Pride at Players Championship as golf returns to 'where the world changed'

The 2021 Players will start today with 20% of its normal fan capacity — about 10,000 a day

DRIVING INTO THE FUTURE: Jordan Spieth plays a shot during a practice round ahead of the Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass. We have arrived at what Rory McIlroy calls ‘the anniversary of where the world changed’.  Picture: Sam Greenwood/Getty Images

The signs were everywhere a year ago, if anyone chose to see them. Toilet paper and disinfecting wipes were already scarce. A trip to the local big-box store seemed like some non-lethal variation of the Hunger Games. Obsessive hand washing and sanitisers were becoming routine.

Face masks had become neither vogue nor controversial yet in the United States when players, media, and fans arrived at TPC Sawgrass for the PGA Tour’s flagship event — the Players Championship. Handshakes, however, were already out of style.