PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — The 25 newcomers to The Players Championship probably won’t take much solace in hearing that only one player has conquered the diabolical Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass in his first time playing the tournament over the past four decades.
That was Craig Perks in 2002.
Just as curious is the case of Scottie Scheffler, who a year ago became the first player in the history of this event to win in consecutive editions.
Tiger Woods, for all his greatness, won it only twice. Six-time major champion Phil Mickelson won in 2007, and some eight years later, after missing the cut, said: “I can’t believe I’ve actually won here.”
The PGA Tour’s premier event — sometimes referred to as the “fifth major” — begins Thursday with the same level of intrigue. There are great players, there are players in great form, but anything goes over the next four days.