World number one Jason Day will take a four-shot lead into the final round of The Players Championship after surviving some tough conditions during Saturday’s action.

The Australian had enjoyed a flying start to the event, as he set the 36-hole tournament record during the opening two rounds at Ponte Vedra Beach to move onto 15-under-par.

Conditions were not as receptive to low scoring during Day’s third round, as he carded two double bogies during his front nine, but the 28-year-old was able to steady the ship and finish the day on 14-under-par for the tournament, four shots clear of the field.

After his round Day described the conditions as being extremely tough and he will be hoping for a less challenging day during Sunday’s final round.

Day said: “I want to say this was the toughest day I’ve ever had to play in my life.”

The 2015 PGA Championship winner is available at 1.25 to win the tournament and he believes patience will be the key during his final round, as he bids to claim his third title of the year following his triumphs in the Arnold Palmer Invitational and the WGC-Dell Match Play.

He continued: “I just got to try and be patient with myself tomorrow.

I’m really interested to see how they set the golf course up, how fast the greens are going to be and then I’ll be able to make my decisions on what I need to do from there.”

Hideki Matsuyama of Japan, Germany’s Alex Cejka and American Ken Duke are Day’s nearest challengers on ten-under, but it was not such a good day for Rory McIlroy, who is now nine shots off the lead on five-under.