PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – Chris Kirk birdied all the par 5s, holed out for eagle from the fairway and set the target Friday at The Players Championship with a 7-under 65.
Bryson DeChambeau, coming off a win at Bay Hill, got his bad stuff out of the way early and was right behind. Kirk finished with back-to-back birdies on another gorgeous day at the TPC Sawgrass and posted at 7-under 135, one shot ahead of DeChambeau, Brian Harman, Charley Hoffman and Denny McCarthy, who had a hole-in-one in his round of 69.
Sergio Garcia, who opened with a 7-under 65 for a three-shot lead, played in the afternoon. Kirk was among those who had to return Friday morning to finish the opening round.