Gonzalo Fernández-Castaño (-5) got off to an amazing start at THE PLAYERS Championship, known as the fifth major, held at the Stadium Course at the TPC Sawgrass in Florida.
The Spanish golfer turned in the first card with a 67, for a total of seven birdies and two bogeys, placing him at the top of the rankings, tied with many players and just two shots away from the provisional leader, the young Russell Henley.
Gonzalo is pretty content to say the least after having made the cut at the Wells Fargo, and now setting foot on Ponte Vedra Beach, but treading lightly, as he has his reservations. But the hard work he put in during practice paid off, and his tee to green game was much more in sync than last week.
The putt did the rest of the work. Fernández-Castaño was amazing on the greens at Sawgrass, with incredible putts for par from more than three meters away on the 10th and on the 15th, and another for a birdie from the same distance on the 12th. His short game came to the rescue on the first part of the course (he started on the 10th) and from there his game just got better and better, especially after playing the 18th hole, the most difficult one of the entire course; by the book for a spectacular birdie.
On the second nine holes, Gonzalo was on top of his game, and managed to pull off four excellent birdies (1, 2, 6 and 7), landing the ball really close to the hole. He also made two bogeys on the 4th and on the 9th, the latter after missing a putt for par from two meters away. However, today there was very little to be frustrated with the putter about.
Gonzaolo was the first up at THE PLAYERS Championship. What a difference between his debut today from last year's. Tomorrow he plays starting at 18:36 (Spanish time).
