The Players: Chad Ramey shock leader over Collin Morikawa as Rory McIlroy struggles at TPC Sawgrass | Golf News

Collin Morikawa holds second place and world No. 2 Scottie Scheffler in the four lead, with Rory McIlroy 12 strokes off the pace struggling to open 76; Watch the second round live on Friday from 11.30am Sky Sports Golfwith extra feed through the red button

Chad Ramey topped the PGA Tour’s biggest names to claim a surprise lead after the opening round of The Players, where Rory McIlroy endured a nightmare start to return to world No.1.

Ramey – who has missed the cut in seven of his previous 10 PGA Tour appearances – tore up the form guide with a stunning bogey-free 64 at TPC Sawgrass, with eight birdies helping the American take a one-shot advantage over two-time major champion Collin Morikawa.

Finishing three birdies from the late starter Ben Griffin lifted him to the third part in five alongside Justin Suh and Canadian Taylor Pendrith, with Scottie Scheffler fourth off the pace after out-performing Jon Rahm and McIlroy in the marquee group in the morning.

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Rory McIlroy struggled to a four-over-par 76 during the first round of The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass.

Scheffler birdied three of the last four holes to post an opening-round 68 and is now world No. 1, Rahm is seven behind after a one-under 71, while McIlroy is in danger of missing the cut after double bogeying the opening hole to add four. bogeys in a frustrating four-over 76.

How Ramey is progressing at TPC Sawgrass

Ramey followed up his three birdies in the opening five holes with a 30-footer on the par-four seventh, helping him reach the turn in 32, then continued his progress by starting nine holes in a row.

The world number 225 ended the pars race by taking advantage of the par-five 16th and jumping into a solo lead when he teed off the tee on the par-three well within reach, before entering a handicap-free card by two-putting from distance at the end.

“It’s not easy,” Ramey said. “I might have looked like that, but it’s not easy. It’s fun, the first time to get a score on a good course like this – you can’t ask for that anymore.”

Morikawa grabbed an outright advantage on the afternoon after mixing five birdies with a stunning eagle on the par-five second, where he came within four feet of the flag, while Suh made a late charge for the lead when he posted five. birdies on about five holes of the seventh to join the tied group.

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Highlights from Collin Morikawa’s impressive 65 (-7) in the opening round of The Players Championship.

Limited cloud cover in Florida meant the last few groups could not finish before play was postponed due to darkness at 6.28pm local time (11.28pm BST), with Suh among those who had to return on Friday to finish.

Mixed fortunes for golf stars

Scheffler was joined in the group on four under by Min Woo Lee, who bogeyed the last two holes after suffering cramp late in the round, with Jordan Spieth starting the back nine with three consecutive birdies en route to a three-under 69.

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Hayden Buckley added his name to the list of players to make an ace on the impressive 17th hole at TPC Sawgrass when he hit the tee on Thursday at The Players Championship.

Xander Schauffele fought back from four through eight holes to play for a card level-par 72, with the British trio Danny Willett, Tommy Fleetwood and Tyrrell Hatton also in the group of eight of the pace, while Hayden Buckley should settle to open. -round of 73 despite a brilliant hole-in-one on the par-three 17th.

McIlroy mixed two birdies with four bogeys and a double bogey during a frustrating opening day, leaving him 12 off the lead, with only nine players posting a higher total than the four-time major champion during the morning wave.

Watch the Players throughout the week live on Sky Sports. Live coverage continues on Saturday from 11.30 on Sky Sports Golf, with an extra host of feeds available through the red button.