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Jason Day leads at TPC after tying course record with a 63

Jason Day acknowledges the fans at the ninth green during the first round of the Players Championships on Thursday, when he would tie the course record with a 63.

Jason Day acknowledges the fans at the ninth green during the first round of the Players Championships on Thursday, when he would tie the course record with a 63.

(Sam Greenwood / Getty Images)
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Jason Day has gone lower, but he never has been better.

Day’s nine-under par 63 to open the Players Championship not only tied the tournament record, it was the most complete performance of the 28-year-old’s career.

That is high praise, courtesy of the world No. 1 himself, who has a 61 and three 62s on his PGA Tour resume.

“I can’t really recall the way that I hit the ball as well as I did today, and then putt as well as I did,” Day said. “I’ve shot scores lower. But I think from tee to green and then on the green and then being patient.

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“Everything kind of just clicked today.”

Day was not the only golfer who had it going early on a surprisingly toothless TPC Sawgrass. Light winds and soft greens tamed designer Pete Dye’s challenging par-72 layout — and the world’s best players capitalized.

Day equaled the course record held by Fred Couples (1992), Greg Norman (1994), Roberto Castro (2013) and Martin Kaymer (2014). Yet, he holds only a two-shot advantage over a contingent of players including 2013 U.S. Open winner Justin Rose and Irishman Shane Lowry.

Lowry carded a 29 on the back nine to become the first player to break 30 on the course’s final nine holes.

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“It’s probably as good a golf course as we play all year,” he said. “It’s a proper test of golf. And to go out and do it on that nine was nice.”

Ernie Els, 46, headlined a group three shots back, following his lowest round at the Players since 1996.

At day’s end, 88 of 144 players in the field finished under par. But the winds increased and the conditions toughened in the afternoon.

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Defending champion Rickie Fowler closed with a double bogey to finish with an even-par 72, the same score posted by world No. 2 Jordan Spieth and No. 3 Rory McIlroy.

Day said the low scores motivated those playing in the morning wave.

“Today was I think a good momentum kick for everyone to know that they’ve got to chase the lead,” he said.

Benign conditions and flawless, receptive greens helped too.

“The conditions are very hot, so the ball is going forever,” said Day, who hit a two-iron 297 yards on the par-five ninth hole. “Guys can dial it back a little bit. They can hit irons off the tees and give themselves a lot more opportunities coming in from the fairway. The greens are pure. They’re rolling perfect.

“It’s not surprising to me that there’s so many guys under par.”

But no one could match Day, who finished the day hitting 15 of 18 greens and did not face a par putt longer than 2 1/2 feet.

Day started on the back nine, birdied his first three holes and never looked back. When he reached the par-three eighth hole — his 17th of the day — Day had the course record in his crosshairs.

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After he lipped out for birdie from 39 feet away, Day would have to settle for a tie with four players, including his idol and fellow Aussie, Norman.

“I would have loved to shoot 10 under and be the only guy to hold that record,” Day said. “But I’m in pretty good company, especially with Greg Norman.”

Norman followed an opening 63 in 1994 with three consecutive rounds of 67 for a wire-to-wire win, while also setting the tournament scoring record of 24 under.

Day led from beginning to end in March to win the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill, one of his six wins worldwide during his last 16 starts. The last wire-to-wire winner at the Players was Hal Sutton in 2000.

But few know better than Day how quickly fortunes can change at TPC Sawgrass.

In 2015, he followed a solid 69 with an inexplicable second-round 81 — his highest score since he shot an 82 in the 2008 Memorial when he was 19.

“It’s just Round 1,” Day said. “My main goal right now is try to get as much under par as I can.”

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