The PGA Tour cut its Players Championship field from 144 to 123 players partly to get everyone home before dark. On Thursday at TPC Sawgrass, darkness still had the final word.
Round 1 was suspended at 7:32 p.m. ET due to darkness, with four players unable to finish. Among them is co-leader Austin Smotherman, who faces a 14-foot birdie putt on hole 9 when play resumes at 8:50 a.m. ET Friday. Round 2 begins as scheduled at 7:40 a.m.
The day had already been disrupted once. Heavy rain forced a midday suspension at 12:09 p.m. ET. Play resumed 21 minutes later, but afternoon tee times were pushed back 30 minutes — enough of a ripple to chase the final groups into the night.
Maverick McNealy and Lee Hodges lead the clubhouse at five-under.