While the Players Championship may not be considered a major championship, it definitely makes the gap between the Masters and the U.S. Open a little bit more bearable and this year’s Players did not disappoint.
Leading the pack was none other than the world ranked number one, Jason Day. Day put up video game like numbers in his first round posting a nine under-par, 63, only to come back on the second and third days, thanks to a rain delay, to put up a six under-par, 66. Day would cool off on day three but it didn’t ruin his chances to take home the title because day three proved to be the toughest for nearly everyone who made the cut.
It’s almost like TPC Sawgrass has a dial hidden somewhere in the clubhouse for how difficult they want the greens to be on any given day and someone accidentally bumped it in between the time golfers finished their second round and started their third because it looked like they were putting on concrete later on in the day. I wish I was kidding but numbers don’t lie, there were 149 three-putts or worse recorded on day three. Day still maintained a four shot lead despite posting a one over-par, 73.
Day’s final round on Sunday was almost a disaster as he only hit three greens on the front nine. While Day wasn’t exactly successful to start the round, two over-par through nine holes, things could have gone much, much worse. Day would bounce back on the back nine and birdie holes 10, 12, and 16 to card a one under-par, 71. That would put him at 15 under-par for the tournament which was more than enough to bring home the $1.89 million first place pay out and his second wire-to-wire win this year.
Next up for the PGA Tour is the AT&T Byron Nelson as Steven Bowditch steps up to defend his title at the TPC Four Seasons Resort in Irving, Texas.
