11 MARCH, 2022 - SHANK MEDIA, BY MATT HOOPER: THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP WILL BE EXTENDED INTO MONDAY AS TORRENTIAL RAIN SAW PLAY CALLED FOR THE DAY AFTER PLAY WAS HALTED AT 11AM LOCAL TIME AND NO MORE PLAY WAS POSSIBLE, AN INCOMING STORM WITH WINDS FORECAST TO BE AS HIGH AS 60 MILES PER HOUR MEANS PLAY WILL NOT BEGIN ANY EARLIER THAN 11AM (4PM GMT) ON SATURDAY. THE COURSE HAS RECEIVED MORE THAN 3 INCHES OF RAIN IN THE LAST 48 HOURS AND THE FIRST ROUND IS STILL TO BE COMPLETED, WITH THE LAST GROUP STILL HAVING 7 HOLES OF THEIR OPENING ROUND TO PLAY.
THE STORM IS FORECAST TO COME THROUGH THE AREA BETWEEN 8AM AND 10AM, WITH THE PGA TOUR AIMING TO GET THE FIRST ROUND COMPLETED AND AS MUCH OF THE SECOND ROUND COMPLETED AS POSSIBLE ON SATURDAY. THE CUT WILL REMAIN 65 AND TIES, WITH THE CONCLUSION OF THE SECOND ROUND LIKELY TO COME EARLY ON SUNDAY FOLLOWED BY THE THIRD ROUND, WITH THE FINAL 18 TAKING PLACE ON MONDAY AND A FINISH NO LATER THAN 6.30PM LOCAL TIME (11.30PM GMT).
TOMMY FLEETWOOD TIED FOR THE LEAD, HAVING FINISHED HIS FIRST ROUND ON THURSDAY WITH A 6-UNDER-PAR, 66, AND TOM HOGE FOLLOWED THE ENGLISHMAN IN WITH THE SAME SCORE. BRICE GARNETT IS ALSO 6-UNDER PAR FOR HIS ROUND, THROUGH 13 HOLES, THE TRIO ARE 1 AHEAD OF IN-FORM JOAQUIN NIEMANN (F), KRAMER HICOCK (F), ANIRBAN LAHIRI (F), KEITH MITCHELL (F) AND DANIEL BERGER (THROUGH 16).
RORY MCILROY HAS MADE A SLOW START TO HIS CHAMPIONSHIP, AND THROUGH 15 HOLES HE IS 1-OVER-PAR, IN SERIOUS DANGER OF MISSING THE CUT, WITH CURRENTLY 79 PLAYERS UNDER PAR.
THE NEWS OF A MONDAY FINISH WILL REMIND MANY OF TWO OF THE GREATEST EVER PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIPS, IN 2000 AND 2001 WHEN TORRENTIAL RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS FORCED MONDAY FINISHES. IN 2000 HAL SUTTON STUNNED TIGER WOODS TO WIN HIS SECOND PLAYERS TITLE, AND THEN IN 2001 WOODS WON HIS FIRST PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP, AND WOULD GO ON TO CLAIM THE TIGER SLAM AT AUGUSTA.
THE STORM IS FORECAST TO COME THROUGH THE AREA BETWEEN 8AM AND 10AM, WITH THE PGA TOUR AIMING TO GET THE FIRST ROUND COMPLETED AND AS MUCH OF THE SECOND ROUND COMPLETED AS POSSIBLE ON SATURDAY. THE CUT WILL REMAIN 65 AND TIES, WITH THE CONCLUSION OF THE SECOND ROUND LIKELY TO COME EARLY ON SUNDAY FOLLOWED BY THE THIRD ROUND, WITH THE FINAL 18 TAKING PLACE ON MONDAY AND A FINISH NO LATER THAN 6.30PM LOCAL TIME (11.30PM GMT).
TOMMY FLEETWOOD TIED FOR THE LEAD, HAVING FINISHED HIS FIRST ROUND ON THURSDAY WITH A 6-UNDER-PAR, 66, AND TOM HOGE FOLLOWED THE ENGLISHMAN IN WITH THE SAME SCORE. BRICE GARNETT IS ALSO 6-UNDER PAR FOR HIS ROUND, THROUGH 13 HOLES, THE TRIO ARE 1 AHEAD OF IN-FORM JOAQUIN NIEMANN (F), KRAMER HICOCK (F), ANIRBAN LAHIRI (F), KEITH MITCHELL (F) AND DANIEL BERGER (THROUGH 16).
RORY MCILROY HAS MADE A SLOW START TO HIS CHAMPIONSHIP, AND THROUGH 15 HOLES HE IS 1-OVER-PAR, IN SERIOUS DANGER OF MISSING THE CUT, WITH CURRENTLY 79 PLAYERS UNDER PAR.
THE NEWS OF A MONDAY FINISH WILL REMIND MANY OF TWO OF THE GREATEST EVER PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIPS, IN 2000 AND 2001 WHEN TORRENTIAL RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS FORCED MONDAY FINISHES. IN 2000 HAL SUTTON STUNNED TIGER WOODS TO WIN HIS SECOND PLAYERS TITLE, AND THEN IN 2001 WOODS WON HIS FIRST PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP, AND WOULD GO ON TO CLAIM THE TIGER SLAM AT AUGUSTA.
PGA TOUR OFFICIALS WILL MAKE AN INSPECTION BEFORE 7AM LOCAL TIME (12PM GMT) ON SATURDAY, AND SPECTATORS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED ON THE PROPERTY UNTIL THE FIRST TEE-TIME.
SHANK WILL PROVIDE UPDATES VIA FACEBOOK AND TWITTER OVER THE WEEKEND, WITH A REPORT ON SATURDAY AND SUNDAY NIGHT BEFORE FULL COVERAGE INCLUDING UPDATES FROM THE FINAL ROUND, AND TWO FEATURES ON SHANKMEDIA.CO.UK/GOLF ON MONDAY. YOU CAN WATCH LIVE COVERAGE ON SKY SPORTS GOLF ALL WEEKEND, INCLUDING FREE-TO-AIR COVERAGE OF FEATURED HOLES VIA SKY SPORTS YOUTUBE.
