The wind invites itself and turns the Players Championship upside down

Of the 21 players who hit the famous hole 17 of TPC Sawgrass to complete their first round, ten balls found the water surrounding the green. The hit average for these 21s is 4.1. On a par 3 of 125 meters. The wind was so strong on this round that players hesitated between a 7 iron and an 8 iron to play this distance, which they all reach with a wedge in normal times. The Scheffler-Schauffele-Koepka group, current or former top-5 in the world, all three hit the water at 17, heading for the dropping zone.

The wind master of the game

The gusts this Saturday, going up to 60 km / h, completely upset the established order. While some players were lucky not to set foot on the course yesterday, others played 20 of their pre-cut 36 holes in this battle, making it very difficult for them. Of the 49 second-round maps completed, only two are in the 60s. Bubba Watson and Justin Thomas have pulled off the feat of rendering maps without any bogeys. The first signed a 68 (-4), while the defending champion played 69 (-3). Justin Rose and Jordan Spieth returned a 79 (+7), Brooks Koepka played him 81 (+9).

The program this Sunday

The game stopped on Saturday at 6:29 p.m. due to insufficient light. Sixteen of the 24 games originally scheduled for Friday afternoon started their second round on Saturday, with none having gone more than four holes. The remaining eight games will begin their second round this Sunday. Leaders Fleetwood and Hoge (-6) are concerned, the Englishman having played three holes and the American due to start his second round on Sunday.

If all goes well, these eight games will therefore play 36 holes today, since it is expected that all players will have completed their third round before Monday. The mark of the cut is currently located in par, but should change this Sunday. A bright sun is expected at Ponte Vedra, as well as gusts of wind, however less powerful than yesterday.