The scorecard for Max Homa’s start to The Players Championship roared up and down like a roller coaster with rocket fuel.
He holed out from 137 yards. He missed a bogey putt from less than 3 feet. He shot 5-over par in a four-hole span. He birdied four others consecutively.
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“It was one of the weirder days I’ve ever had,” he said.
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Players Championship: Thursday’s first round at the Stadium Course
Scottie Scheffler tees off on the practice range during the first round of The Players Championship PGA golf tournament at TPC Sawgrass, Thursday, March 12, 2026, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
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Players Championship: Thursday’s first round at the Stadium Course
Scottie Scheffler tees off on the practice range during the first round of The Players Championship PGA golf tournament at TPC Sawgrass, Thursday, March 12, 2026, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
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Players Championship: Thursday’s first round at the Stadium Course
Scottie Scheffler smiles on the practice range during the first round of The Players Championship PGA golf tournament at TPC Sawgrass, Thursday, March 12, 2026, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
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Players Championship: Thursday’s first round at the Stadium Course
Scottie Scheffler looks to his club on the practice range during the first round of The Players Championship PGA golf tournament at TPC Sawgrass, Thursday, March 12, 2026, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
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Players Championship: Thursday’s first round at the Stadium Course
Scottie Scheffler looks to his club on the practice range during the first round of The Players Championship PGA golf tournament at TPC Sawgrass, Thursday, March 12, 2026, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
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Players Championship: Thursday’s first round at the Stadium Course
Scottie Scheffler looks to his club on the practice range during the first round of The Players Championship PGA golf tournament at TPC Sawgrass, Thursday, March 12, 2026, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
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Players Championship: Thursday’s first round at the Stadium Course
Fans look on to golfers warming up on the practice range during the first round of The Players Championship PGA golf tournament at TPC Sawgrass, Thursday, March 12, 2026, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
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Players Championship: Thursday’s first round at the Stadium Course
Fans look on as Scottie Scheffler warms up on the practice range during the first round of The Players Championship PGA golf tournament at TPC Sawgrass, Thursday, March 12, 2026, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
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Players Championship: Thursday’s first round at the Stadium Course
Mac Meissner tees off on the fifth hole during the first round of The Players Championship PGA golf tournament at TPC Sawgrass, Thursday, March 12, 2026, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
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Players Championship: Thursday’s first round at the Stadium Course
Mark Hubbard tees off on the fifth hole during the first round of The Players Championship PGA golf tournament at TPC Sawgrass, Thursday, March 12, 2026, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
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Players Championship: Thursday’s first round at the Stadium Course
Thorbjørn Olesen tees off on the fifth hole during the first round of The Players Championship PGA golf tournament at TPC Sawgrass, Thursday, March 12, 2026, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
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Players Championship: Thursday’s first round at the Stadium Course
Thorbjørn Olesen tees off on the fifth hole during the first round of The Players Championship PGA golf tournament at TPC Sawgrass, Thursday, March 12, 2026, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
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Players Championship: Thursday’s first round at the Stadium Course
Thorbjørn Olesen tees off on the fifth hole during the first round of The Players Championship PGA golf tournament at TPC Sawgrass, Thursday, March 12, 2026, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
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Players Championship: Thursday’s first round at the Stadium Course
Bud Cauley tees off on the fifth hole during the first round of The Players Championship PGA golf tournament at TPC Sawgrass, Thursday, March 12, 2026, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
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Players Championship: Thursday’s first round at the Stadium Course
Vince Whaley tees off on the fifth hole during the first round of The Players Championship PGA golf tournament at TPC Sawgrass, Thursday, March 12, 2026, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
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Players Championship: Thursday’s first round at the Stadium Course
Chandler Phillips tees off on the fifth hole during the first round of The Players Championship PGA golf tournament at TPC Sawgrass, Thursday, March 12, 2026, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
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Players Championship: Thursday’s first round at the Stadium Course
Max Greyserman, left, walks onto the fifth hole during the first round of The Players Championship PGA golf tournament at TPC Sawgrass, Thursday, March 12, 2026, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
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Players Championship: Thursday’s first round at the Stadium Course
Max Greyserman tees off on the fifth hole during the first round of The Players Championship PGA golf tournament at TPC Sawgrass, Thursday, March 12, 2026, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
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Players Championship: Thursday’s first round at the Stadium Course
Christiaan Bezuidenhout tees off on the fifth hole during the first round of The Players Championship PGA golf tournament at TPC Sawgrass, Thursday, March 12, 2026, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
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Players Championship: Thursday’s first round at the Stadium Course
Emiliano Grillo tees off on the fifth hole during the first round of The Players Championship PGA golf tournament at TPC Sawgrass, Thursday, March 12, 2026, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
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Players Championship: Thursday’s first round at the Stadium Course
Gary Woodland tees off on the fifth hole during the first round of The Players Championship PGA golf tournament at TPC Sawgrass, Thursday, March 12, 2026, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
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Players Championship: Thursday’s first round at the Stadium Course
Cam Davis tees off on the fifth hole during the first round of The Players Championship PGA golf tournament at TPC Sawgrass, Thursday, March 12, 2026, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
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Players Championship: Thursday’s first round at the Stadium Course
Kevin Yu tees off on the fifth hole during the first round of The Players Championship PGA golf tournament at TPC Sawgrass, Thursday, March 12, 2026, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
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Players Championship: Thursday’s first round at the Stadium Course
Ricky Castillo tees off on the fifth hole during the first round of The Players Championship PGA golf tournament at TPC Sawgrass, Thursday, March 12, 2026, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
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Players Championship: Thursday’s first round at the Stadium Course
Patrick Cantlay tees off on the fifth hole during the first round of The Players Championship PGA golf tournament at TPC Sawgrass, Thursday, March 12, 2026, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
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Players Championship: Thursday’s first round at the Stadium Course
Ryan Gerard tees off on the fifth hole during the first round of The Players Championship PGA golf tournament at TPC Sawgrass, Thursday, March 12, 2026, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
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Players Championship: Thursday’s first round at the Stadium Course
Matt McCarty hits from the fifth fairway during the first round of The Players Championship PGA golf tournament at TPC Sawgrass, Thursday, March 12, 2026, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
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Players Championship: Thursday’s first round at the Stadium Course
Adam Schenk hits from the fifth fairway during the first round of The Players Championship PGA golf tournament at TPC Sawgrass, Thursday, March 12, 2026, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
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Players Championship: Thursday’s first round at the Stadium Course
Garrick Higgo hits from a bunker on the fifth hole during the first round of The Players Championship PGA golf tournament at TPC Sawgrass, Thursday, March 12, 2026, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
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Players Championship: Thursday’s first round at the Stadium Course
Garrick Higgo hits from a bunker on the fifth hole during the first round of The Players Championship PGA golf tournament at TPC Sawgrass, Thursday, March 12, 2026, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
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Players Championship: Thursday’s first round at the Stadium Course
Garrick Higgo hits from a bunker on the fifth hole during the first round of The Players Championship PGA golf tournament at TPC Sawgrass, Thursday, March 12, 2026, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
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Players Championship: Thursday’s first round at the Stadium Course
Volunteers pass on on the fifth hole during the first round of The Players Championship PGA golf tournament at TPC Sawgrass, Thursday, March 12, 2026, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
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Players Championship: Thursday’s first round at the Stadium Course
Denny McCarthy places his ball on the fifth hole during the first round of The Players Championship PGA golf tournament at TPC Sawgrass, Thursday, March 12, 2026, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
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Players Championship: Thursday’s first round at the Stadium Course
Adam Schenk hits from the seventh fairway during the first round of The Players Championship PGA golf tournament at TPC Sawgrass, Thursday, March 12, 2026, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
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Players Championship: Thursday’s first round at the Stadium Course
Adam Schenk reterives his ball on the seventh hole during the first round of The Players Championship PGA golf tournament at TPC Sawgrass, Thursday, March 12, 2026, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
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Players Championship: Thursday’s first round at the Stadium Course
Matt McCarty sinks his putt on the seventh green during the first round of The Players Championship PGA golf tournament at TPC Sawgrass, Thursday, March 12, 2026, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
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Players Championship: Thursday’s first round at the Stadium Course
An American Bald Eagle flies over the seventh green during the first round of The Players Championship PGA golf tournament at TPC Sawgrass, Thursday, March 12, 2026, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
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Players Championship: Thursday’s first round at the Stadium Course
A cup flag flies on on the seventh green during the first round of The Players Championship PGA golf tournament at TPC Sawgrass, Thursday, March 12, 2026, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
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Players Championship: Thursday’s first round at the Stadium Course
Patrons come and go during the first round of The Players Championship PGA golf tournament at TPC Sawgrass, Thursday, March 12, 2026, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
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Players Championship: Thursday’s first round at the Stadium Course
An egret fishes near the practice range during the first round of The Players Championship PGA golf tournament at TPC Sawgrass, Thursday, March 12, 2026, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
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Players Championship: Thursday’s first round at the Stadium Course
A cormorant swallows a fish during the first round of The Players Championship PGA golf tournament at TPC Sawgrass, Thursday, March 12, 2026, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
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Players Championship: Thursday’s first round at the Stadium Course
Tommy Fleetwood walks on the practice range during the first round of The Players Championship PGA golf tournament at TPC Sawgrass, Thursday, March 12, 2026, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
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Players Championship: Thursday’s first round at the Stadium Course
Akshay Bhatia looks on at the practice range during the first round of The Players Championship PGA golf tournament at TPC Sawgrass, Thursday, March 12, 2026, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
The Players brought a thrill-a-minute chaos ride for Homa, who carded perhaps the day’s most eventful 1-under 71 and stood four strokes off the lead when he completed his March 12 first round in his return to The Players Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass.
Homa briefly vaulted to the top of the leaderboard minutes after sunrise when his second shot of the day — a 137-yard approach on the par-4 No. 10 — found the cup for an eagle.
“I thought if I drew my gap wedge three or four right of it, it wouldn’t go long, and if I hit it good, maybe it would work its way over there,” Homa said.
Max Homa watches his tee shot off of 15 during the first round of The Players Championship golf tournament at TPC Sawgrass, March 12, 2026 in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. March 12, 2026. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union]
But that wasn’t the end of the story for Homa. He double-bogeyed No. 12 after a wild tee shot, and No. 15, after a miss from 2 feet, 11 inches. By the time he bogeyed No. 1, failing to extricate himself from a fairway bunker on his second, he had slipped to 3-over.
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Then, a birdie parade on Nos. 2 (putt of 6 feet, 4 inches), 5 (31 feet, 4 inches), 6 (3 feet), 7 (3 feet, 9 inches) and 8 (7 feet, 1 inch). Despite the frustration of a closing three-putt bogey on 9, Homa advanced toward the weekend with confidence.
“I didn’t hit a lot more fairways, but I hit it in better spots and then took advantage of my iron game, so that was nice,” he said.
Homa tied for sixth at the Stadium Course in 2023, which was also the year of his most recent victory on the PGA Tour. Since then, he’s slipped from the top five of the Official World Golf Ranking to No. 149.
Thursday’s first-round difficulties, Homa said, stemmed in part from his adjustment to a “very, very firm” course. For future rounds, he’s planning to skip the roller-coaster tickets.
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“I’ve never played this place even remotely like that,” he said. “It’ll probably be more comfortable for us playing the rest of the week because I just don’t think it’s going to get that firm anymore.
“But it was fun while it lasted.”
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Max Homa’s wild first round at Players Championship golf
![Max Homa watches his tee shot off of 15 during the first round of The Players Championship golf tournament at TPC Sawgrass, March 12, 2026 in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. March 12, 2026. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union]](https://getonsports.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/253cfd98a4d9b9ca36a8eb691fe9e60a.jpeg)
