Sergio Garcia - © Craig ONeal via Wikimedia Commons - Creative Commons License

Spaniard Sergio Garcia surrendered an impressive 65, seven under par on Thursday after an eagle on the last hole, his second of the day, to take the lead in the Tour Players Championship, counting for the USPGA. The player, who won this prestigious event in 2008, considered the 5th Grand Slam tournament, took to the skies when so many other of the best players in the world, starting with his partner of the day, Rory McIlroy, were more to the trouble.

Brian Harman managed to come close with a card of 67, before play was interrupted by night, while 21 players were still on the course of TPC Sawgrass.

Sergio Garcia put in a final six-yard putt at hole nine, the last of the day, after two birdies on the seven and eight. "I've always said it, Valderrama and this course are among my favorites and for some reason it suits me perfectly", commented the Spanish player.

Defending champion McIlroy was less successful. He started his run with a double-bogey, before things got even worse with a bogey at 13 after three putts, and especially a quadruple-bogey at 18, after two balls in the water and three putts.

The golf elite, led by world No.1 Dustin Johnson and bringing together 48 of the top 50 players on the PGA Tour, met from Thursday in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, for the Players Championship, victim of Covid-19 last year. The event, which traditionally serves as a rehearsal one month before the Augusta Masters, first Major of the year, was canceled just after the 1st round last year, due to the Covid-19 pandemic which was beginning to be galloping.

In Florida, apart from Brooks Koepka (knee), Matthew Wolff (hand) and obviously Tiger Woods, still hospitalized two weeks after his serious car accident which caused him multiple fractures in his right leg, all the best are there. World number one Dustin Johnson of the United States finished one over par, while number two Spaniard Jon Rahm returned a 72 par.

Classification after the 1st round (par 72)

1. Sergio Garcia (ESP) -7 (65)

2. Brian Harman (USA) -5 (67)

3. Matthew Fitzpatrick (ENG) -4 (68), Corey Conners (CAN) -4 (68), Shane Lowry (IRL) -4 (68)

6. Lee Westwood (ENG) -3 (69), Tom Hoge (USA) -3 (69), Denny McCarthy (USA) -3 (69), Bryson DeChambeau (USA) -3 (69)

10. Gary Woodland (USA) -2 (70), Keegan Bradley (USA) -2 (70), Nick Taylor (CAN) -2 (70), Adam Long (USA) -2 (70), Christiaan Bezuidenhout (RSA ) -2 (70), Patrick Reed (USA) -2 (70), Jordan Spieth (USA) -2 (70), Ryan Palmer (USA) -2 (70), Steve Stricker (USA) -2 (70) , Jason Kokrak (USA) -2 (70), Jason Day (AUS) -2 (70).
60. Victor Perez (FRA)

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To read our last article on the same subject :

THE PLAYERS: a complicated comeback after an aborted edition