Chilean golfer Joaquin Niemann had the perfect celebration for nailing an ultra-rare shot during the third round of The Players.
The 23-year-old was playing alongside Aussie contender Cameron Smith and Anirban Lahiri, who is leading the field heading into the final round at TPC at Sawgrass.
The trio were hitting up the par-5 ninth, when Smith hit a long wedge for his third shot which landed within three feet of the cup.
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Niemann, not to be outdone, followed Smith but managed to land his long wedge shot directly in the cup. The ball landed and stopped in the hole for a “slam dunk” eagle.
The crowd went bonkers while Niemann pulled out a basketball celebration affiliated with sinking a three-pointer. The celebration became iconic with late NBA legend Kobe Bryant.
Lahiri showed up at the TPC Sawgrass in darkness Sunday (Monday AEDT) morning wearing four layers of clothes — with a fifth layer just in case — to cope with near freezing temperatures he never experienced growing up in Bangalore, India.
He walked off the course in evening darkness with a one-shot lead in The Players Championship and still a long way to go for a career-changing victory.
For him and everyone else still playing, this week is unlike any other.
The longest week at The Players moved closer to a conclusion without much clarity amid the ever-changing names in the chase. Sixteen players were within four shots of the lead, and the third round wasn’t even over.
Tom Hoge and Harold Varner III each birdied their last hole at the par-5 ninth before darkness suspended play. That pulled them within one shot of Lahiri, who moments earlier two-putted for birdie from 30 feet on the 11th hole to reach 9-under par.
Lahiri and Hoge were among those who didn’t even start the second round until Sunday morning because of rain that saturated the Stadium Course earlier in the week. They dodged the worst of the wind, and instead were greeted by 35-degree (fahrenheit) temperatures.
“I was a bit scared how cold it was going to be. I’m not used to playing temperatures sub-40, and I did struggle a little bit when I came out,” Lahiri said.
“But it was nice to just get back into a good process and a good rhythm. Made a lot of good swings today, just kept it in front of me, made good decisions. Yeah, I mean, it was a great day.”
Right behind was Sam Burns, whose heroics toward the end of the second round Sunday — a 75-foot eagle putt on the 16th and an 18-foot par putt on the last hole — gave him a 3-under 69 and a share of the 36-hole lead with Hoge (71).
One more day, and still a long way to go.
Hoge opened with a 66 on Thursday with Lahiri one shot behind. They were among 27 players who went two days before hitting another shot that counted.
The third round was to finish Monday morning, followed by the final round in pursuit of the $5 million AUD payoff to the winner, along with three-year exemptions to the Masters, US Open and British Open.
The Pete Dye design is renowned for not favoring any one style of play, and that much was evident going into the final day of this marathon finish.
None of the leading six players, all separated by two shots, have ever won a major.
The 16 players within four shots of the lead includ the resurgent former British Open champion Francesco Molinari and his successor holding the claret jug, Shane Lowry, whose round was highlighted by an ace to a front pin on the island-green 17th.
Aussie Smith is tied for 7th at 2-under.
– with AP
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