Players Championship first round highlights: Vince Whaley's eagle-2 at No. 7 and unlucky No. 13
Players Championship superlatives for the first round at the Players Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass:
Shot of the day
Vince Whaley, a first-time Players participant, used a pitching wedge from 143 yards out to make an eagle-two at the par-4 seventh hole of the Players Stadium Course. It was the sixth 2 at the hole in the history of The Players and the first since Mark Hubbard in 2021.
![Vince Whaley watches his tee shot off of three during the first round of the Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fl. Thursday March 13, 2025. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union]](https://media.zenfs.com/en/the-florida-times-union/f3b66608d002b15db80034aa09edc3b1)
However, Whaley didn't sustain his momentum. He led the tournament after a birdie at the 11th hole but back-to-back doubles at Nos. 14 and 15 led to a 73.
Hole of the day
No. 13, par-3, 183 yards
The front-right pin position was difficult for players to get their shots close. Players who hit the green averaged 1.947 putts, the second-most of all the holes in the course, and the seven double-bogeys were the most of any hole. Six players found the water on the front left, the most of any hole except for the par-3 17th and it was the fifth-hardest green to hit (52.8 percent) on the course.
Camilo Villegas, Bud Cauley and Emiliano Grillo both birdied the hole on their way to the front page of the leaderboard but double-bogeys derailed promising rounds by Luvig Åberg, Ricky Castillo and Patton Kizzire.
The 13th averaged 3.125, eighth-most difficult on the course.
Stat of the day
21.2 percent: The percentage of players who reached the par 4 14th green from the right rough (7 of 33). It was the worst greens in regulation percentage from the rough on either side of any hole on the course.
Quote of the day
"It meant the world to me. [I've] wanted to play in this event since I was a little kid, especially living here. Watched it a bunch of times the last few years, so yeah, I couldn't have been more excited. I went and sat in my car for a few minutes afterwards and just kind of let it hit me a little bit, maybe let a tear out."
— Danny Walker, on how he felt when he was told on Thursday morning that the Jacksonville resident was replacing Jason Day in the field after Day withdrew because of an illness.
Island time: How No. 17 played
The par-3 17th hole, with one group left to play it because of the darkness suspension, averaged 3.113, seventh in difficulty on the course.
There were 10 tee shots hit into the water and 11 overall, with Max Greyserman hitting twice into the drink. He made the highest score of the day with a quadruple-bogey 7, and Sam Stevens and Matthew Fitzpatrick both made triples.
The 11 water balls was the second-lowest in the first round since 2017. There are nine in the water in last year's first round.
Then where was Justin Lower. He doused his tee shot, went to the drop zone, and pitched that in for a par.
There were 20 birdies, 98 pars, 16 bogeys, five doubles and three of the dreaded "others," by Greyserman, Fitzpatrick and Stevens.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Players Championship first round highlights: Vince Whaley jars it on 7
-
Players Championship third round highlights: There weren't many on a brutal day for scoring
The best shots, hole, stats and quote of the day from the third round of The Players Championship.Yahoo Sports - 55m -
Players Championship second round highlights: Harris English eagle and how No. 17 played
The best shots, hole, stats and quote of the day from the second round of The Players Championship.Yahoo Sports - 1d -
2025 Players: Jordan Spieth settles after wild first nine Thursday
Spieth had a pair of eagle hole-outs over his first seven holes in the opening round of The Players Championship.Yahoo Sports - 2d -
Players Championship first: Chandler Phillips cards three eagles in a single round
Phillips did something that is more rare than a hole in one.Yahoo Sports - 2d -
J.J. Spaun takes the lead at The Players Championship on windy day that wrecked rounds
J.J. Spaun watched his 25-foot putt swirl 360 degrees around the cup and drop for par, a fitting end to a wild, windy, round-wrecking Saturday at The Players Championship that gave him a one-shot ...Yahoo Sports - 2h -
2025 Players Championship tee times, pairings: Complete field, groups, schedule for Round 3 at TPC Sawgrass
Moving Day at TPC Sawgrass will feature conditions players did not face the first two roundsCBS Sports - 10h -
Justin Thomas ties single-round record at The Players with unbelievable Day 2 turnaround
While a bogey on Hole 18 prevented him from setting the new record, Justin Thomas matched the round-best score at The Players with a 10-under Friday.Yahoo Sports - 1d -
Players Championship: Long par putt by J.J. Spaun preserves a one-shot lead over Bud Cauley
J.J. Spaun drained a 25-foot par putt on the final hole Saturday to preserve his one-shot lead in the third round of The Players Championship.Yahoo Sports - 2h -
Wyndham Clark, last year's runner-up withdraws mid-round Friday at the 2025 Players
Clark withdrew after nine holes during the second round of The Players Championship.Yahoo Sports - 1d
More from Yahoo Sports
-
Golden State Warriors jersey history - No. 8 - Marques Johnson
During his time suiting up for the Warriors, Johnson wore only jersey No. 8 and put up 4.0 points and 1.7 rebounds per game.Yahoo Sports - 12m -
OKC Thunder jersey history No. 21 - Danny Fortson (2004-07)
During his time suiting up for the Sonics, Fortson wore only jersey No. 11 and put up 6.0 points and 4.7 rebounds per game.Yahoo Sports - 12m -
Brooklyn Nets jersey history No. 11 - Jack Gillespie (1969-70)
During his time suiting up for the Nets, Gillespie wore only jersey No. 11 and put up 1.0 points and 3.5 rebounds per game.Yahoo Sports - 12m -
Smoked meat: Panthers can't complete uphill climb, fall 3-1 in Montreal
It’s been a tough road trip so far for the Florida Panthers.Yahoo Sports - 16m -
F1 2025 season predictions: World champion, Lewis Hamilton vs Charles Leclerc and biggest shock
Ahead of 24 races in nine months, Kieran Jackson makes his selections for the new seasonYahoo Sports - 17m
More in Sports
-
Golden State Warriors jersey history - No. 8 - Marques Johnson
During his time suiting up for the Warriors, Johnson wore only jersey No. 8 and put up 4.0 points and 1.7 rebounds per game.Yahoo Sports - 12m -
OKC Thunder jersey history No. 21 - Danny Fortson (2004-07)
During his time suiting up for the Sonics, Fortson wore only jersey No. 11 and put up 6.0 points and 4.7 rebounds per game.Yahoo Sports - 12m -
Brooklyn Nets jersey history No. 11 - Jack Gillespie (1969-70)
During his time suiting up for the Nets, Gillespie wore only jersey No. 11 and put up 1.0 points and 3.5 rebounds per game.Yahoo Sports - 12m -
Smoked meat: Panthers can't complete uphill climb, fall 3-1 in Montreal
It’s been a tough road trip so far for the Florida Panthers.Yahoo Sports - 16m -
2025 Pennzoil 400 odds, Las Vegas NASCAR picks this week: Expert who hit 17 winners backing 110-1 longshot
SportsLine's Steven Taranto reveals his picks for NASCAR Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, where Christopher Bell, Tyler Reddick, Kyle Larson and William Byron are favoritesCBS Sports - 17m