PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (AP) – The Players Championship attracts the strongest and deepest field in golf. In its 43-year history, all but 10 winners of the PGA Tour’s premier event have captured a major championship.
It also might be the most difficult to handicap.
Rory McIlroy didn’t break par at the TPC Sawgrass until his fourth appearance in The Players, including the year after he won the U.S. Open. At least he has steadily improved with four straight years no worse than a tie for 12th, though he has never contended on the back nine Sunday.
“This is a golf course where I’ve had to rein in my game over the years,” McIlroy said. “I’ve always felt that driving is a big advantage for me if I can drive the ball well, whereas here, it just doesn’t let me do that. Earlier on in my career, I had to come to terms with that, and come to terms with hitting the ball in the same positions as everyone else off the tee and then trying to beat them from there.”
Dustin Johnson wouldn’t mind having McIlroy’s record at The Players.