PONTE VEDRA, Fla. — Maverick McNeely’s Take on TPC Sawgrass

Maverick McNeely was candid about his early impressions of TPC Sawgrass, the legendary site of The Players Championship.

“When I first played TPC Sawgrass, I didn’t really understand the hype,” he admitted.

But his views shifted dramatically after he recorded a 5-under 67 in the opening round, putting him in a tie for the lead with Sahis Segala, Lee Hodges, and Sepp Straka, who has consistently been strong over the past four Players Championships. Austin Smotherman also reached 5 under with one hole remaining when play was halted.

“This is probably my fifth time here. It might be one of the top three courses on tour,” McNeely expressed. “Every single time I play at a Pete Dye course, I find myself loving it more.”

TPC Sawgrass stands out among all courses conceived by the talented and often challenging designer, Pete Dye.

McNeely continued, “This course offers a unique challenge that doesn’t favor any specific style of play. It’s not just about swinging hard from the tee. You need to employ every club and shape your shots in various ways. I think that’s what people enjoy watching the pros handle.”

He noted that this was a test of skill that keeps players on their toes.

During a morning tee time plagued by interruptions, McNeely managed to post a 67, even with a 21-minute delay due to thunderstorms.

“The weather was all over the place, honestly. It felt like I experienced four different seasons,” he remarked.

In the afternoon, Hodges, Straka, and Seagala turned in scores in the 67 range, tying McNeely.

Justin Thomas, Russell Henry, and Taylor Moore finished at 4 under, while Tony Finau, Ludwig Oberg, Tommy Fleetwood, Viktor Hovland, Xander Schauffele, and Cam Young stood at 3 under.

While the leaderboard looks promising, some notable names like Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy found themselves struggling.

Scheffler, despite not being at his best, managed an even-par 72, which could have easily been worse. He’s been the world’s top player for the last three years and still remains in the running.

“I did some good things. The weather changed, but I felt I missed a few shots,” Scheffler noted. “I’m aiming to sharpen my game in the coming days.”

In contrast, McIlroy struggled during his round, mis-hitting many shots to the left.

However, the very fact that McIlroy was out there was somewhat uplifting, especially since he had to withdraw from the Arnold Palmer Invitational due to a back issue just prior to the third round last Saturday. He hadn’t arrived at TPC Sawgrass until Wednesday.

McIlroy didn’t play a practice round and only hit his driver for the first time during Thursday’s round, where he ended up with a 2-over 74.

“All in all, it was good. I felt a bit tired by the end,” McIlroy remarked. “But I’m glad to have made it through. If all goes well tonight, I think I’ll be fine tomorrow. I was trying to get back to even par on the back nine, but just couldn’t make it happen.”

Looking forward, McIlroy hoped to improve his game over the weekend, particularly after his par-5 performance that had been much stronger last year.

Henry, on the other hand, expressed satisfaction with his score.

“I’ll take 4 under any day at this challenging course,” he said.

Finau, when asked about his feelings toward Pete Dye’s designs, replied, “If you’re asking me that after today’s round, I’d say we’re on good terms.”

It seems McNeely shares a similar sentiment.