Leishman still confident at Players Championship

Australian Marc Leishman was confident he was a "big chance" to win golf's lucrative Players Championship despite a late slide following a weather delay during the third round.

Leishman had charged to tied second, just one shot from the lead after 11 holes, when a near two-hour hold up for stormy weather stalled his momentum at TPC Sawgrass in Florida on Sunday (AEST).

He returned to drop three shots over the last seven holes in blustery conditions to finish with a 1-under 71 for 7-under overall, leaving him five off the pace set by unheralded Swede David Lingmerth at 12-under.

Lingmerth, who still had one hole to complete in his third round when bad light stopped play, held a two-stroke lead from world number one Tiger Woods (14 holes), Spanish star Sergio Garcia (14 holes) and fellow Swede and 2009 Players Championship winner Henrik Stenson (16 holes).

Greg Chalmers (68) joined countryman Leishman at 7-under in a tie for 10th while Masters champion Adam Scott also slid after the delay, dropping to 4-under after a 75.

Despite the fall Leishman was still thinking victory.

"I went a little cold but I didn't play too bad on the back nine but just had a few small mistakes with a few bogeys," Leishman said.

"Overall it was a good day considering what I've done here in the past.

"The position I am in now I am really happy with and would have taken if offered it on Thursday morning. I still have a chance to win tomorrow."
Mind games

Leishman averaged 74.5 on the TPC Sawgrass Stadium course prior to this week and claimed the course was not his favourite he but carded rounds of 72, 66 and 71 to prove he can overcome the negative thoughts.

"I've taken it to another level here for sure," he said.

"Mentally especially I'm much better. As I've proven in the past, if you're not right mentally you can make big scores here.

"I proved Friday if I play well I can shoot 6-under so there is no reason why I cant do that tomorrow.

"I'll do exactly what I've been doing because if you get too aggressive and hit it in the wrong spot you're done.

"I'm still a big chance."

Scott had just birdied the 10th to be at 7-under when forced off by the weather.

After the delay he bogeyed 12 and 15, managed a birdie on 16, but went well long on the famous island green 17th, the water ball eventually ending in a double bogey.

He was left in a tie for 26th and seemingly out of contention.

"It just wasn't my day," Scott lamented.

"I had a couple of skew-wiff shots and some putts lipping out all day.

"But 17 was the killer. I played it when it was really really gusty and my ball didn't get affected by the wind."

Chalmers has the silent assassin, never really threatening the leaders but staying in contention with a couple of good rounds.

"Through three days I'm pretty happy how it's gone," he said.

"You will have to deal with adversity on this course often and I have dealt with it pretty well this week.

"I've had a couple of hiccups here and there, yesterday particularly, but I turned a 76 into a 73 which gave me the opportunity to shoot this low score and get an opportunity for tomorrow."

John Senden and Jason Day carded matching 71s to be 2-under and 1-under respectively, too far back to make a Sunday charge.