Na leads at Sawgrass

American Kevin Na, best known for taking 16 on one hole just over a year ago, was doing rather better in the Players Championship at Sawgrass today.

The 28-year-old birdied six of his first eight holes, including the dangerous short 17th with its near island green, to lead golf’s richest event by a shot from little-known compatriot Blake Adams, who finished the front nine with five successive birdies.

Dubliner Padraig Harrington and England’s Ian Poulter, both former runners-up in the tournament, were one under par, but Tiger Woods was one over after six holes.

Woods failed to get up and down from sand on the 10th, made a nine-foot birdie putt on the short 12th, but then had his second bogey on the 449-yard 15th after driving into another bunker.

Harrington birdied the second and third, bogeyed the sixth and eighth after straying into the rough, but pitched to seven feet for another birdie at the long ninth.

Poulter was also off to a fast with birdies at the second and fourth, but missed the green at the seventh and dropped his first shot.