The Players Championship is underway in Florida at TPC Sawgrass and on the first day of play an unfamiliar name sat atop the leaderboard as Roberto Castro shot a record nine under 63, tying Fred Couples and Greg Norman for the best rounds at the course.
Castro did not shoot a bogey on any hole in the round and had seven birdies and one eagle to take the lead at the tournament over Rory McIlroy, who is three shots back after shooting 66 on Thursday, along with Zach Johnson. Castro didn't miss much at all during the day, hitting a high percentage of fairways and had he been able to convert for a birdie on the par five ninth hole, he would have set the course record over Couples and Norman. Castro is in good position to make it through the weekend and like Norman, he could end on top after it's all over.
Tiger Woods started off slow and finished four shots behind Castro in fourth place after shooting a 67 along with Steve Stricker, Webb Simpson, Hunter Mahan and Ryan Palmer. Castro is a surprise name on top of the leaderboard, as the 27-year-old's best finish on the season so far was 21st at the Tampa Bay Championship and he is just in his second year on the PGA Tour. McIlroy had a fantastic start to the tournament after having an awful start to the year and he converted for par on his last seven holes of the day. It was also the first time that McIlroy came in under par on the Stadium Course in seven tried at TPC Sawgrass after missing the cut three times.
Tiger Woods was playing for the first time since the Masters at Augusta National and his whole drop shot controversy and he continued his strong play on tour this season by shooting a five under par 67 to open the tournament, leaving him four shots back of the lead. Woods dealt with controversy after hitting an almost perfect shot on the 15th hole, which knocked off the flag and landed in the water, forcing Woods to take a drop. After a viewer at home called in a rules infraction on the drop, later Woods was docked two strokes and ended up finished tied for fourth.
On Thursday Woods had a good start at a place where he hasn't done too well, winning just once in 15 starts at the course. Woods shot one bogey on the day and put himself in a strong position to win, as according to ESPN.com, he has won 23 times out of the 54 times he has opened with a score of five under par or better. Woods is back at the top of the world golf rankings at number one after winning three times on tour this year and after finishing top five at the Masters. The last time Woods won the tournament was in 2001 and the last time he finished in the top 10 was in 2009 when he came in eighth.
