Sepp Straka tied for lead at Players Championship amid delays
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — Sepp Straka saved par seven instances, chipped in for eagle late in his spherical and averted huge bother for a 5-under 67 and a share of the lead at the Players Championship amid wind, rain, sunshine and darkness.
Whether he stays atop the leaderboard at TPC Sawgrass with Maverick McNealy, Lee Hodges and Sahith Theegala wouldn’t be decided till Friday morning.
Austin Smotherman he was at 5 underneath and had a 15-foot birdie putt on his ultimate gap, the par-5 ninth. It regarded like although he would possibly attempt to end, however when two gamers in his group bumped into bother and darkness thickened, he caught tees within the floor to mark it till the morning.
“Do I wish I hit the chip in the morning as well? Went back and forth,” Smotherman stated. “The fact I was even questioning it, I probably should have maybe backed off.”
He was one in all 4 gamers who failed to complete the spherical.
The 12 hours of golf was sufficient time for loads of theatrics — 38 balls within the water alongside the three closing holes on the Stadium Course, two eagles from the golf green and a downpour that led to a 21-minute delay. By the afternoon, rain gave approach to the solar casting shadows inside minutes.
Rory McIlroywho drew from Bay Hill final week due to again issues, stated he felt no ache besides for the putter, failing to make something longer than 6 toes in his spherical of 74.
Collin Morikawawho has been among the many high gamers this season, withdrew after one gap after he felt his again seize up throughout a follow swing.
Scottie Scheffler failed to interrupt par for the fourth opening spherical in his final 5 tournaments. He struggled to seek out the golf green and spent greater than an hour on the vary in a downpour after his 72.
Perhaps the largest shock was nobody carded decrease than a 67 — relying on Smotherman’s putt Friday morning. The final time that occurred in a gap spherical on this occasion was 2017.
Straka managed to go bogey-free, with some severe scrambling on the again 9. He saved par with a 12-foot putt on No. 10, hit into the water together with his second shot on the par-5 11 and escaped with par with one other 12-foot putt. He chipped in from 50 toes for his eagle on the par-5 sixteenth, after which clipped a wedge to tap-in vary from 67 yards out within the fairway on the 18th.
“I felt like all day I was playing from the rough, which is not ideal out here,” Straka stated. “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.”
Theegala, who made three straight birdies early, bumped into bother from the left bunker for bogey on the par-5 ninth after which turned his fortunes round when his wedge from just below 100 yards rammed into the cup for eagle on No. 12.
“For it to crash into the pin and go in is pretty cool. It’s a nice bonus,” Theegala stated.
Justin Thomaswho returned final week at Bay Hill after having again surgical procedure in November, opened with three straight birdies and wound up with a 68.
“Literally every single thing you could imagine I did quite a bit better [than last week]”stated Thomas, who shot 79-79 and missed the reduce at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
Cameron Young, Russell Henley and Taylor Moore additionally had been at 68. The group at 69 included Xander Schauffele and Tony Finauwho had 4 straight birdies and adopted that with 4 straight bogeys.
Henley was fortunate to complete his spherical. He performed within the morning in the course of the transient delay, and it was raining so exhausting that he dashed to the clubhouse from the close by second inexperienced with out realizing gamers had been being held in place for the fast-moving storm.
Ben Griffin saved him by telling him play was beginning, and Henley acquired again to the inexperienced.
