Mother Nature continues to cause havoc at the 48th annual Players Championship. After multiple stoppages on Thursday and Friday, the opening round has yet to be completed. While Thursday’s round was delayed for over five hours, golfers started play in wet conditions on Friday and battled through a constant rain shower. Play was finally suspended at 11:15 a.m. ET due to heavy rain and unplayable conditions at TPC Sawgrass on Florida’s northeastern coast. Then at 3 p.m. ET, the Tour announced play would be suspended for the day and would not resume before 11 a.m. ET on Saturday.
Only 24 of the starters from Thursday’s original afternoon wave were able to complete the first round. 47 players were still on the course and need to finish on Saturday. The course has received almost three inches of rain in the last 48 hours. PGA Tour referee Gary Young implied that a Monday finish is very likely.
The forecast for Saturday is also treacherous with possible severe weather in the morning followed by potential windy conditions with gusts approaching as high as 60 mph.
“We’re not trying to rush anyone and continue play just like a race to try to achieve it,” Young said on Friday afternoon. “We are still building in our normal three hours between the two waves, making sure that things turn right on time, spacing them appropriately. We have a pace-of-play policy,” he said. “In our calculations, these are all based on the weather conditions that are forecasted, and we feel that we’ve got favorable conditions. Although it’s going to be windy, we feel we’re going to have the next two days rain-free following this weather event in the morning.
As for the actual golf, Tommy Fleetwood and Tom Hoge currently have the clubhouse lead at 6-under, while Brice Garnett is still on the course and is 6-under through 13 holes. Golfers such as Daniel Berger (-5), Dustin Johnson (-4), and Scottie Scheffler (-4) were also still playing when the horn blew to suspend action on Friday.
It appears that players who teed off in the morning on Thursday may have an advantage moving forward. Once the 47 golfers still on the course finish their first-round sometime on Saturday afternoon, they along with the rest of the original afternoon wave will have to go right back onto the course in gale-force winds to complete their second round. Even if the original morning wave begins their second round on Saturday, they will not have to experience the brunt of the conditions like the afternoon wave will. Winds are forecast to die down somewhat on Sunday.
Taking that into account, and if you can stomach the volatility of everything this event has brought thus far, there are a few of those original “morning” players who present some value. Tom Hoge (+2900) is currently leading and gained 3.3 shots ball-striking in his first round. Joaquin Niemann (+1900) is a world-class player and is only one shot off the lead. Sam Burns (+2900), Abraham Ancer (+4600), and Keith Mitchell (+4600) also fit the bill as players within two shots of the lead who may get the better side of the weather draw moving forward.
Related to the forecasted windy conditions on Saturday, below is a ranking chart of rounds by players in windy conditions of 15+ mph since 2018. With winds on Sunday still in the 12-20 mph range (bringing on wind chills in the 30s!) and on Monday at 10-18 mph, it appears a blustery final three rounds are in store.
Strokes Gained in Winds of 15+ mph since 2018
*BS – Ball-striking (SG: APP + SG: OTT)
