Rory McIlroy Leads Players Championship as Lightning Halts Play

Rory McIlroy surged to the lead at The Players Championship before play was suspended due to lightning at TPC Sawgrass. Starting four shots behind, McIlroy quickly climbed to 12-under par after making a birdie on the first hole and an eagle on the second. His strong performance was temporarily halted with his lead at one shot over J.J. Spaun, who managed to recover from early struggles to finish the front nine with a birdie. Tom Hoge, Akshay Bhatia, and Danny Walker were tied for third at 10-under. The suspension of play raised questions about when the final round would resume, as McIlroy aims for his second title at this prestigious tournament, having previously won in 2019. The tournament is often regarded as the 'fifth major' in professional golf, further emphasizing its significance.