Johnson, holder Day in marquee groups
NEW YORK: Defending champion Jason Day plays with past champions Rickie Fowler and Henrik Stenson, while world No.1 Dustin Johnson tees it up with Rory McIlroy and Justin Thomas in tomorrow’s opening round of the Players Championship.
Day, the world No.3, won last year’s event by four strokes after opening with a course-record 63.
The Australian helps kick off the tournament in the morning wave with fellow top 10 players, Sweden’s Stenson (7) and Rickie Fowler (9), in the so-called ‘fifth major’.
Another glamour group follows them as world No.5 Jordan Spieth, No.4 Hideki Matsuyama of Japan and five-time major winner Phil Mickelson set off on the revamped Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass.
Johnson, whose run of three victories in his previous three starts ended with a tie for second at last week’s Wells Fargo Championship, hopes to get started on a new winning streak.
The 2016 US Open winner, who had been the favourite at Augusta before slipping on a staircase and landing heavily on his back, said he came into the Wells Fargo cold but was pleased with how he held up physically after the lay-off.
“I didn’t really get to practise leading into this tournament... so most of my practise I’ve done since I’ve been here,” he said.
“Physically, I’m really good. Everything’s 100 percent, feeling great. I can swing at it, no problems.”
World No.2 McIlroy, the FedExCup champion, celebrates a return to competition after a month off to get married.
They are preceded by groupings of Masters champion Sergio Garcia of Spain and former winners Adam Scott of Australia and Matt Kuchar, and an international trio of Briton Justin Rose, German Martin Kaymer and Spaniard Jon Rahm.
The elite field at the Players will see numerous changes at the permanent site of the championship.