Links Life Golf was back at TPC Sawgrass for the 2019 edition of The PLAYERS Championship on Thursday, the first time this tournament has been contested in March since 2006. I first visited the PLAYERS last year when the tournament was held in May and I had a blast, even though there was less drama than hoped for as Webb Simpson built a huge lead early and ran away from the field in what proved to be a remarkable journey back from the anchored putter wasteland.
The Stadium course at TPC Sawgrass is a main actor in this championship and plays as big a role in the drama as any player does. The course is the thing.
So I was a bit put out when my drive to the course got bogged down in heavy traffic three miles before I’d run into any traffic issues last year. The sun was shining and players were on the course but I was stuck on the Nocatee Parkway, not the way to start the day.
My plan to start the day was to hustle over to #4 and claim a prime viewing spot on the shaded hillside behind the green. Which I did, after claiming credentials at the media center and grabbing a cup of Starbucks and an irresistible raisin oatmeal cookie (not on my diet but more delicious because of that).
I’m a guy that plans things in advance, considers my options, takes in all relevant data and input and then, invariably, executes the absolutely best plan man could devise.
Hole #4 was sparsely populated by spectators as I made my way from the tee box, along the fairway and up the rise to stake my claim to a prime viewing station. There were very few fellow spectators there which was a bit curious. I enjoyed the unexpected spaciousness of the surroundings for a minute until I realized the reason I was virtually alone, in the shade, on the hill behind #4 green.
There were no golfers to be seen, anywhere!
My scrupulous planing had failed to consider a gap in play that often results from groupings starting play simultaneously from both the 1st and 10th tees.
I had missed the last group of the 1st tee morning wave and was waiting for the first grouping from the #10 tee contingent to make it’s way my way.
Given the lull in the action, I texted my editor with an update. Ever supportive, he replied “Nice move Sherlock”. How could I argue with that?
But I didn’t have too long to wait before the leaders of the #10 tee pack (Chesson Hadley, Michael Thompson and Corey Conners) were in the fairway and hitting up to a flag tucked in the far right back corner of the green, guarded by a deep pot bunker.
No birdies or anything spectacular from this first grouping except the realization that Chesson Hadley is the skinniest dude on the tour. He makes Bubba Watson look nearly obese and I was half expecting him to become airborne in the good breeze that was blowing.
I didn’t have long to wait for some spectacular shot making as the next grouping all tattooed their approach shots to within 10 feet of the hole. Byeung Hun An, also know as Ben, was in tight at 3 feet and he completed the trio of birdies after fellow competitors Scott Brown and Beau Hossler smoothly rolled in their respective putts.
In the next group, Sungjae Im rattled the flagstick and woke up the dozing fans with a brilliant play from 118 yards out (the green side digital scoreboards are a great idea, USGA). He made bird, as he rightly deserved.
After a couple of intervening groups came through, with little to note save a lot of missed greens and a few tidy up and downs, the marquee morning groups showed up.
Tommy Fleetwood made a nice par with a 30 foot approach putt from the collection area to the right of the pin. Dustin Johnson scrambled for an unlikely par after pulling his tee ball well left of the fairway, pitching back to the rough on the other side of the fairway and then flagging his ball from 144 yards out to a 3 foot kick in. Routine par.
Rory had the biggest drive off that tee that I saw, with only 93 yards remaining for his approach. He couldn’t cash in for birdie but fellow traveler Phil Mickelson cashed in with a 44 footer from the front of the green. That proved to be the highlight of Phil’s round and the last of the action for me at #4 as I beat feet for warmer climes and another gap in the action.
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