The Players Championship 2017: Sergio’s return, Jason Day’s defense, and other things to watch at TPC Sawgrass

Golf’s proclaimed fifth major, The Players Championship gets underway today at TPC Sawgrass from Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. It’ll bring the biggest field in golf, the classic island green, big stars, and a return to golf for the sport’s most recent major champion. Here’s five of the storylines to watch as play gets underway today in the Jacksonville area.

VAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMOS. Sorry, sorry, I’ll calm down now.

The last time we saw Sergio Garcia play a competitive golf event, he was putting on a green jacket and shedding the major monkey from his back. At 37 and still with ample time left in his career, will this be the beginning of a New Sergio that goes on to win multiple major championships? Or will that one green jacket be all she wrote — and he’ll ride off into the sunset with his new wife to be?

Where Sergio’s career goes from here will be one of golf’s biggest storylines in 2017. Can he make a run at being considered one of the all-time greats? The glass-half-full perspective says he’s playing some of the best golf of his life, his game won’t decline as rapidly due to his strengths, and multiple majors could still be coming. Glass half-empty says his journey resembles something like David Duval’s path to the 2001 British Open win. Sawgrass might be a bit of a window into that future, but don’t read too much into it. He’s coming off a long, celebratory layoff, so expecting him to contend might be a bit much.

But!

This is a golf course he’s thrived on in the very recent past. He won here in 2008, and he’s contended often since. Seriously, just look at this dang chart right here.

Heck, if things fall right this week, he could leave Ponte Vedra as the 2nd ranked player in the world. Expect him to be in the mix, as long as he doesn’t have to pee.

Some things are indisputable. Right now, at this very moment, Dustin Johnson is the best player in golf. What that means for on down the road or if he’s the best player in the game is another debate. But, unless you’re living in a completely post-fact world, DJ is your favorite if he’s in a given field on a given week. This week is probably no different.

Note the probably. Sure, sure — DJ’s made huge strides with his wedge game in recent years and isn’t the one trick pony of past. He’s still tops on tour in GIR heading into this week! Still — Sawgrass is different, and it’s one of the furthest things from a bomber’s track on tour. It demands serious shotmaking and restraint off the tee, a test as mental as physical. Being the top-ranked player in the OWGR’s been something of a curse of late at Sawgrass, too. No player on top of the rankings has been in the contention in the last five seasons.

That doesn’t mean DJ can’t or won’t succeed. But here, his major strength -- driving the golf ball — doesn’t mean as much, he’s never fared particularly well here, and World Number One’s been something cursed here recently. DJ is somehow the favorite and a longshot to win, all at the same time.

The TPC Sawgrass you’re likely used to will look quite different this year. Renovations to a number of holes should alter the familiar track by a touch and bring more risk-reward options into play.

The biggest change will come on the par-4 12th, where a once fairly nondescript par-4 is now a drivable hole that can play as little as 275 yards to the front of the green. Expect to see lots of players give it the green light — and an increase in volatility and drama on a backside that already provides so much.

For non-major winners, The Players can be a springboard to future, bigger success -- perhaps the point where some much sought-after validation comes. For at least a bit, this is a championship one can hang a majorless resume on. Not in the way of a Green Jacket or a Claret Jug, but The Players can be a perception changer about a player.

Adam Scott (2004), Sergio (2008), Henrik (2009). They all won here before going on to major championship success years later. A number of other still majorless current or former stars — Rickie Fowler, Matt Kuchar Tim Clark, Stephen Ames, KJ Choi — have won the biggest event of their respective careers here within the last 11 editions.

There’s a number of names to watch this year. Justin Thomas is that type of future superstar. He’s had success here and has professed his love for the golf tournament & course. Jon Rahm’s hot streak has him a trendy & popular pick to win. Other young Euros — Tommy Fleetwood, Matt Fitzpatrick, Thomas Pieters — could fit the bill here, too. Could we perhaps even see a Patrick Reed breakthrough? He was on the cusp last week in Wilmington before faltering on Sunday.

It’s been a difficult start to 2017 for the guy that seemed poised to dominate the sport just one year ago. With his mother battling cancer, Day’s struggled to get started in 2017 — only venturing into contention one time (a T-5 Pebble Beach) this season thus far.

But last year, he found a way to unlock this golf course by approaching it differently when few expected him to win here. If he’s able to defend his title at Sawgrass, the win would again come on Mother’s Day -- and it’s the best possible finish and storyline for this championship. Unless you’re looking to keep your eyes dry on Sunday, root for Jason Day this weekend.