Players Championship Day 1: Surprises-a-plenty

5/9/2008

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- You can't always expect the unexpected. If you expected everything, nothing would be unexpected. Confusing? Yes. But then again so is the leaderboard after Thursday's first round of the 35th PLAYERS Championship.

The top spot is occupied by Spain's Sergio Garcia after a devilish 6-under-par 66 -- not so unexpected given his runner-up finish in 2007. But it might be unexpected if he goes on to win, given that just Sandy Lyle in 1987 is the only European to have won at TPC Sawgrass.

Back to Thursday, though. What are we to make of the namesKenny Perry (4 under), Paul Goydos (4 under), Steve Elkington (3 under) and Fred Couples (2 under)? Is this the 2008 PLAYERS, or the 1998 PLAYERS? Those four veterans -- Couples and Elkington are both multiple winners here at TPC Sawgrass -- are within four shots of the lead.

All four are on the back nine of their respective PGA TOUR careers, yet they're performing like the group of surging 20-somethings has in 2008.

And don't think for a minute that they can't win.

Too old, you say? Not so. Fred Funk won at the tender age of 48 in 2005. Maybe the old guns still have a shot or two left in them.

And how about the names Heath Slocum, Ian Poulter, Niclas Fasth, Todd Hamilton, John Merrick, Nicholas Thompson and Kevin Stadler, all on the first page of the leaderboard?

Hamilton is the lone major winner in that group, though Stadler has one in the family, compliments of papa Walrus at the 1982 Masters.

Slocum is looking for his first win since 2005, while Poulter, Fasth, Merrick, Thompson and Stadler are all in search of their maiden TOUR win.

And then another unexpected development: Paul Goydos shooting a 68.

After all, in 28 previous rounds at TPC Sawgrass, he had never seen the pleasant side of 70. And in his previous four rounds here, he was a cumulative 20-over par.

If you're looking for some normalcy, try defending champion Phil Mickelson and reigning U.S. Open champion Angel Cabrera, who are among a large group bunched at 2 under and will surely have some say before this tournament is over.

Leaderboard – Round 1:

1.  Sergio Garcia                       ESP  66 - 6
2.  Kenny Perry                        USA  68 - 4
     Paul Goydos                       USA  68 - 4
4.  Heath Slocum                     USA  69 - 3
     Steve Elkington                   AUS  69 - 3
     Ian Poulter                         ENG  69 - 3
     Niclas Fasth                        SWE  69 - 3
     Todd Hamilton                    USA  69 - 3
9.  John Merrick                        USA  70 - 2
     Nicholas Thompson              USA  70 - 2
     Brett Quigley                       USA  70 - 2
     Fred Couples                       USA  70 - 2
     Troy Matteson                      USA  70 - 2
     Angel Cabrera                      ARG  70 - 2
     Phil Mickelson                      USA  70 - 2
     Kevin Stadler                       USA  70 - 2
     Jose Maria Olazabal              ESP  70 - 2
     Ben Crane                           USA  70 - 2
     Miguel Angel Jiménez            ESP  70 - 2
     Anthony Kim                        USA  70 - 2
     Boo Weekley                       USA  70 - 2
     D.J. Trahan                          USA  70 - 2

Source: PGA Tour