Rory McIlroy, Wyndham Clark and Xander Schauffele are all tied for the lead on -7 after day one of 2024 The Players

TPC Sawgrass is a 7,275 yard par 72. It’s the 50th anniversary of the unofficial fifth major Players Championship. Major champions and LIV stars Jon Rahm, Cameron Smith, Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson and Bryson DeChambeau are all not participating. $25,000,000 will be the biggest prize fund in golf at this week’s Players Championship. The field includes FedEx Cup winners Patrick Cantlay & Viktor Hovland and major champions Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Collin Morikawa, Jordan Spieth, Wyndham Clark and Justin Thomas.

McIlroy played his first round with Spieth and Hovland. This group started their opening round at the 10th hole. McIlroy got off to a sensational start as he played holes 10 to 12 in -3. An improvement in iron play as McIlroy reached -4 after five holes.

McIlroy played the dangerous three-hole stretch from 16 to 18 in -1 to shoot an impressive front nine of 31. After nine holes Hovland -1 and Spieth level par. McIlroy started his back nine with a par and a birdie to reach -6. Xander Schauffele played his front nine in -3 and made two birdies in a row at two and three to join McIlroy on -6.

2019 Players Championship winner takes the lead on -7 after a birdie at his 13th hole. Schauffele birdied his 14th hole to make it a two-way tie on -7. McIlroy made his ninth birdie of the round to play 15 holes in -8. McIlroy found the water with his tee shot at the seventh hole which resulted in a double bogey. Schauffele finished with a par to shoot a -7 round of 65.

McIlroy finished with a birdie at the ninth hole and shot an impressive -7 round of 65. McIlroy’s playing partners Hovland +1 and Spieth +2. McIlroy and Schauffele are joint leaders on -7 as the morning’s action comes to an end.

The Markee afternoon group was Justin Thomas, Scottie Scheffler and Rickie Fowler. Scheffler made two birdies in three holes to reach -1. Thomas got off to a great start with been -2 after four holes. Shane Lowry started his round with a birdie and two pars to reach -1.

After nine holes Scheffler -2, Thomas -1 and Fowler +1. Scheffler advanced to -4 after two birdies in a row at 10 and 11. 2023 US Open champion Clark moved up the leaderboard to -4 after 12 holes. Seamus Power advanced to -1 after a birdie at his 15th hole.

2022 US Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick reached -6 after playing holes 15 and 16 in -3. World number one made his presence known on the leaderboard as he reached -5. Clark moved to -6 after two birdies in a row at 15 and 16. Scheffler doesn’t play his best golf but manages to shoot a -5 round of 67.

Clark made it a three-way tie at the top of leaderboard on -7 due to a birdie at 17. Scheffler’s playing partners Thomas finished -1 and Fowler +2. Clark achieved a par at 18 to shoot a sensational -7 round of 65. Irishmen Power level par and Lowry -1. The leaders nearest challengers are Fitzpatrick -6 and Scheffler -5.