Rory McIlroy, Wyndham Clark and Xander Schauffele share the lead at 7-under par when the first round of The Players Championship was suspended by darkness on Thursday.
Nine players will complete the round on Friday morning, when the second round will begin as scheduled.
Playing in the early wave, both McIlroy and Schauffele took advantage of soft greens and light winds to card opening 65s at TPC Sawgrass, although they did it in distinctly different fashions.
McIlroy recorded 10 birdies, the most he has recorded in 41 career rounds at TPC Sawgrass. The Northern Irishman reached eight under through 15 holes before finding the water left with his drive on the par-4 seventh hole, going on to record a double bogey.
McIlroy made up one of the strokes with a birdie on his final hole of the day at the par-5 ninth. Along with the 10 birdies and the double, he had a lone bogey and just six pars on his scorecard while finding the water twice.
“Much, much improved on the approach play today, which was nice to see,” McIlroy told reporters, adding that he chose to “grind” on the range rather than taking Monday off following a final-round 76 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. “I needed to clean up the technique a little bit, needed to clean up some things. Honestly, just needed to put the time in.”
Schauffele’s bogey-less card was mundane by contrast with seven birdies and 11 pars. He was happy to be playing in the morning, with the wind starting to pick up as the afternoon wave teed off.
“I wouldn’t want to re-hit a few of those shots today, I can tell you that much,” said Schauffele, who had his first score of 65 or lower and first bogey-free score in 15 career rounds at The Players. “I definitely need to clean it up.”
Clark, the 2023 US Open champion and a winner this year at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, bracketed one bogey at the par-4 No. 4 with eight birdies, carding a 33 on the front nine and 32 on the back, including 14-foot birdie putt on No. 17.
Canada’s Nick Taylor recorded six birdies in a bogey-free round to finish one stroke in back of McIlroy, Schauffele and Clark. England’s Matt Fitzpatrick also is at 6 under, with his round including an eagle at the par-5 No. 16.
Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg, who entered the Top 10 in the Official World Golf Ranking for the first time this week, eagled two of the four par-5s en route to a 5-under 67 in his first round at The Players. He added a pair of birdies against a lone bogey.
New Zealand’s Ryan Fox hit the first hole-in-one of the week, recording just the 14th ace in the history of the event at the famed par-3 17th hole. Fox, who sank the shot from 124 yards for his first career ace in his 472nd par 3 on the PGA Tour, also made eagle at No.16, becoming the first player with consecutive eagles on any two holes at The Players since records have been kept in 1983.
“It’s such an iconic hole, and it’s an intimidating shot,” Fox said. “I don’t care who you are. You get up there, most of the crowd probably either wants you to make a 1 or hit it in the water, so I’m glad to be on the right side of it in that respect.”
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, attempting the first successful defense at The Players, opened with a 5-under 67 and is tied for sixth. Scheffler rebounded from an opening bogey at No.1 with three straight birdies, and also birdied Nos.10, 11 and 16.
“It felt fairly stress free,” Scheffler said. “I had the really good par there on 18. Outside of the start, I played a lot of really good golf. It’s nice to only have one bogey around this place and, hopefully, continue to do more of that the next few days.”
McIlroy downplayed what appeared to be a disagreement with playing partner Jordan Spieth about where McIlroy’s drive crossed into the water.
“I think Jordan was just trying to make sure that I was doing the right thing,” McIlroy said when asked if Spieth’s actions were needless. “I was pretty sure that my ball had crossed where I was sort of dropping it. It’s so hard, right, because there was no TV evidence. I was adamant. But I think, again, he was just trying to make sure that I was going to do the right thing.
“If anything, I was being conservative with it. I think at the end of the day, we’re all trying to protect ourselves, protect the field, as well. I wouldn’t say it was needless. I think he was just trying to make sure that what happened was the right thing.”
UAE opener Muhammad Waseem has been named captain of the national men’s cricket team for the InverexSolarEnergy presentsBank Alfalah T20I Tri-Series 2025, set to take place at the iconic Sharjah Cricket Stadium from August 29 to September 7.
The tri-series will feature UAE, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, serving as a crucial warm-up ahead of the ACC Asia Cup 2025, which begins in the UAE on September 9.
The UAE will open their campaign against Pakistan on Saturday, August 30, at 7pm.
The Desert Vipers opened their DP World ILT20 Development Tournament campaign stunningly, pulling off a nail-biting one-wicket victory against the Dubai Capitals at the ICC Academy. The contest went right down to the last ball, with impact player Taimoor Ali holding his nerve to deliver a dramatic finish.
Dubai Capitals post 210/6
Batting first, the Capitals piled on a challenging 210 for six, setting up what looked like a match-winning total. But the Vipers’ bowlers struck at crucial stages, with UAE all-rounder Ali Naseer starring with the ball. He claimed 4 for 28 in four overs, applying the brakes to the scoring in the middle overs.
Vipers’ chase led by Suri, Keswani and Ali
In reply, Vipers captain and wicketkeeper-batter Tanish Suri gave his side a solid start, compiling a fluent 35 off 25 balls. The chase stayed alive thanks to a quick cameo from Nilansh Keswani, who smashed 22 off just nine deliveries, including two huge sixes.
But the decisive moment came with the arrival of Taimoor Ali as an impact player. Walking in with the game in the balance, Ali unleashed a stunning counterattack, blasting an unbeaten 59 off 28 balls, featuring two fours and six sixes. His clean hitting turned the tide, as the Vipers steadily closed in on the target.
Final-ball drama
The game came down to the wire, with the Vipers needing runs off the final delivery. Ali, calm under pressure, finished the job to secure victory by just one wicket, sparking wild celebrations in the Vipers’ dugout.
What’s next
The ILT20 Development Tournament runs until 3 September, with the final also set to be staged at the ICC Academy. Beyond the immediate silverware, the tournament serves as a crucial platform for UAE talent, giving players the chance to break into DP World ILT20 franchises, the UAE national team, and other global T20 leagues.
The Desert Vipers will be buoyed by their thrilling opening win, while the Dubai Capitals will be left ruing missed chances in a game that went down as one of the most exciting finishes of the competition so far.
Match Scorecard
Dubai Capitals – 210/6 (20 overs)
Other contributions: The Team posted a strong total with partnerships across the order
With the highly anticipated fourth season of the DP World International League T20 (ILT20) approaching, Adani Sportsline-owned Gulf Giants have unveiled a star-studded coaching team ahead of the league’s first-ever auction. The revamped setup signals the franchise’s renewed push for silverware.
Jonathan Trott to lead as Head Coach
Former England batting star Jonathan Trott has been appointed Head Coach, bringing with him a reputation as one of England’s most technically accomplished cricketers and an impressive coaching track record.
Since transitioning from international cricket, Trott has guided Afghanistan to a historic ICC T20 World Cup 2024 semi-final and an inspired run at the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. As a player, he scored 3,835 runs in 52 Tests and 2,819 runs in 68 ODIs at an average of 51, with four centuries and 22 fifties.
“The Gulf Giants have quickly become one of the ILT20’s most successful teams. My goal is to empower players to excel and shape a championship-winning squad through the first-ever ILT20 Auction,” Trott said.
Shane Bond joins as Bowling Coach
Joining Trott is New Zealand’s pace legend Shane Bond, who takes charge as Bowling Coach. A veteran of 120 internationals with 259 wickets, Bond has carved out a successful decade-long coaching career, working with the New Zealand national side and several global T20 franchises, including the IPL and UAE ILT20.
“The team’s ambition is clear. I’m excited to sharpen our bowling attack and make a decisive impact this season,” Bond said.
Specialist coaches to complete the lineup
The Giants have also secured some of the finest specialist coaches:
Andrew Puttick (Batting Coach) – South African batting stalwart with nearly 17,000 first-class runs, and prior coaching stints with Afghanistan, South Africa and Pakistan.
Jamie Troughton (Fielding Coach) – Former England international, bringing expertise in raising standards in the field.
Nick Lee (Strength & Conditioning Coach) – A seasoned fitness professional with experience at Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan, returning to reunite with Trott.
Building on success stories
The Gulf Giants’ refreshed coaching team reflects Adani Sportsline’s focus on nurturing talent and creating a growth-driven environment. The franchise has already produced notable success stories, including young UAE all-rounder Aayan Khan and Zimbabwe pacer Blessing Muzarabani.
Andrew Puttick said: “It’s an honour to work in a setup that values player development. I’m eager to contribute to our collective success.”
Sanjay Adesara, Chief Business Officer, Adani Sportsline, added: “We are thrilled to welcome this exceptional group of cricketing minds. Their experience and shared values will be pivotal in taking the Gulf Giants to new heights.”
Gulf Giants Squad for ILT20 Season 4
Retained – Aayan Khan, Blessing Muzarabani, Gerhard Erasmus, James Vince, Mark Adair New Signings – Azmatullah Omarzai, Moeen Ali, Rahmanullah Gurbaz
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