Players R1: Collin Morikawa races out blocks as Chad Ramey leads at Sawgrass

Collin Morikawa raced out the blocks early with a flawless round of 7-under 65 to lie just one shot behind little-known Chad Ramey in the first round of The Players Championship. 

Morikawa, 26, is a two-time major champion but he is bidding to the win the flagship PGA Tour event for the first time in his career. 

The five-time PGA Tour winner went out in 2-under par having started on the 10th before the fireworks happened on his back nine.

Morikawa birdied the par-4 1st and then made a stunning eagle on the par-5 2nd after sending a long iron to within three feet.

235 yards 3 feet @Collin_Morikawa is now tied for the lead after the eagle on No. 2 @THEPLAYERSChamp. pic.twitter.com/UVpJHuOxC9

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 9, 2023

He then added birdies at the 4th and 6th.

Morikawa had a chance to join Ramey at 8-under par on the par-5 9th but he agonisingly missed his short birdie putt from six feet. 

Ramey, 30, is a one-time PGA Tour winner following victory at the 2022 Corales Puntacana Championship. 

But he has been heavily out of form of late, testament to his lowly 225th position in the world rankings. 

Ramey arrived at TPC Sawgrass this week off the back of three consecutive missed cuts.

The American went out in 32 and came back in the number for a flawless round of 64. 

What a start from @Collin_Morikawa



He's currently in solo second after a strong round @THEPLAYERSChamp. pic.twitter.com/Nv9xCvH3Do

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 9, 2023

Elsewhere, World No.2 Scottie Scheffler positioned himself nicely into contention with a solid 4-under 68. 

Scheffler was playing alongside World No.1 Jon Rahm, who carded a fairly lacklustre 1-under 71, and Rory McIlroy, who had a day to forget with a 4-over 76. 

That has left McIlroy well outside the top 100 and in severe danger of missing the cut. 

An opening 4-over 76 for Rory McIlroy at TPC Sawgrass .



Will he make the cut? #ThePlayersChampionship

— GolfMagic (@GolfMagic) March 9, 2023

McIlroy surprisingly ripped his new driver as the reason for his poor performance in the first round. 

No player has ever won The Players Championship when starting with a round worse than 73. 

That was quick. https://t.co/hMpLjIiAxU pic.twitter.com/oZgdgbMpKM

— PGA TOUR LIVE (@PGATOURLIVE) March 9, 2023

The shot of the day came courtesy of Hayden Buckley, who recorded a hole-in-one at the Island Green Par-3 17th. 

He loved every second of it, too. 

Buckley went on to shoot a 1-over 73. 

The Players Championship R1 Leaderboard

-8 C Ramey (US)

-7 C Morikawa (US)

-5 T Pendrith (Can), B Griffin, J Suh (US)*

-4 S Scheffler, D McCarthy, S Burns (US), A Svensson (Can), C Bezuidenhout (SA), MW Lee (Aus)

Selected others: 

-3 J Spieth (US)

-1 J Rahm (Spa)

+1 J Thomas (US)

+4 R McIlroy (US)

*still to finish first round

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