Johnson in six-way tie for first; Woods, Lefty well off pace

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson delivered plenty of entertainment Thursday at The Players Championship.

The lead belonged to just about everyone else.

Dustin Johnson and Matt Kuchar were among six players who shared the lead at 6-under-par 66 in ideal scoring conditions, creating the largest logjam ever at the TPC Sawgrass and the most players tied at the top at The Players in 40 years.

“If you’re on your game, this course suits you,” Kuchar said.

That has been the story of the TPC Sawgrass over the years — a design that doesn’t favor one particular style of play. That notion was on overdrive in warm sunshine and moderate wind — conditions so ideal that 12 players were separated by one shot after the opening round, and 68 players in the 144-man field broke par.

Woods wasn’t among them. He shot 72 in his first time at The Players in three years. Neither was Mickelson, who had three double bogeys on the back nine and shot 79. Rickie Fowler rounded out the threesome and shot 74.

Kuchar, Chesson Hadley and Patrick Cantlay each got to 7 under until getting late bogeys. Johnson, Alex Noren and Webb Simpson each shot 66 in the morning when there was only a mild breeze but still enough to make even the best look foolish.

Johnson played like he was determined to keep that No. 1 ranking, which he could lose if he finishes 12th or worse. And he putted like he was fed up with not seeing enough go in. He tried the “AimPoint” method that some players use to help them read the greens. He liked the results.

Johnson started on No. 10 and went out in 31, and when he rolled in a 10-foot birdie putt on the par-5 second hole, he was on his way. Johnson only gave himself a few reasonable chances the rest of the way. The 66 was his best score on the Stadium Course.

“I was just not making enough putts,” Johnson said. “It’s definitely helped. Because I’m a feel putter, anyway, and so the way you’re doing it really is you’re just feeling. So it definitely works.

Rookies and veterans alike were in the group at 67. The rookie was Keith Mitchell, who didn’t even know he was in the field until Paul Casey withdrew Wednesday. Mitchell birdied his opening four holes, made seven birdies over his first 11 holes and was slowed only by a double bogey on the par-3 third.

The veteran was 51-year-old Steve Stricker, who still can’t decide whether to hang his hat in the big leagues or the senior circuit. He was irritated by a late bogey and failing to birdie the par-5 ninth, settling for a 67.

“I’m not surprised,” Stricker said. “I expect to play well.”