This is the week the PGA Tour really puffs its chest out, spreads its corporate feathers and does its “Look At What We’ve Done” strut.
This is golf’s biggest individual event outside the majors with a manicured, testy setting that came about in the strangest of manners back in the late 70s.
The tournament used to be staged across the street at what is known as Sawgrass. It was a tough venue back then with winds whipping in off the Atlantic Ocean. Then commissioner Deane Beman tried to make it the permanent home of the PGA Tour and the Players Championship.
He tried to buy the course from the Arvida Corporation but got the bum’s rush.
Undeterred, Beman ran into the elderly Fletcher brothers — Paul and Jerome — who controlled large parcels of land in the immediate area. Looking for something that would stimulate development, the Fletcher lads sold 415 acres, a lot of it wetlands across the street from Sawgrass, to the PGA Tour.
Beman had a vision and it was a tough sell to the players. No way they wanted to be in the golf course ownership business. After a lot of lobbying, arm-twisting and ear-bending, the players voted 100-4 at a meeting to approve the project.
It couldn’t have happened today. The land would have been deemed “jurisdictional wetlands” by the EPA folks and the preservationists but Jacksonville was eager for development and eager to back Beman’s vision.
Pete Dye came in and started bulldozing and bulldozing some more. At a cost of $5 million, the finished product hosted the 1982 championship and mischievous Jerry Pate promptly won, threw Beman and Dye into the lake adjacent to 18 green then leaped in himself with a perfect swimmer’s dive.
There would be lots of controversy in the years to follow and the course has had more makeovers than a plastic surgeon’s wife. The Tour spent $60 million renovating everything in 2006. Compare that number to the original $5 million it took to launch it all.
Today’s layout is a course that favors no particular style of play but mostly demands super accuracy off the tee. That helped guys like Fred Funk and the late Calvin Peete put their names on the winner’s trophy.
There’s also a winner’s curse that comes with The Players.
No winner in the history of the event has ever successfully defended his title.
Bad news for defender Jason Day.
In fact, it has been hard for the defender to play well the following year. A top 10 following a win is a rare accomplishment in this event.
Which brings us to this week’s 2017 version with a few more changes to the old girl and a very, very strong field that features 48 of the world’s top 50 players.
For the first time in a long time, all of the top 10 are here.
That means Dustin Johnson is here and it is very, very hard to go against a guy who has gone win, win, win, tie for second in his past four events. He came back last week at the Wells Fargo after a four-week layoff following his stairway fiasco at The Masters.
One player who has already attracted a lot of attention this week is world’s No. 2 Rory McIlroy. McIlroy announced on Tuesday that TaylorMade is now his equipment of choice and he has signed a long-term deal with the company.
He’s also fresh off his wedding and honeymoon with new wife Erika Stoll.
McIlroy has performed well in this championship in the past.
History says Day has no prayer.
Rickie Fowler won in 2015, he’s been up and down this year.
Martin Kaymer won in 2014, his only real PGA Tour win, his two others are majors! One of the most confusing players in golf. Real good or back in the pack.
Tiger Woods won in 2013. Perhaps he’ll be on his sofa watching over the weekend.
Matt Kuchar won in 2012. K.J. Choi took it in 2011 and unheralded Tim Clark in 2010.
As you can see, it’s been a proverbial buffet of winners.
Who has the advantage?
Whoever stays in play, makes some putts and avoids the water at 17.
That’s a good start.
