PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – No one seemed more surprised by Ernie Els’ opening 66 at The Players Championship than the Big Easy.
“I've got a love-hate relationship with [TPC Sawgrass architect] Pete Dye. Me and Pete, we love each other sometimes, and I hate him sometimes,” Els laughed. “This course has had its way with me. Nice to get one up on the course, and the conditions were great.”
Els has come by his strained relationship with the Stadium Course honestly, having finished inside the top 10 just four times in 22 trips to the PGA Tour’s flagship event; and his first-round 66 was his best card around TPC Sawgrass since Round 3 in 1996 when he shot a 65.