PONTE VEDRA BEACH (UNITED STATES) - Dustin Johnson got off to a strong start but still has work to do to hang on to his world number one ranking as six players shared the lead Thursday at The Players Championship. Joining Johnson atop the leaderboard at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, were fellow US Open winner Webb Simpson, Chesson Hadley, Matt Kuchar, Patrick Cantlay and in-form Swede Alex Noren. Johnson, who has been world number one for 64 weeks, is under siege by those ranked from second through fifth, and he answered the challenge with a bogey-free round. Kim, the youngest winner of the Players, matched the lowest opening round by a defending champion established by Jack Nicklaus in 1977. Tiger Woods's return to TPC Sawgrass included a 20-foot eagle at the par-five ninth.

Source: Bangkok Post May 11, 2018 02:37 UTC