India's Anirban Lahiri hit six birdies in 11 holes to move into the lead in The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass ©Getty Images

India's Anirban Lahiri will start tomorrow as the leader of The Players Championship after a stunning third round saw him move to nine-under-par at TPC Sawgrass when bad light forced the postponement of this weather-bedevilled tournament, ensuring it will move into a fifth day. 

The 34-year-old from Pune, a member of the PGA Tour since 2015, hit six birdies in the first 11 holes on the Stadium Course to move a shot ahead of Americans Tom Hoge and Harold Varner III.

Lahiri has 18 international victories in his career, but his last win came at the Hero Indian Open on the DP World Tour in 2015.

A victory in this $20 million (£15 million/€18 million) event, commonly referred to as the "fifth major", would certainly be a surprise.

Lahiri has missed the cut three times in his last four events on the PGA Tour and he has missed seven cuts in 12 events so far in the 2022 season.

Paul Casey moved to seven-under-par, putting himself in contention to become the first English player to win The Players Championship, before bad light stopped play ©Getty Images
Paul Casey moved to seven-under-par, putting himself in contention to become the first English player to win The Players Championship, before bad light stopped play ©Getty Images

The rain meant that after completing his first round on Thursday (March 10), Lahiri did not return to the course for 60 hours.

He filled his time watching the Indian cricket team on television play Sri Lanka in Bengaluru.

"We had a Test match," Lahiri said.

"I love cricket.

"I grew up watching cricket.

"Most people do, who grew up in India at least."

Englishman Paul Casey was two-under-par through his first nine holes today and finished on seven-under-par when play was suspended at 7.32pm local time.

An Englishman has never won this tournament, with only Scotland's Sandy Lyle in 1987 and Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy in 2019 from the United Kingdom triumphing in its 48-year history.

America's Sam Burns, the co-leader with Hoge after 36 holes were finally completed, was level-par through the nine holes he played of his third round and is also two shots behind.

Ireland's Shane Lowry raised the roof on the 17th hole by getting the first ace on this famous hole since 2019.

It was the 10th hole-in-one on 17 in the history of The Players Championship.

Lowry was four-under-par through 14 holes today and finished on five-under-par, the same as England's Tommy Fleetwood.

America's Justin Thomas shot one of two bogey-free rounds yesterday and was one-under-par through 11 holes of his third round to reach four-under-par for the tournament.

The 2017 PGA champion is currently tied for 18th place alongside Joaquin Niemann, Tyrrell Hatton and Louis Oosthuizen.

Play is due to resume at 8am with all 71 players left in the field to complete their third rounds.