When constructed for the sole purpose of this very Players Championship now 40-some years ago, Pete Dye was universally panned for his master creation for tournament golf. Sadistic, players called it — torture, just outright unfair. And while Saturday in Ponte Vedra Beach didn’t quite provide the carnage of last year’s disaster scene, Dye’s turfgrass version of a funhouse mirror still showed why it’s one of the toughest tracks on Tour on Saturday.
Players Championship leaderboard 2017: JB Holmes, Kyle Stanley lead, Sergio surges on windy Saturday at Sawgrass
High winds limited the leaders on Saturday at Sawgrass, but we’re set up for a jampacked, wild Sunday that might center around none other than Sergio Garcia once again.
Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images
High, swirling winds along with Sawgrass’ famed railroad-tie lined, risk-reward holes provided protection for those chasing the leaders, setting the stage for a wide open and wild Sunday afternoon in north Florida. After a day that saw the scoring average approach 75, Ryder Cup star JB Holmes and Kyle Stanley will enter Sunday tied at the top of the leaderboard at 9-under-par after Saturday rounds of 2-under 70 and even-par 72 respectively. The two took advantage of a late break in the windy conditions to grab late birdies and pull just ahead of the rest of the field, but there’s a stacked-up field set to give chase tomorrow. Major champion Louis Oosthuizen sits just a shot behind, with young Korean phenom Si Woo Kim another back at 7-under-par. A host of quality players who have the pro credentials or the amateur pedigree to be a deserved Players Champion — Emiliano Grillo, Ian Poulter, Alex Noren, and Patrick Cantlay — all sit within four shots.
But perhaps the story of the day at Sawgrass? Your 2017 Masters champion Sergio Garcia, of course. After being left for dead by most after opening his tournament on Thursday with a 4-over through six holes stretch, El Nino vaulted back into contention on Saturday with a brilliant 5-under-par 67 to bring him to 5-under for the championship as well. A run of birdies on 11, 12, and 13 — punctuated by a massive eagle on the par-5 16th — allowed Garcia to post his number hours ahead of the leaders.
He’ll start Sunday four shots behind the leaders and chasing history. Only one player has ever won The Players and The Masters in the same season — none other than Tiger Woods in 2001. There’s reason to believe he can get there, too. Few have been better in recent years than Garcia at Sawgrass — and if you’d take away his opening six holes, he’d be leading the tournament outright. Blame the green jacket hangover, I guess?
For the rest of the sport’s big names, Saturday’s winds weren’t so kind. Jason Day, Rickie Fowler, and Rory McIlroy failed to do much to make a move and would require major Sunday magic to get back into the conversation. Dustin Johnson shot 40 on the back nine, ejecting himself from the conversation altogether. Phil Mickelson shot 78. Spanish phenom and trendy pick to win Jon Rahm put up the worst round of his short pro career — a disastrous 10-over-par 82. Woof.
But, strangely enough, here we are at the second straight big time tournament dependent on none other than Sergio Garcia to play headliner. Don’t question it, there’s still plenty of other compelling stories available: a Holmes win would be well earned, Kim is a phenom, Poulter is here because of Brian Gay’s wife’s math! But, in a sport so driven by stars and history, Sergio’s turn from snakebitten, petulant villain to possibly equaling a feat only accomplished by Tiger Woods will be the reason to tune in for casual viewers tomorrow. At age 37, he could jump as high as Number 2 in the world with a win — and another Players crystal post-Masters would be the validation to prove that pressure close at Augusta wasn’t some fluke.
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