Hughes, McGirt share Players Championship lead

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. - Canadian rookie Mackenzie Hughes played bogey-free in his debut at The Players Championship and shot 5under-par 67 to share the lead with William McGirt after an opening round that showed anew that the TPC Sawgrass has surprises around every corner.

No one knows better than Adam Scott, the 2004 champion who had a oneshot lead going into par-3 17th hole.

First, he watched Masters champion Sergio Garcia salvage his poor round by making a hole-in-one at the infamous island green. Scott followed by spinning a shot off the bank and into the water for a double bogey, and he compounded that with another double bogey.

“I played some good golf out there and unfortunately not on the last two,” Scott said after settling for a 70.

At least he had company. Dustin Johnson’s first wedge of the way hit the pin, caromed off the green and led to bogey. On a day when nothing seemed to go his way, the world’s No. 1 player opened with a 71. Rory McIlroy went to tap in from 2 feet and missed it, and then had to make one twice that long for his double bogey on the 10th hole. He shot 73.

Through it all, Hughes was rock solid. Only twice did he have par putts longer than 3 feet, and he made them both. The Players Stadium Course must be some kind of easy, eh? Hughes laughed and shook his head. “No. It’s very hard.”

McGirt played in morning and made a pair of eagles on the back nine to atone in his round of 67.

The Madison duo of Steve Stricker and Jerry Kelly were back in the pack. Stricker opened with a 72; Kelly had a 74.