PGA Tour Brunch | R-2 at The PLAYERS
Second Round Coverage of the 2026 PLAYERS Championship \ TPC Sawgrass
Suspension Summary: The first round was suspended due to inclement weather at 12:09pm and resumed at 12:30pm EDT, a delay of 21 minutes with players staying in position. The first round was suspended due to darkness at 7:37pm. with four players left to complete their round. The first round will resume on Friday at 8:50am. The second round will begin as scheduled at 7:40am.
By TERRY LYONS, Editor of Digital Sports Desk
PONTE VEDRA BEACH - Maverick McNealy, Lee Hodges, Sahith Theegala and Sepp Straka formed a tie for the lead in Thursday’s weather-hit opening round of The Players Championship when play was suspended in fading light. Surprise package Austin Smotherman, one of four players yet to complete the opening round, has a chance to seize the outright lead when play resumes on Friday as he faces a 15-foot birdie putt on his final hole — the par-5 ninth.
World No. 4 Collin Morikawa withdrew from the tournament due to a back injury after playing just one hole on Thursday. After teeing off on the 10th hole and making a par, he experienced some discomfort while taking a practice swing on the 11th tee box.
Two-time PLAYERS Championship winner (2019, 2025) and World No. 2 Rory McIlroy (T69/+2) cards his first over-par round on TOUR since the 2025 TOUR Championship (R3/71); withdrew from last week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard with a back injury prior to his third round.
Ryan Fox (illness) withdrew prior to the start of the first round and was replaced by David Ford (T82/+3)
The PLAYERS | Leaderboard After 18 Holes (Partial)
T1 Maverick McNealy 67 (-5)
Lee Hodges 67 (-5)
Sepp Straka 67 (-5)
Sahith Theegala 67 (-5)
Austin Smotherman -5 thru 17*
The PLAYERS | Tournament Facts
COURSE: TPC Sawgrass - The PLAYERS Stadium Course, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL
YARDS/PAR: 7,352 yards/Par 72
ARCHITECTS: Pete Dye
OVERVIEW: (link)
PRIZE Money - Purse: $25,000,000 with Winner: $4,500,000
DEFENDING CHAMPION: Rory McIlroy
PAST RESULTS: (link)
2025 Results: (link)
FEDEx CUP Points to Winner: 750
SOCIAL MEDIA: #PGATour #FedExCup @THEPLAYERSChamp
How to Watch: In case of changes, visit: (PGATourCom)
The PLAYERS | The Basics
The Tee Times at TPC Sawgrass will run from 7:40am (ET) to 2:30pm (ET) today.
Weather: Today’s forecast is for partly cloudy skies, with temps 59-69 degrees. Winds at 15-16 mph. Little chance of rain.
Tournament Web Site: (link)
FedEx Cup Info: (link)
PGA Tour Brunch will post at 8:00am (EDT) on Saturday.
How to Watch |The PLAYERS
Friday, March 13, 2026 | All Times Eastern Daylight Time
7:30am - 7:00pm - ESPN+ Streaming
12 Noon - 7:00pm - Golf Channel
12 Noon- 7:00pm - PGA Tour Radio on Sirius XM and online at PGATourCom
How to Watch: (link)
The PLAYERS : Field, Update, Tee Times & Leaderboard
The Field: (link)
Updates:
Monday, March 9:
Field expanded from 121 players to 123 to round out threesomes:
Patton Kizzire and Seamus Power added
Tee Times: (link)
Tournament Leaderboard: (link)
What They’re Saying
Straka, Three Others in Four-Way Tie at THE PLAYERS (PGATourCom)
Rory Fights Through Pain (PGATourCom))
Thomas Shakes Off Tough Week, Shines at Sawgrass (PGATourCom)
The PLAYERS: Tee Times and Groupings (CBS Sports)
How to Watch | The PLAYERS (Golf (dot) Com)
On This Day in Golf History
March 13, 2005 - Padraig Harrington, winner of 10 events worldwide, won his first PGA Tour title with a victory at The Honda Classic. Harrington took the event title with a second hole sudden death victory over Vijay Singh at the Country Club at Mirasol at Palm Beach Gardens (Courtesy of Randy Walker), Author of On This Day in Golf History, available via Amazon.com and by clicking HERE
Parting Putt
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