Tough conditions at Sawgrass

The Players Championship started in overcast conditions today and a testing early morning breeze suggested the world’s best players were in for a challenging time.

Those winds were forecast to gust to 20mph during the day at the Sawgrass TPC, and rain is also expected at some point.

That is exactly what most do not want for the US PGA Tour’s flagship, US$9million event, which this year has been moved to May after previously being played in March.

It was put back primarily to improve the chances of fine weather because the tournament has been plagued by rain in recent years, often leaving the course resembling a quagmire, but a new drainage system installed over the past year promises to avoid that fate this time.

Paul Casey was the first British player to tee off, in the first threesome off the par-four 10th at 7.20am local time. He started with two successive pars.

Luke Donald, Ian Poulter and Brian Davis also had morning tee times, while the great Tiger Woods is likewise due out early.