A thunder, lightning and hail storm in the Jacksonville area delayed the start of the Players Championship at Sawgrass today.
An almighty rain, thunder, lightning and hail storm in the Jacksonville area delayed the start of the Players Championship at Sawgrass today.
Weather watchers said that as much as three inches of rain fell in one hour before just daybreak. But the Tournament Players Course escaped the worst of it, and tee-off times were put back only 30 minutes.
Ireland's Darren Clarke and hot favourite Tiger Woods was among those waiting left waiting. Padraig Harrington is not due to tee-off until 6.50 p.m. this evening Irish time.
The sun was shining by the time Clarke teed off, and he opened with three straight pars. In the soft conditions lots of birdies were already being made elsewhere - and joint leaders at two under were former Open champion John Daly, Jim Furyk, Jay Haas and Canadian Glen Hnatiuk.
Woods, however, was not at his sparkling best straightaway. His opening drive found the left-hand rough and at the long downwind second he pulled his second shot, found the rough again and then hit a poor birdie putt from 15 feet.
Woods did make par on both holes, but went on to bogey the fourth and fifth to slip to the tail of the field.
There was a fourth withdrawal from the event this morning - American Ryder Cup player Scott Hoch joining Ernie Els, Phil Mickelson and Canadian Ian Leggatt. Hoch had a left wrist injury.
It was a good week for English hopeful Luke Donald's brother, Christian, even before the Championship began at Sawgrass today.
On the eve of the event all caddies enter a "winner-takes-all nearest the pin" competition on the famous island-green 17th hole, with their players throwing money into a hat - and Donald won it.
He collected several thousand dollars for his effort, which finished just eight feet from the flag.