Christiaan Bezuidenhout made a good birdie on the famed 17th at TPC Sawgrass on Thursday on his way to a two-under-par 70 in the opening round of The Players Championship which was suspended due to darkness with some players through only 14 holes.
The South African Open champion made two birdies and a bogey on each nine to start the tournament which he had to abandon last year after an opening 65 set him up ahead of the COVID-19 pandemic sweeping across the world.
He found himself in a share of 12th behind Sergio Garcia who made two eagles on his way to a seven-under-par 65 and a two-stroke led over American Brian Harman. Completing a cosmopolitan top five on the leaderboard were England’s Matthew Fitzpatrick, Corey Conners of Canada and reigning Open champion Shane Lowry of Ireland, all on four-under.
Slovakia’s South African import Rory Sabbatini opened with a three-under together with last week’s leading combatants from the Arnold Palmer Invitational, Bryson DeChambeau and Lee Westwood.
Next best of the South Africans in the field was Dylan Frittelli with a one-under 71. His round included four birdies and three bogeys.
Louis Oosthuizen was one-over-par 73 after the first round, Branden Grace was on two-over, and Charl Schwartzel on five-over.