PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – One of golf’s rising stars has an early lead at The Players Championship – although it might not be the one you’d expect.
With Rory McIlroy two shots back and Jordan Spieth struggling, Hideki Matsuyama grabbed the top spot at TPC Sawgrass with a 5-under 67.
One of the PGA Tour’s best ball-strikers, Matsuyama thrived despite finding only 12 of 18 greens in regulation. The key to his round was putting, as the 23-year-old – who ranks fourth in strokes gained tee-to-green this season, but 114th in strokes gained putting – needed only 26 putts and converted six different putts over 7 feet in length.