PGA Tour Brunch | The PLAYERS | R-2
PGA Tour Brunch | The PLAYERS | R-2
Preview of the Second Round of the 2023 PLAYERS Championship
By TERRY LYONS
Note: Due to darkness, the first round was suspended at 6:28pm (ET) with 21 players yet to complete their round. The first round will resume at 7:40am today. The second round will begin at 6:50am (ET) as scheduled.
PONTE VEDRA BEACH - Chad Ramey is one of 32 players making their tournament debut; no first-timer has held the 18-hole lead in the event since 2017 when Mackenzie Hughes accomplished the feat.
Ramey (64) and Collin Morikawa (65) were the only two players in the field without a bogey or worse in the first round
Five of the 11 players T-6 or better are first-timers at THE PLAYERS Championship; those 11 players have made a combined 11 starts at THE PLAYERS. The most? Denny McCarthy with three
Canada’s Taylor Pendrith (T-3) opened with 5-under (67), his low 18-hole score in the event. Pendrith is in his second appearance at THE PLAYERS Championship, and finished T-13 in 2022.
Making his PLAYERS Championship debut, Ben Griffin (T-3) birdied his last three holes (Nos. 7-9) en route to 5-under (67). He’s making his 14th start of the season with his best finish being a T-3 at the 2022 Butterfield Bermuda Championship.
Justin Suh (T-3) birdied five holes in a six-hole stretch (Nos. 7-12) and sits 5-under thru 15 holes.
Hayden Buckley shot a one-over (73) but aced the 17th on Thursday morning:
The PLAYERS | Partial First Round Leaderboard
Chad Ramey 64 (-8)
Collin Morikawa 65 (-7)
Taylor Pendrith 67 (-5)
Ben Griffin 67 (-5)
Justin Suh -5 thru 15
The PLAYERS | Tournament Facts
COURSE: TPC Sawgrass - THE PLAYERS Stadium Course, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL
YARDS/PAR: 7,256 yards/Par 72
ARCHITECTS: Pete Dye
PRIZE Money - Purse: $25,000,000 with Winner: $4,500,000
DEFENDING CHAMPION: Cameron Smith
PAST RESULTS: (link)
FEDEx CUP Points to Winner: 600
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 6:50am (ET) to 1:51pm (ET).
Weather: Today’s forecast is for cloudy skies in the morning, turning partly sunny and 72-degrees. Only a 2% chance of rain.
Tournament Web Site: (link)
FedEx Cup Info: (link)
PGA Tour Brunch will post by 6:30am (ET) on Saturday.
The PLAYERS : Tee Times and Leaderboard
Tee Times: (link)
Tournament Leaderboard: (link)
What They’re Saying
Morikawa with promising start at The PLAYERS (PGATourCom)
Chad Ramey Shines (Golf Week/USA Today)
Looking at Round 2 at The PLAYERS (ESPNCom)
McIlroy Shot Opening Round (76) - (ESPNCom)
How to Watch - The PLAYERS | R-2 (PGATourCom)
On This Day in Golf History
March 10, 1963 - Arnold Palmer shot (67) in the final round to win the Pensacola Open. It was part of a great start to the ‘63 PGA Tour season for him when he won three of first seven events he played: Pensacola preceeded by the Los Angeles Open and Phoenix Open in which Gary Player and Jack Nicklaus finished second and third.
Parting Putt
Next Up
PGA TOUR Brunch is brought to you by Digital Sports Desk. Subscriptions to PGA Tour Brunch are the perfect gift for your friends or family members who love pro golf. This e-newsletter is not affiliated with the PGA Tour organization.