Sergio Garcia, a 2008 champion, takes the early lead of The Players at TPC Sawgrass after seven under-65s including two eagles; watch a continuous live broadcast of the first round on Sky Sports The Players
Last updated: 11/03/21 7:14 pm
2:08
Sergio Garcia reflects on an impressive finish to his opening round at The Players and explains why he enjoys playing at TPC Sawgrass so much.
Sergio Garcia reflects on an impressive finish to his opening round at The Players and explains why he enjoys playing at TPC Sawgrass so much.
Sergio Garcia compared TPC Sawgrass to Valderrama after seven under-65s were unable to earn for the early lead at The Players.
The 41-year-old Spaniard, who won three-time Masters Andalucia Valderrama, is aiming for a second title at the 2008 PGA Tour major event.
Garcia followed birdie at 15th with an eagle at 16th in front of his nine, before getting past a three-putt bogey at first with a birdie at par-five in second place to get to three under through the It has 11 opening holes.
While playing partner and defender Rory McIlroy went seven-over 79, Garcia rose to the top of the board with a brilliant birdie-birdie-eagle finish.
Sergio Garcia won his first event on U.S. soil since the 2017 Masters with a win at the Sanderson Farms Tournament last October
“Valderrama and this course are some of my favorites,” said Garcia, who was also a runner – up at the 2007 Players’ Championship.
“It just fits my eye. I see what I want to do almost every hole and then it’s a matter of doing it, but I definitely feel more comfortable and I’ve to do well. “
2:04 A look back at the best of the action from the opening round of Sergio Garcia 65 at The Players, seeing the Spaniard set the clubhouse target
Sergio Garcia, winner of the 2008 PLAYERS Championship opens with 7-under 65, featuring eagles at numbers 16 and 9 (both par-5s).
TPC Sawgrass debut with multiple eagles (77th career round)
First 65 or better at TPC Sawgrass since 2013 (65 / R4)#THEPLAYERS
– PGA TOUR Communication (@PGATOURComms) March 11, 2021
Garcia, who made the cut at the tournament for 16 years in a row, said: “It feels like you’re hitting greens that you get a birdie chance, you don’t seem to be ranging from 50, 60, 70 feet like some of the other courses we play where the green fields are just really big.
“So it’s clear that that kind of suits me, the way I love to play and today I was able to do that, to hit some good ironwork, to ‘drive the ball nicely, hit some good iron shots and give myself a lot of those 15, 12. to 20-footers for eagles and birdies and I was able to roll three or four of them and that helps. “
A closing eagle at the ninth par-five got the first good round from Garcia
Meanwhile, Viktor Hovland, who looks like Garcia is aiming to play for Europe at this year’s Ryder Cup, was delighted to accumulate two under-70s for the first time. his competition at the Florida course.
Viktor Hovland has the top five finishes in four of his last six starts
Norway recovered 23-years from a “very sloppy” double bog at the 11th par-five – his second hole – after discovering the danger of water with his second sight.
Hovland, already a two-time PGA Tour winner, bounced back to make three birdies in front of him nine before finishing his round with a closing birdie at ninth.
“I’ve been hitting it really hard in the last few months and just one picture I’ve struggled with the club that long since going into par-5s , it ‘s just like that thin little heel, and it actually happened there at the wrong time.
“It’s very easy to lose confidence after that but I’ve been able to tell myself that I’ve been playing well and just the scenes I want to see and I’ve been well resuscitated. soon. “
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