© Icon Sportswire, Icon Sportswire, Icon Sportswire PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FL - MARCH 9: Fans sit around the 17th green during practice rounds for THE PLAYERS Championship on March 9, 2021 at TPC Sawgrass Stadium Course in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fl. (Photo by David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
One of golf's best weeks of the year is upon us-as first-round action is now underway at TPC Sawgrass. We've been waiting a year for this, with today marking 365 days since the cancellation of last year's Players Championship.
(Scroll down for the latest updates)
We've been on a great stretch of golf. Last week's Bryson mania over Data Pond at Bay Hill. Jordan Spieth contending nearly every week. Now golf fans will be treated to one of the sport's most iconic venues, TPC Sawgrass, which has hosted The Players since 1982 when Pete Dye's treacherous, ruthless design opened.
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Forty-eight of the top 50 players in the world highlight this 154-player field taking on this Dye's design, and for a second straight year, we're able to watch every shot from every player at TPC Sawgrass. It's the dream for any big-time golf fan. If you missed any of the important action, we're here to chronicle it.
Here are the featured groups on Thursday: Justin Thomas, Patrick Cantlay and Viktor Hovland (7:29 a.m., off the 10th hole) and Rory McIlroy, Webb Simpson and Sergio Garcia (7:40 a.m., off the 10th hole) in the morning; and in the afternoon: Jordan Spieth, Jon Rahm and Patrick Reed (12:49 p.m., off the first hole) and Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau and Collin Morikawa (1 p.m., off No. 1).
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Live updates from The Players (all times eastern):
8:37 a.m.: We jinxed Phil saying he had hit every green up to this point, as his approach from the fairway at 6 came up just short. But Phil makes the chip look routine, nearly holing it for an easy par to remain in the lead by himself at 2-under.
Elsewhere, Viktor Hovland has gotten one back after that unusual situation with a ruling at No. 11 leading to a double. The young Norweigan birdies the short par-4 12th hole to get back to 1-over.
In the group behind, Rory McIlroy also had a chance to make up for his early double bogey with a birdie at the 12th, but his birdie putt from 12 feet never really scared the hole. Rory remains at 2-over, now through three.
8:24 a.m.: Phil Mickelson remains in the (very early) outright lead with a par at the fourth hole. He's now up by seven shots over Tony Finau, who has had a nightmare start with three bogeys and an opening double. Even Charles Howell III, the third player in the group, is 1-under and six up on Big Tone...
Mickelson, who won the 2007 Players, hasn't seen the weekend at TPC Sawgrass since 2012, so it might be a surprise he's playing so well early. He's hit every green in regulation thus far and missed only one fairway. Who is this guy?
Rory McIlroy remains 2-over, failing to birdie the par-5 11th hole after his opening double bogey. And Patrick Cantlay, a popular pick of some, is 1-over after two holes and has had a case of the rights off the tee so far.
There are some notable names under par thus far: Paul Casey birdied the par-4 10th hole; Matthew Fitzpatrick, Max Homa and Carlos Ortiz started their rounds with birdies at No. 1. And Keegan Bradley, who contended last week at Bay Hill, birdied the par-5 second hole to move to 1-under early. He has two top-15 finishes in his past two starts at TPC Sawgrass.
8:10 a.m.: We have a little delay as Viktor Hovland's second shot at the par-5 11th hole went into the water hazard. The PGA Tour Live video clearly showed his ball hitting the grass just in front of the water before hopping back into the hazard. Hovland's playing competitor, Patrick Cantlay, suggest he get a ruling-and the rules official actually suggested that Hovland should go back to drop in front of the water hazard. Thankfully folks on the grounds informed the rules official that the video clearly showed Hovland's ball covering the hazard. A very odd scene to start the day for this group.
Hovland's adventure led to a double bogey anyway, as his fourth shot after the drop went over the green, and he couldn't make a comebacker for bogey. Hopefully the young 23-year-old will be able to shake off that unfortunate start.
7:58 a.m.: It has been an eventful morning early at TPC Sawgrass! We have a 50-year-old in the early lead, as Phil Mickelson has birdied his first two holes. In his same group, Tony Finau, who has been one of the best players in the world, opened with double bogey-bogey, so Phil is up five shots early on his playing partner.
Rory McIlroy's opening tee shot at the 10th hole with a fairway wood went way right, forcing him to take an unplayable with his ball up against a tree (he hit a provisional but ended up finding it). He'd have to punch out and ended up making an early double bogey.
© Provided by Golf Digest And Ian Poulter also went on an adventure early on at No. 10, too, making an early double bogey:
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