The Bucs have brought back a couple of key pieces to go with the seven-time Super Bowl champion quarterback, but will it all be enough?
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – TPC Sawgrass’ eighth hole isn’t as famous as its sibling on the course’s other nine, but it presents its own challenges. There’s no water on No. 8, the longest par-3 on the course, but its scorecard yardage of 237 yards is 100 more than its more-famous sibling. Viktor Hovland played the hole to perfection Monday morning, making an ace there with a 4-iron on his second-to-last hole of the third round. It was the eighth ace on No. 8 since 1983 and Hovland’s second on TOUR. He also made a 1 on Monterey Peninsula Country Club’s 14th hole in the second round of the 2020 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. The hole-in-one was Hovland’s second eagle on that side, as well. He also eagled the par-5 second, making a 22-foot for eagle on his final hole of Sunday. He made two eagles and seven pars on TPC Sawgrass’ front nine, his final nine of the round, to shoot 68 and get to 4 under par. “I’ve been playing really well the whole week. I just haven’t really been able to capitalize on any putts,” said Hovland. “Maybe if I get a few putts going early and maybe start blowing in the afternoon and gets a little shaky, then maybe, but got a lot of work to do.” He hit 17 greens in the third round after hitting 14 in each of the first two rounds. He’s gained more than four strokes with his approach play while losing more than four strokes on the greens. Hovland’s hole-in-one came a day after his Ryder Cup teammates, Shane Lowry, made an ace on TPC Sawgrass’ most famous hole. Both 1s occurred in the third round, however, which began Sunday afternoon after weather delays throughout the week. This is the fifth time since 1983 that there have been multiple holes-in-one in one round at THE PLAYERS.
UPDATED MONDAY, MARCH 14 (10:55 a.m. ET): Final-round tee times for THE PLAYERS Championship will be from 11 a.m. – 1:01 p.m. ET in threesomes off Nos. 1 and 10. (Click here for how to follow the action live) UPDATED MONDAY, MARCH 14 (8 a.m. ET): Round 3 resumed at 8 a.m. ET. UPDATED SUNDAY, MARCH 13 (7:32 p.m. ET): Round 3 at THE PLAYERS was suspended due to darkness at 7:32 p.m. ET. Round 3 is scheduled to resume at 8 a.m. Monday morning. UPDATED SUNDAY, MARCH 13 (3:15 p.m. ET): Round 3 got underway at 3:15 p.m. ET, one hour later than originally scheduled. The 71 players who made the cut teed off in threesomes off both tees. The final group of Sam Burns, Tom Hoge and Harold Varner III is scheduled to tee off at 5:16 p.m. UPDATED SUNDAY, MARCH 13 (1:35 p.m. ET): The approximate start of Round 3 has been adjusted to 2:50 p.m. ET, with tee times running to 4:50 p.m. ET. UPDATED SUNDAY, MARCH 13 (10:20 a.m. ET): Round 3 tee times will be approximately 2:15 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. ET, with players in threesomes off of Nos. 1 and 10. The ball will be played as it lies for the third and fourth rounds after lift, clean and place was in use for the first two rounds. UPDATED SUNDAY, MARCH 13 (8:30 a.m. ET): The second round of THE PLAYERS Championship resumed at 8:15 a.m. ET. UPDATED SATURDAY, MARCH 12 (6:29 p.m. ET): The second round of THE PLAYERS was suspended at 6:29 p.m. ET for darkness. It will resume at 8:15 a.m. Sunday. Sixteen of the 24 groups originally scheduled to tee off Friday afternoon began their second rounds Saturday (no one completed more than four holes Saturday); the remaining eight groups will begin their second round Sunday morning. Twenty-two players originally scheduled to start their second round Friday morning will complete their second round Sunday; none of those players have more than four holes remaining. UPDATED SATURDAY, MARCH 12 (Noon ET): Play resumed at noon ET. Second round tee times for the first wave will be from noon-2:01 p.m. ET. Second wave tee times for Round 2 are scheduled for approximately 5-7:01 p.m ET. UPDATED SATURDAY, MARCH 12 (10:30 a.m. ET): Play will resume at noon ET. UPDATED SATURDAY, MARCH 12 (7:15 a.m. ET): Due to severe weather this morning, Round 1 will not resume until 12 p.m. ET at the earliest. UPDATED FRIDAY, MARCH 11 (3 p.m. ET): Play was officially called for the day at 3 p.m. ET and will not resume any earlier than 11 a.m. ET on Saturday because of forecasted storms in the morning. Forty-seven players still need to complete their first round. “Unfortunately, the weather conditions are not providing us any relief,” Chief Referee Gary Young said Friday afternoon. A “severe” weather system is projected to arrive somewhere between 8-10 a.m. Saturday. “Our desire is to not have anyone on the property at that time,” Young said. TPC Sawgrass has received nearly 3 inches of rainfall in the previous 48 hours, Young said Friday afternoon. The numerous delays mean THE PLAYERS will have a Monday finish for the first time since 2005. “We are into a Monday finish,” Young said. “We know that.” Young said further delays may not leave enough time for a potential playoff, however. THE PLAYERS conducts a three-hole playoff in the result of a tie at the end of regulation. There is no rain in the forecast for Saturday afternoon or Sunday, but players will face with cold temperatures and high winds. The overnight temperature between Saturday and Sunday is expected to drop into the 30s. UPDATED FRIDAY, MARCH 11 (12:40 p.m. ET): Multiple weather delays over the first two days of THE PLAYERS, combined with an ominous forecast, mean the tournament may be headed for its first Monday finish since 2005. After less than half the field completed its first round on Thursday, just four hours of play were completed Friday morning before heavy rain forced players from the course for the second straight day. Forty-eight players had yet to complete their opening rounds when play was suspended because of standing water on the greens and approaching lightning. Despite grounds staff furiously squeegeeing water from the greens, the persistent precipitation finally conquered the course and players were forced off at 11:15 a.m. ET. On Thursday, storms forced players from the course for more than four hours, allowing just 69 players to complete the first round. If players cannot return to the course Friday afternoon, THE PLAYERS is likely headed for its first Monday finish since Fred Funk’s incredible win as a 48-year-old in 2005. “I would say, if we do not get back out on the golf course by the end of the day, then we are into that situation,” chief referee Gary Young said. “We’ve been crunching some numbers, and yes, we are coming close to that point now. We’ve received about 2 1/2 inches of rain at this point in the last 24 hours. The golf course has reached a point where it’s unplayable, and we will ride this out as long as we can this afternoon. If a window of opportunity presents itself, we’ll get back out there later today.” Young said the forecast suggested this outcome was more hopeful then probable. While the storm could pass, the expected deluge could leave the course in need of some significant love before it is playable again. “In our meetings with Wade Stettner, our meteorologist, and looking at future models, there is the possibility that this area that’s settling in right now could move slightly to the north. We are right on the border of the models that we were looking at,” Young said when explaining why players were not being sent home early. “We were on the southern border of this system, and if for some reason it lifts a little bit to the north, it could provide us a window of opportunity. At that point we’ve got to evaluate the golf course and make sure that it is in proper condition for us to get back out there.” As the players sought shelter, the forecast showed continuing rain and lighting at least through 4 p.m. ET. As for Saturday, more severe winds have prompted a gale warning. Officials are likely to send players off split tees after the second round is completed and a cut made, and are also considering foregoing a repairing between the third and fourth rounds. “At this point, we’re just battling, trying to make up for lost time. We also know that the conditions we’re going to be facing tomorrow with the winds that are predicted, the pace of play is going to be slower as well,” Young added. “In speaking with Wade, they’re anticipating some winds that could be in the area of 60 miles per hour as it comes through. So, we’re going to prepare for that overnight. The superintendent and his crew are going to need proper time to pick up debris and get the golf course back in condition. So, there’s a lot of variables involved.” UPDATED FRIDAY, MARCH 11 (11:15 a.m. ET): Play was stopped for Round 1 at 11:15 a.m. ET due to dangerous weather as a large storm system continued to hit TPC Sawgrass. The first round resumed at 7:15 a.m. ET and the morning wave of Round 1 was completed at 7:48 a.m. ET. UPDATED THURSDAY, MARCH 10 (6:36 p.m. ET): The first round of THE PLAYERS Championship was suspended due to darkness at 6:36 p.m. ET. The first round is scheduled to resume at 7:15 a.m. ET on Friday. The first wave of second-round tee times is scheduled for approximately 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. ET. Fifty-four of the 72 players in the afternoon wave began the first round Thursday (none completed the round). No one in Thursday’s afternoon wave completed more than seven holes Thursday before play was suspended due to darkness. UPDATED THURSDAY, MARCH 10 (3:14 p.m. ET): Round 1 resumed at 3:14 p.m. ET. Nearly a half-inch of rain (0.45 inches) fell on TPC Sawgrass during the delay of 4 hours, 14 minutes. Sixty-nine of the 72 players in the morning wave completed the first round Thursday (all but the group of Hank Lebioda, Henrik Norlander and Taylor Pendrith). UPDATED THURSDAY, MARCH 10 (11 a.m. ET): More than one inch of rain (1.3 inches) fell overnight at TPC Sawgrass, delaying the start of the first round one hour to 7:45 a.m. Play was suspended at 11 a.m. ET due to dangerous weather. Seventy-two players were able to get their rounds started before the suspension. Will Zalatoris (11 holes), Harold Varner III (11 holes) and Tommy Fleetwood (10 holes) were tied for the lead at 4 under before the horn sounded. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 9: PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – PGA TOUR officials are confident they’re prepared for what is shaping up as a potentially tricky stretch of weather at THE PLAYERS Championship. On the eve of the opening round at TPC Sawgrass the extended forecast calls for a high likelihood of thunderstorms over the opening three days. Perhaps more ominously, there could be four different wind directions throughout the tournament. As an ominous precursor, the Stadium Course was evacuated early Wednesday afternoon as storms approached the area. Saturday could prove especially challenging with 20-30 mph sustained winds, and even heavier gusts, expected out of the west/northwest. Thursday brings an 80% chance of storms and winds of 10-18 mph out of the west/southwest. The forecast for Friday sits at 90% chance of storms with an east/southeast wind of 6-12 mph. “Rain and thunderstorms are likely both Thursday and Friday as a frontal boundary drops into northern Florida and stalls,” TOUR meteorologist Wade Stettner said in his forecast Wednesday. “This front is forecast to bring periods of rain with embedded thunderstorms over the two-day period.” Temperatures are also expected to drop significantly on Sunday with a high of just 54 degrees. The wind will switch to a 12-22 mph challenge out of the north/northeast in what, weather depending, would be the final round. “By Saturday morning a strong cold front is forecast to arrive and bring additional thunderstorms,” Stettner’s forecast continued. “This front should clear Ponte Vedra Beach by noon Saturday with dry conditions for the remainder of the weekend. Gusty winds will develop behind the front on Saturday with peak gusts over 30mph at times. Much colder temperatures are forecast this weekend.” In anticipation of the high weekend winds, and the potential for weather delays over the opening two days, officials will pay especially close attention to green speeds and pin locations during the set-up process. With the natural drainage on and around the greens only a few pin locations would be severely affected by rain, but high winds could render some spots unusable. For example, it’s unlikely there would be a hole close to the water at the par-4 fourth and island 17th holes. “We will once again meet this afternoon with the agronomy staff with the latest information at our disposal and obviously adjust our plans accordingly,” Chief Referee Gary Young said. “We are confident we will be as prepared as possible for what lies ahead. We are meticulous in every aspect but it is certainly fair to say Saturday’s winds are a point of focus for us, particularly as we could be finishing up Friday’s round on Saturday, so that affects Friday’s set up as well. “We need to keep in mind we could have a good amount of Friday’s round playing in that Saturday wind,” Young continued, “and they are opposite winds, so we need to find something that works well for both and that’s a challenge.” While in perfect weather officials would prepare and maintain firm and fast greens, the current forecast calls for a gradual decrease from top speed – as the tournament begins Thursday – to as much as an inch or an inch and a half slower speeds by Saturday. That would presumably eliminate the possibility of balls oscillating and even rolling away on the putting surfaces. Officials will take care to make it a gradual change rather than a big overnight shift so players don’t have to make significant adjustments. “Thankfully we’ve got time to make adjustments because we know what’s coming, so that helps in the planning,” Young said. “We have our target speeds for the high winds and we just need to get to that as slowly as possible.” Defending champion Justin Thomas was hoping for the best but also preparing himself for the worst. “I’ve heard horror stories from Tiger and Freddy and some guys about having to hit 5- or 6-iron into 17 on those cold north wind days, and I haven’t experienced that,” Thomas said. “When you get wind and cold temperatures like that, it’s just a different animal, and it’s really just a survival-type thing. “It’s not like I’m going into this week preparing any differently… I don’t get too wrapped up in the draw or what’s the weather going to be like Friday or what’s the wind going to be, because at the end of the day, weather people are wrong all the time.” Adam Scott, the 2004 champion, has experienced tough weather at TPC Sawgrass before. THE PLAYERS the year prior to his victory here, and the tournament the year after it, were played in tricky weather. “It’s a long time ago, but I was around for Davis Love’s win in 2003 when it was horrible, and Fred Funk’s win in 2005, that wasn’t good weather either,” Scott said ahead of his 20th PLAYERS start. “I think we played almost 36 holes on Monday that year because of all the weather delays. When this sort of weather happens the guy who really has his game in shape comes to the top. He can make those adjustments on the fly when he stands on the tee and it is a different wind than the day before, but you just easily pick the shot you need to compensate. Those in control of their swings will be the ones to watch.”
LeBron James created a statistical category all to himself Sunday, becoming the first player in league history to reach the 10,000 plateau in points, rebounds and assists.
MARATHON MONDAY AHEAD AT THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP Despite various weather delays across Thursday, Friday and Saturday competition, THE PLAYERS Championship made a 36-hole cut at 3:08 p.m. ET Sunday. Seventy-one players advanced to Round 3 at TPC Sawgrass’ Stadium Course at 2-over or better. From there began a day-and-a-half race to crown the 48th PLAYERS Championship winner. Anirban Lahiri holds pole position overnight, standing 9-under total with seven holes remaining in the third round. Tom Hoge and Harold Varner III each stand a stroke back, with nine holes to play in Round 3. Sebastian Munoz, Paul Casey and Sam Burns stand two strokes back. The third round will resume at 8 a.m. ET Monday, and the field will be re-paired for the final round. With consistent winds in the 15 mph range expected for Monday on the water-logged Pete Dye track, the possibilities are endless for THE PLAYERS’ first Monday finish since Fred Funk’s triumph in 2005. TOUR VOYAGES TO VALSPAR CHAMPIONSHIP After the wacky week at TPC Sawgrass concludes, the PGA TOUR will head to Palm Harbor, Florida, for the Valspar Championship. Innisbrook Resort (Copperhead) will once again serve as the host venue, and the field is impressive with the likes of Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, Collin Morikawa, Xander Schauffele, Kevin Kisner, Jason Day, Tommy Fleetwood, Tyrrell Hatton, Viktor Hovland and Bubba Watson. Sam Burns returns as the defending champion, and 500 FedExCup points will go to the winner. WOODS INDUCTED INTO WORLD GOLF HALL OF FAME It was an emotional Wednesday evening last week as the new class of the World Golf Hall of Fame was inducted. Headlining the class was obviously Tiger Woods, who was introduced by his 14-year-old daughter Sam, who brought the crowd to its feet with her charisma, storytelling and emotional connection to her famous dad. Tiger also showed some rare emotion during his speech, focusing mainly on how he was raised, the challenges he faced as a junior, the lessons his mother and father taught him, and avoiding any references to his remarkable professional career and 15 majors. Also inducted were retired PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem, three-time U.S. Women’s Open champion Susie Maxwell Berning and the late Marion Hollins, a visionary who became the first woman to develop prominent golf courses. VIDEO OF THE WEEK MIC CHECK “This is as tough as golf as you’re ever going to play,” Keegan Bradley said after shooting a 1-under 71 on Saturday, which he called one of the best rounds of his life. BY THE NUMBERS 10 – Shane Lowry holed the 10th ace all-time on the iconic island green and had an epic celebration with the fans. 43 – Hours it took the group of Rory McIlroy, Collin Morikawa and Justin Thomas to finish their first round at THE PLAYERS. Here’s how they handled the delays. 82 – Number of feet (plus another six inches) traversed by Jason Day’s par putt on 14. The second longest PLAYERS putt ever made (since ShotLink began in 2003) and second longest of this season behind Graeme McDowell’s 88-footer at the WM Phoenix Open. 349 – Millions of dollars that UNICEF is requesting for relief in Ukraine. The golf community is stepping up through GolfersforUkraine.com, and more than $600,000 had been donated through the site by Tuesday of last week. COMCAST BUSINESS TOUR TOP 10 Note: Entering THE PLAYERS Championship The Comcast Business TOUR TOP 10 highlights and rewards the extraordinary level of play required to earn a spot in the TOP 10 at the conclusion of the FedExCup Regular Season as determined by the FedExCup standings. The competition recognizes and awards the most elite in golf.
Three-time Funny Car season champion Matt Hagan gave Tony Stewart Racing its first NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series victory Sunday, racing to his first career win at the historic Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway in Florida.
Tom Brady said he’s returning as the quarterback of the Buccaneers just six weeks after announcing his retirement.
NCAA Men’s Tournament Challenge
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – Fred Funk returned to TPC Sawgrass’ Stadium Course this weekend, site of his signature PGA TOUR win at THE PLAYERS Championship in 2005. There was plenty to reminisce about. After a string of weather delays on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, this year’s PLAYERS will finish on Monday for the first time since Funk’s triumph, where he completed 32 holes on a marathon final day, becoming the oldest PLAYERS champion at age 48. This year’s field will face a similar challenge, with the third round’s final grouping of Sam Burns, Tom Hoge and Harold Varner III completing nine holes as play was halted Sunday due to darkness. The plethora of contenders – 17 players within four shots of leader Anirban Lahiri – will aim to channel their inner Funk, who weathered gusts up to 42 mph with 2-under play across those 32 holes. Monday’s conditions at TPC Sawgrass aren’t slated to be quite as severe, but winds of 14-16 mph will pose a demanding test on the water-infused Pete Dye layout. As he returned to the scene of his iconic triumph – punctuated with an up-and-down for par from a greenside bunker at the 72nd hole and a hat spike – Funk offered some words of advice to the field. “You’ve just got to stay super focused,” said Funk of the best way to handle a marathon Monday finish. “The biggest thing in these kind of conditions is hitting it solid. If you’re not hitting the ball solid, you have no control, none at all. “It’s not only a big-time tournament, and it’s got the prestige of being the fifth major, but it’s also on a really, really hard golf course. It’s a very visually intimidating golf course in normal conditions, and then when you’ve got conditions like this, you’ve just got to stay super focused.” Monday finishes at THE PLAYERS haven’t just produced the oldest winner in tournament history, but also some of its most memorable finishes. Hal Sutton’s famous “Be the right club today” shot clinched his win on a Monday in 2000, and Tiger Woods won his first PLAYERS on a Monday a year later after a duel with Vijay Singh that saw Singh make a triple bogey and an eagle in the final five holes. It was Woods at the height of his powers, as he won the Masters a few weeks later to complete the Tiger Slam. He held the five largest titles in golf concurrently. Funk, who was men’s golf coach at the University of Maryland before earning his TOUR card, spent the majority of his TOUR career as a resident of Ponte Vedra Beach. The home-field advantage came in handy during the myriad weather delays throughout the week. That Saturday, competition was delayed after Funk completed three holes. He went home for lunch and a nap. “My caddie comes running in; he says, ‘Wake up, wake up. We’re in position on the 10th tee in 20 minutes,’” remembered Funk. “I go, ‘Wow, if I weren’t so close, I would’ve missed my tee time.’ “I just threw on my pants and I went to the 10th tee, and then we play three or four more holes, and back off the course again. So it was that kind of week.” Funk’s defining stretch came midway through the fourth round, as he rattled off four birdies in a seven-hole stretch, punctuated with an aggressive line into the par-3 13th and subsequent 6-foot birdie. “The pin was really tucked left, right by the water, right by the bulkhead,” remembered Funk. “There were like four paces onto the green, and I was left of the hole, closer to the water than it was to the pin. It could’ve gone in the water and it didn’t, and I made birdie there.” After three-putt bogeys on 14 and 15, Funk faced another critical moment with his second shot into the par-5 16th. One of the most historically accurate drivers of the golf ball, Funk split the fairway, leaving 234 yards into the hole. The wind whipped. Funk pulled 3-iron and played boldly. “A little bit of a hook lie, side of the mound, and the wind is howling, and I aimed 10 yards out into water on purpose,” recalled Funk. “I started it dead on line, 10 yards out into the water, and I hit it so solid that the wind didn’t hit it at first. So I’m like, ‘Oh, it’s going in the water,’ and finally the wind slammed it and I got it up on the green, 20 feet for eagle. “A shot you’re normally not going to try in that big of a tournament, but the conditions were so difficult, and the guys I saw later when I saw some replays, they aimed at the middle or left side of the green and played it safe, they got it blown over into the left side of these mounds, and you’re dead over there. “Taking on the pin and taking on shots, I did that all day. I got away with it on some, that probably shouldn’t have.” Funk three-putted for bogey on 17, a result he didn’t mind as much, considering the alternatives – “I’m watching everybody hit it in the water.” With par on 18, he posted 9-under total, then watched as Luke Donald and Scott Verplank failed to make closing birdie to match. Who will follow in Funk’s footsteps and raise THE PLAYERS trophy on a marathon Monday? Time will tell. “I was ecstatic,” said Funk, who recorded eight PGA TOUR victories in addition to nine on PGA TOUR Champions. “It was my signature win.”
Tom Brady said he’s returning as the quarterback of the Buccaneers just six weeks after announcing his retirement.
