Sepp Straka Shares Early Players Championship Lead After Weather-Swung Opening Round
sepp straka shot a 5-under 67 on Thursday at The Players Championship, saving par seven times and chipping in for eagle late to earn a share of the early lead at TPC Sawgrass as shifting conditions—wind, rain, sunshine and darkness—reshaped the opening round and left the top of the leaderboard unsettled until Friday morning.
Sepp Straka Scrambles, Stays Bogey-Free, and Chips In for Late Eagle
Playing in a day that spanned a mix of weather and fading light, sepp straka navigated trouble without a bogey and leaned on timely putting to keep his round intact. On the back nine, he saved par with a 12-foot putt on No. 10, then hit into the water with his second shot on the par-5 11th and still escaped with par with another 12-footer.
His biggest moment came late: he chipped in from 50 feet for eagle on the par-5 16th. He then clipped a wedge to tap-in range from 67 yards out in the fairway on the 18th to finish at 5 under.
“I felt like all day I was playing from the rough, which is not ideal out here, ” Straka said. “Fortunately my iron play and wedge play was pretty nice today, and I was able to make a lot of putts to save some pars. ”
Four-Way Tie at 5 Under, With Friday Morning Still Set to Decide the Lead
Straka’s 67 put him level with Maverick McNealy, Lee Hodges and Sahith Theegala at the top of the leaderboard, though the tournament said the final shape of that lead would not be known until Friday morning.
Austin Smotherman also stood at 5 under and had a 15-foot birdie putt on his final hole, the par-5 ninth. With darkness thickening—and after two players in his group ran into trouble—Smotherman marked his position by sticking tees in the ground to return in the morning.
“Do I wish I hit the chip in the morning as well? Went back and forth, ” Smotherman said. “The fact I was even questioning it, I probably should have maybe backed off. ”
Despite a long day of play, no one was lower than 67 as Thursday ended, with the tournament noting the last time 67 was the leading score at The Players was in 2017.
Storms, Water Balls and Withdrawals Add to a Chaotic Opening Day
The opening round stretched across roughly 12 hours and included a downpour that led to a 21-minute delay. Conditions fluctuated quickly, with rain giving way to sun that cast shadows within minutes. The Stadium Course’s closing stretch also punished misses: 38 balls found the water along the three finishing holes.
Health issues also shaped the day. Rory McIlroy said he never doubted he would play after missing the Bay Hill weekend with back spasms the previous Saturday, though he said he felt no pain beyond putting struggles in a 74 in which he did not make anything longer than 6 feet.
Collin Morikawa withdrew after one hole after feeling his back seize up during a practice swing. Ryan Fox never made it to the course; the illness he cited for withdrawing was revealed to be kidney stones that required surgical removal. Scottie Scheffler opened with a 72 and spent more than an hour on the range in a downpour afterward.
Justin Thomas, returning from back surgery in November, opened with three straight birdies and finished with a 68 after shooting 79-79 the week before at Bay Hill.
With play and scoring still affected by the late suspension and unfinished holes, the top of the leaderboard was set to be clarified Friday morning at TPC Sawgrass.
