Last week at TPC Sawgrass we had a really great Players Championship.
There was drama, atmosphere and excitement with thrills and spills from start to finish. While the best players in the game served as actors, the star of the show was the theater.
Architect Pete Dye’s magnificent creation is one of the premier stages in golf in the world, and the event will only continue to grow in the years to come as the PGA Tour takes pride in its flagship event.
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Ahead of The Players in 2023, the PGA Tour invited 95 amateurs to take an iconic tee shot on the island green at TPC Sawgrass. Check out what they did!
What surprises me is the way the PGA Tour sets up the courses for most tournaments. Similar tests are conducted every week. Thick rough around the green, almost no rough on the fairway, and bunkers where the ball rolls. This staple diet is so familiar that I find it boring to look at.
TPC Sawgrass has several decent bunkers, and the green apron has a variety of pitches and chipping areas. Last week the rough was set at 4 inches, which was enough to be a penalty. Four par 5s were reachable, but only if the tee shot was in the fairway.
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We take a look at every hole-in-one broadcast from the iconic 17th hole, one of the most famous holes on the PGA Tour.
The quickly undulating greens only allowed for high quality approaches, so we enjoyed some fascinating and glorious sights. The PGA Tour needs to address this issue and bring diversity to the playing field. Similar settings week after week are all too familiar and result in the same type of golfer.
Shining Sunday at Sawgrass
The Players’ finish was everything you could ask for. For most of Sunday’s back nine, the lead was chopped and changed with overnight leader Ludvig Åberg getting wet on the 11th and 12th.
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Ludvig Åberg was upset after throwing away a lead for The Players on the back nine at TPC Sawgrass.
A year ago Matthew Fitzpatrick was in deep despair and fell to world number 80, but a change of coach has restored his faith and confidence with a strong finish to 2025.
Xander Schauffele has seen the player he will be in 2024 and Robert McIntyre, if confirmation was needed, has confirmed that he is a player who enjoys the big stage and embraces pressure with enthusiasm.
A new name emerged in the form of Sudarshan Yellamaraju (still working on pronunciation) and his weekend scores of 66 and 68 were incredible.
It looked as though England would win their first title at The Players with Fitzpatrick maintaining a slim lead of two, but a few moments of outstanding performance from Cameron Young brought the finale to a pulsating end.
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Highlights of Matt Fitzpatrick’s final round on The Players, as he shot a 4-under 68.
In my commentary, I compared Young to Tom Watson. In the early ’70s, Tom was known as ‘The Bridesmaid’, which led to frequent arguments but never made it across the finish line. That changed at the 1974 Western Open, and his first major came a year later at Carnoustie.
Winning has become a habit for Watson, and he hopes the same will happen for Young, who had seven runner-up finishes on the PGA Tour before his breakthrough at the Wyndham Championship last fall.
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Cameron Young’s final round highlight, as he shot a 4-under 68 to win The Players.
Young delivers for The Players.
Young’s tee shot and putt on the par-3 17th hole were excellent. I wasn’t sure about his choice of driver at the end, but it was soon put to bed after traveling an incredible 375 yards!
The final match at Sawgrass is one of the most difficult on the PGA Tour with no safety lines, as Fitzpatrick found out, but what happened on the green showed why our sport is held in such high esteem. This reminded me of the ‘concession’ held at Royal Birkdale during the Ryder Cup. That was when Jack Nicklaus picked off Tony Jacklin’s marker to leave the contest a draw.
Young’s ball, which had just failed in its attempt to win, drifted inches past the hole. As he was about to tap it, he paused and made a mark. This was not done for self-interest, but as a sign of respect and consideration for fellow competitors.
Four Europeans finished in the top five throughout the afternoon. Young’s charge ignited the home fans. Of course, many people expected an American victory. Fitzpatrick had some trouble with them all the way to the fairway.
By reaching his marker, Fitzpatrick had a golden opportunity to putt for par and send The Players into the playoffs. If he had been away, it would have taken some time for the gallery to settle down.
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Cameron Young’s final round highlight, as he shot a 4-under 68 to win The Players.
When the Englishman’s putt slipped, it was the first time in 30 years that I had announced the winner before the formal tap. When Young flagged it, it showed great sportsmanship and complete awareness considering what was going on in his mind.
It didn’t work out for Fitzpatrick, but he undoubtedly greatly appreciated the gesture. The heart-warming sights didn’t end there. Before leaving the green and signing cards, Fitzpatrick approached Young’s family, congratulated them and shared a hug with Cam’s mom.
The Players was one of the best editions of the year. Golf standout Scottie Scheffler has reigned supreme for the past four years, but the sport needs others to challenge it to make the game as competitive as we like it.
They have a real opponent in Young, Fitzpatrick is back where he belongs and Åberg will learn a lot from the final round. This all points to an exciting major season with just three weeks left.
Augusta’s elegance and beauty are immediately apparent.
Who will win the Masters? Watch this year’s opening men’s major live on Sky Sports. Rory McIlroy’s title defense at the Masters will be broadcast live exclusively on Sky Sports Golf from April 9-12. Access or stream Sky Sports with no contract.
