putt on the par-three third.
He sunk the 21ft putt with ease to tally his fifth birdie of the day. Exceptional stuff.
Phew, I can barely keep up with the action at TPC Sawgrass.
Moments after Poston made it a three-way tie, Matt Fitzpatrick beautifully plays the par-five second and sets himself up for a short birdie putt. He, of course, drains it to move to nine under and into the solo lead.
Elsewhere, JT is struggling. He struck a wayward shot off the tee to kick off his 10th hole into the trees, and was forced to play his second shot on the par-four 4th from the cart path.
Scheffler missed a tough 33ft birdie putt but is in for par at the first. He remains seven under.
JT Poston!
The 30-year-old American is enjoying a stellar round, firing 31 through the front nine as he secured a birdie at the ninth. He is now a co-leader with Fitzpatrick and Clark at eight under.
Wyndham Clark has just drained a birdie on the 17th to move into a share of the lead with Matt Fitzpatrick. Meanwhile, Scottie Scheffler takes a par on the 18th while JT flounders with a bogey. He is now even through the front nine as he peeks over his shoulder at the dreaded cut line.
Chris Kirk added a birdie at the par-four 7th to move to seven under. The chasing group continues to grow.
