Jason Day torches TPC Sawgrass with Players first-round 63
World No. 1 Jason Day dominated the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass on Thursday, surging to the Day 1 lead at The Players Championship with a course record-tying 9-under 63.
Day took advantage of friendly scoring conditions, including softer-than-usual greens and a lack of wind, and he carries a two-shot lead into Friday's second round over five players, including Justin Rose, Shane Lowry, Cameron Tringale, Bill Haas and Brendan Steele.
The reigning PGA champion is the fifth player to shoot 63 at the Stadium Course, and he's the third player to do it in the last four years. Roberto Castro opened with 63 in 2013, then Martin Kaymer did en route to a 2014 win. In 1994, Greg Norman also opened The Players with 63, back when the event was played in March, before winning by four shots at 24 under par.
It could have been even lower. Though Day played flawless golf, with nine birdies and no bogeys, he had an outside shot at 62. Playing the par-5 ninth as his final hole, Day found himself in a greenside bunker blasting out with a chance to set a new course record. He came within 18 inches of making the shot.
Nevertheless, Day will happily take 63, particularly after shooting 81 here in the second round last year to miss the cut.
"Yeah, I would have loved to shoot 10 under and be the only guy to hold that record, but I'm in pretty good company with the guys that have shot that, especially with Greg Norman and the way he played shooting 63 and three straight 67s," Day said.
The first-round result wasn't all that surprising. Day felt it coming, and, after finishing tied for fifth at the weather-shortened Zurich Classic of New Orleans, he said he intended to focus his energy on winning this tournament.
"I knew that I could -- the way I was feeling, the way I was playing, I knew that I could shoot a good score, especially with how the greens were so receptive today," Day said. "They were really nice, holding on a lot of shots."
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