Players Championship live updates: Brooks Koepka played 17 twice Saturday — and finished 5 over on the hole for the day


The Players Championship is always a test, but with wild weather conditions at TPC Sawgrass, the challenge is greater than ever this week in Ponte Vedra Beach.

Due to the volatile nature of the schedule, the changing weather conditions and more, we’re adding a live updates page to stay on top of each facet of the tournament.

A loaded field of the world’s best players – 46 of the top 50 after Bryson DeChambeau withdrew on Sunday and Kevin Na followed suit on Monday – are at the event. Justin Thomas is back to defend his 2021 title.

Check back throughout the day for more as our team of reporters and photographers capture the scene.

The Players: Leaderboard | PGA Tour Live on ESPN+

UPDATE (4:02 p.m.): Brooks Koepka twirled. He laughed. It was almost as if he didn’t know what else to do. One of the best players in the world, Koepka continued his streak of futility on the 17th hole at TPC Sawgrass on Saturday in a big way — posting a double as he finished up his opening round and then followed it with a triple just a few hours later as he came back through.

UPDATE (3:11 p.m.): It’s been fascinating theater to watch No. 17 throughout the day and the players’ struggles have done little to deter fans from watching. In fact, it’s become even more densely packed. The numbers, though, as you can see below, have really dipped in Saturday’s wind.

UPDATE (2:31 p.m.): Oh, sweet relief.

UPDATE (1:54 p.m.): Tommy Fleetwood still sits atop the leaderboard with Tom Hoge at 6 under, and the British star isn’t scheduled to go off until after 5 p.m. today, but he will be at an advantage if conditions remain gusty over the next few days. Fleetwood is one of the best players into the wind on Tour, a skill that will certainly come in handy.

UPDATE (1:26 p.m.): The fun on No. 17 continues as Michael Thompson’s shot never had a chance.

So does this mean No. 17 is currently playing its fiercest? Believe it or not, a round back in 1984 played even more difficult. Fred Couples went on to win that year, but not before a hellacious first round on the island green.

All the chaos has caused discussion about the quality of golf being played, and former Tour player Richard Zokol weighed in on whether course architect Pete Dye was enjoying this from above.

UPDATE (12:59 p.m.): Should play have been halted as winds swirled? It’s a difficult debate. It’s clear that those who avoided these winds will be at a great advantage, but with the tournament already staring at a Monday and possible Tuesday finish, organizers are taking advantage of any window to let play continue.

Golf Channel analyst Brandel Chamblee and DP World Tour player Eddie Pepperell had differing opinions on how this should have been handled.

Also, a handful of players were already told they won’t be getting out today.

UPDATE (12:49 p.m.): As you might expect in gale-force winds, players are having real difficulty figuring what club to hit. For example, Rory McIlroy was hitting his drive about 80 yards less than normal — he typically averages about 325 yards off the tee.

Also, Billy Horschel, who lives nearby and is intimately familiar with the course, took a triple-bogey on No. 17. He was understandably upset.

UPDATE (12:32 p.m.): The weather is making it difficult to gauge where players need to hit, but it’s also simply difficult to maintain any sense of comfort. For example, many players are putting hats and gloves while walking, then taking them off while hitting. It’s not the temperatures now (it’s 61 degrees at this time), but the winds that are causing the most difficulty.

UPDATE (12:15 p.m.): We just witnessed the unthinkable: In the face of howling winds, Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele and Brooks Koepka all knocked their balls in the water on No. 17. Schauffele’s was particularly off-line.





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