India's Anirban Lahiri grabs lead at Players Championship ahead of Monday finish

PONTE VEDRA BEACH (USA): Chasing a breakthrough win, India's Anirban Lahiri dished out a superb performance in brutal conditions to grab a slender one-shot lead at the weather-hit PLAYERS Championship, the PGA Tour's flagship USD 20 million tournament. Lahiri (67-73 and 5-under through 11) at 9-under took one-shot lead over American duo Harald Varner III (69-69 and 2-under through 9 in third) and Tom Hoge (66-71 and 1-under through 9 in third). The third round was suspended at 7.32pm on Sunday due to darkness following multiple weather disruptions since Thursday. Lahiri was 4-under and T-11 when the midway point of the Players was reached in a week that has seen over 4.5 inches of rain, forcing a Monday finish. It is still a long way with 25 holes to go, but Lahiri could not stop smiling.

"I'm just being in the moment right now. I'm really happy, I'm confident," he said. "The ball seems to be coming out in front of me, which hasn't happened that much in the past. I'm just going to try and do the same thing: Fire at pins that I'm comfortable with and clubs that I'm comfortable with. "When I get an uncomfortable shot then just respect it and try and make a putt. I think that's all I can do." After his best ever start at The PLAYERS with a 67 in first round, he did not swing a club on Friday or Saturday and returned to action only on Sunday and played 29 holes in extremely cold conditions, that he admittedly is not used to. Lahiri shot one-over 73 in the third round and that included his second eagle of the week, this time on a Par-5, and closed the round with a bogey.

The relief of coming out with a par on the deadly Par-3 17th's Island Green was evident as he put his hand to his heart after landing on the green. Left on