Rory McIlroy returned to form four days after the disappointment of letting slip victory in the Arnold Palmer Invitational to end the round just two shots behind victorious Ryder Cup team-mate Tommy Fleetwood who posted a seven-under par 65 before being joined in the lead by American Keegan Bradley.
McIlroy’s second shot down his last hole, the par-5 ninth cannoned off a sprinkler head and then some 40-yards beyond the flag.
The ball came to rest among spectators up against a woman’s plastic carry bag.
The Florida spectator was informed not to move and was still sitting there with a ‘what am I do’ look on her face when McIlroy and caddy, Harry Diamond arrived to size-up the situation.
A quick glance of the woman’s bag showed sandwiches, cookies, crisps and a soft-drink and in what was a real picnic scene around the green in the hot and humid conditions.
She was sitting on a collapsible seat placed on artificial turf. The rules allowed the woman to move her possessions but McIlroy had to hit off the artificial turf.
And after the real likelihood of walking off with a sixth birdie of his round, McIlroy instead had to settle for a two-putt par, including his final putt lipping-out, for a round of 67.
“It was just good solid play as I hit it well tee to green and I took most of the opportunities I was giving myself,” said McIlroy.
“I was pretty efficient around the greens when I do miss them so, it was just a continuation of basically what I’ve tried to do all year.
“The good too after what happened last week this is a new week and that’s the great thing about golf.
“Everything is — once you wake up on Monday morning, it’s a fresh start. It’s a new tournament. It’s a new opportunity.
“That’s the nice thing about our game, which doesn’t happen in some other sports, and it’s nice to take advantage of that luxury.”
Though McIlroy’s round was another chalk-and-cheese display with the shortest club in bag having posted just 27 putts, including eight one-putts.
This effort compares to the 32 frustrating putts McIlroy took last Sunday at Bay Hill in finishing T6th.
Fleetwood was just one-under through nine holes but then cut a swathe through the $12.5m field in completing his inward nine in six-under that included a hat-trick of birdies to end his TPC Sawgrass round.
The Southport golfer’s effort continues to draw him closer to winning for a first time on the PGA Tour.
“Well, there’s pros and cons as there’s the expectations that are a tricky thing really because it can always lead to different sides,” he said.
“But I love it out here. I love playing out here. Since I’ve played out here more regularly, it’s improved my game because I feel like there’s different tests and it tests different sides of your game.
“So, yes clearly the next step for me to win over here, but winning is not easy, and I’ve just got to keep plugging away, keep doing the right things and focus on myself.
“Hopefully that will come, but there’s no point in sort of not thinking about it or letting people do the talking. Clearly that’s sort of what the next thing that’s going to happen, and everybody’s career goes in those stages, and hopefully mine will be the same.”
American Ryan Moore sensationally grabbed the 17th ace to be recorded at the par-3 17th hole in the history of the Players.
Moore’s 121-yard, 54-degree wedge shot hit the flag about three-feet above the hole and then shot straight down into the cup.
Sometime later Tiger Woods brought even a louder roar when he holed a 13-footer for birdie in an eventual round of 70.