Tiger Woods shot an even-par 72 while Rickie Fowler and Phil Mickelson were both over as the marquee group at the Players Championship struggled through the first round.
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson simply peaked too early. Their best moments came in the days leading up to the first round of THE PLAYERS Championship. Their strong performances in the interview room didn’t carry over to the first tee, unfortunately. They traded barbs in their pre-tournament press conferences but didn’t trade birdies in the first round at TPC Sawgrass. On a day when low scores were plentiful at the Stadium Course, no one in the first round’s premiere pairing broke par. Mickelson shot 79, while Woods was the threesome’s low man after an even-par 72. Rickie Fowler shot 74. The trio of former PLAYERS champions was 9 over par on a day when the scoring average was 72.0. With his focus squarely on Sunday’s result, Woods said he wasn’t thinking about beating his playing partners. Everyone else was, though. Even if it was a Thursday, there were high hopes for the sort of mano-a-mano showdown that was a rarity during their primes. Both players had been playing well enough to make that seem feasible. Mickelson had won earlier this year and was coming off a fifth-place finish at last week’s Wells Fargo Championship. Woods is showing his best form in five years after fusion surgery. Woods saw the plethora of low scores before he teed off Thursday at TPC Sawgrass. Red numbers seemed easy to come by on a hot day that allowed the ball to fly far and made the Stadium Course play short. “We had to go out there and tear this place apart,� Woods said. He couldn’t, but plenty of players did. He will start Friday six shots behind the half-dozen players who shot 66: Webb Simpson, Dustin Johnson, Alex Noren, Chesson Hadley, Matt Kuchar and Patrick Cantlay. In light of the struggles from this star-studded threesome, it may have been Mickelson’s attire that made the biggest news. He played Thursday in a button-down shirt similar to the one he wore during his Masters practice round with Woods. “I think nobody does kind of slightly overweight middle-aged guy better than me, and this says exactly who I am,� Mickelson said. But fans were hoping Woods and Mickelson could turn back the clock. This was their first time playing together in four years. The last time they played at the Stadium Course, it was one of the most historic days in the tournament’s history. They were paired in 2001’s third round, when Woods produced the “Better Than Most� putt. Previous generations were treated to memorable showdowns between the top players. Arnie and Jack were forever linked after Oakmont. Nicklaus and Watson had the Duel In The Sun. The Hall of Fame careers of Woods and Mickelson overlapped for decades, but there weren’t many memorable meetings. They were often paired on opposite ends of the draw on the weekdays and Woods was simply too dominant on the weekends. “If you grew up in my generation, that was the closest thing I ever saw in a rivalry in golf, but we didn’t see that pairing often,� said Charles Howell III. Time has leveled the playing field between Woods and Mickelson, though. Age has introduced a warmer relationship between the two longtime competitors. There is a mutual admiration instead of an obsession with beating the other. There was the post-victory hug at the Presidents Cup and their pre-Masters practice round, two events that once seemed as likely as airborne swine. The prelude to THE PLAYERS Championship was a more jocular version of the pre-fight banter between two heavyweights. Mickelson recommended a high-stakes match between the them, sending golf fans’ imaginations into hyperdrive. “Now, I don’t know if he wants a piece of me,� Mickelson joked. Woods silenced Mickelson with a quick reference to the history books. But they stung like butterflies and floated like bees once they stepped into the ring at the Stadium Course on Thursday afternoon. There were momentary highlights, but they were quickly erased by Pete Dye’s penal course. Woods made eagle at the ninth hole to return to even par with the easier back nine ahead. He could only manage two birdies and two bogeys on that side, though. Mickelson was even par after birdies at 11 and 12, but he played Nos. 14-17 in 7 over par after rinsing shots at both 16 and 17. Fowler was even par when he joined Mickelson by hitting into the pond surrounding the island green. “I was worried about energy this week, and I just kind of ran out at the end,� Mickelson said. Woods, Mickelson and Fowler should have even easier conditions when they tee off at 8:27 a.m. Friday morning, but it’s likely too late for Mickelson, who needs a minor miracle just to make the cut. Woods will start the second round on the cut line and will need a low number to enter the weekend in contention. This was Mickelson’s third-highest score in 81 rounds at TPC Sawgrass. He shot a final-round 82 in 1999, then opened the 2000 PLAYERS with an 83. He shot a third-round 78 in last year’s PLAYERS. He only beat two players Thursday. The Woods-Mickelson matchup must wait for another week.
Here are nine tidbits from the first round of the THE PLAYERS Championship that gamers can use tomorrow, this weekend or down the road. THE PLAYERS Stadium Course TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, has been the host since 1982 and plays 7,189 yards to a Par-72. Know Thy Enemy These were the top-10 picked golfers in PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf game presented by SERVPRO. With warm temperatures and light winds, relatively speaking, TPC Sawgrass was there for the taking. The PGA TOUR radio crew suggested that these were some of the easier pin placements they have seen in recent memory. There were six bogey-free rounds, which reinforces that point. It appears the cut is going to take a red number as the forecast looks fantastic again tomorrow. People’s Choice For the second week in a row, gamers have run Rickie Fowler to the top of the list above. For the second week in a row, gamers will have to cross their fingers heading into Friday. His 74 sees him needing 69 or better on Friday to play the weekend. The good news is his Round 2 scoring average is the best of the bunch. The bad news is his last round in the 60’s was his unbelievable 67 on Sunday in 2015 to force a playoff. The better news is he’ll be out first with a clear plan of what it takes. I’m on board. Number 1 Dustin Johnson knows that finishing outside of the top 10 this week could see him lose his perch on the OWGR rankings. He also is keenly aware that he’s never collected top-10 cash in nine previous attempts. His bogey-free 66 is his best ever in 31 loops and his only clean card as well. He’ll share the lead with five others to begin Round 2. He was in my lineup today and he’s not going anywhere. Defense It was incredible to watch 21-year old Si Woo Kim win by three shots last year to become the event’s youngest winner. Even though there has never been a champion repeat in the previous 36 events at TPC Sawgrass, Kim’s opening round of 67 deserves mentioning because it’s the best from a defending champion since the tournament moved to TPC Sawgrass. The only player to hit the top 10 this century defending was Adam Scott with T8 in 2005 and that was in March. Kim was on point today as he had it to seven-under thru 15 before bogeys at Nos. 7 and 8 knocked him out of solo lead. The Auld Guard Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson were choices Nos. 11 and 12 on the list above so there’s PLENTY of interest again this week. Woods holed an 11-foot bogey on the last to finish even as he scraped through the afternoon. Mickelson was even through 13 holes before closing double, bogey, double, double and par for 41. I tried to warn gamers that Mickelson annually arrives here on a high from Quail Hollow Club but that it never translates. His last top-10 finish was in 2007 when he won. His last round in the 60’s was in 2011. Connect the dots. Woods knows he doesn’t need 64 or lower to make the weekend so if you have to choose, it’s a simple one. Wrong Patrick? Patrick Reed entered the week with five straight finishes inside the top five plus his first major victory at the Masters. He matched Woods on 72 and will need something decent Friday morning to extend his streak. Patrick Cantlay was four shots off the 54-hole lead last year before learning a valuable lesson. His 77 knocked him out of contention (T22) but he continues to prove he’s a quick learner everywhere. His eight birdies in Round 1 were T1 and his round of 66 matched. #51Watch The ageless Steve Stricker continues to pop up on difficult courses and demands to be counted. He’s made the weekend the last four years at TPC Sawgrass and he made the cut in all four majors last season. The 51-year old is tormenting the Champions Tour and had a share of the lead before a late bogey knocked him to T7. Glass Half-Full or Half-Empty? Jordan Spieth played in the final group in 2014 in his debut, shot 74 and finished T4. He has one round in the red (71) and a trio of MC in the following three seasons. His 75 to open in the morning wave burned plenty of investors. Those who decided to play him have a very difficult decision tomorrow. I’m glad I faded him and will use him next week at Trinity Forest where he’s a member. Study Hall This will be the last PLAYERS to be held in the month of May. Mickelson was the first winner when event moved in 2007. Next year’s edition will move to St. Patrick’s Day weekend. Sorry Moms! … Round 1 played 72.014 (+0.014). … The six players tied for the lead are the most since eight were knotted up back in the old days at Sawgrass Country Club. … Paul Casey (back) WD on Wednesday so 49 of the top 50 in the OWGR are playing this week. Casey’s replacement Keith Mitchell opened his round with four consecutive birdies before signing for 67. … David Lingmerth said on his Twitter feed that his neck was giving him issues today and restricting his swing. … Brice Garnett added up 88 of them last Sunday at Quail Hollow Club. He only needed 69 of them today. Golf, bloody hell! Â
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