In a field of Mickelson, Rose, Watson and Spieth, the name on everyone’s lips after Day One of The PLAYERS Championship is a name from the recent past: Germany’s Martin Kaymer.
The former No. 1 and 2010 PGA Championship winner, Kaymer shot a sensational 63, breaking the nine-hole record with a 29, to open up the weekend at 9-under, giving him a two-stroke lead over the nearly-as-hot Russell Henley.
On top of the game three years ago, Kaymer was just 61st entering this week. He hasn’t won an event since 2011. He birdied every hole on the front nine except No. 3 and 5, and added two more birdies on 11 and 15.
Henley would have tied Kaymer for the lead if not for his double-bogey 6 on No. 7. Henley shot the back nine at 6-under for a 30, one stroke off Kaymer’s new record.
On a diverse leaderboard, Korea’s Sang-Moon Bae is third after firing a 6-under 66, followed by a glut of eight players tied at 5-under with 67s including Lee Westwood, Jordan Spieth, Justin Rose, Sergio Garcia and Scott Stallings.
Fan favorite Ernie Els is one of seven players tied for 12th at 4-under. Masters champion Bubba Watson, who hasn’t played since winning at Augusta, is tied for 29th at 3-under. Former No. 1 Rory McIlroy shot a 2-under 70, and FedExCup 2013 winner Henrik Stenson is 1-under with a 71.
Defending British Open champion Phil Mickelson, still looking for his first Top 10 finish of 2014, got off to a rough start, firing a 3-over 75 to find himself tied for 111th.
Mickelson was 1-under through four holes, then hit four bogeys between No.5 and No. 10.
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