PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- You can't always expect the unexpected. If you expected everything, nothing would be unexpected.
Confusing? Yes. But then again so is the leaderboard after Thursday's first round of the 35th PLAYERS Championship.
The top spot is occupied by Spain's Sergio Garcia after a devilish 6-under-par 66 -- not so unexpected given his runner-up finish in 2007. But it might be unexpected if he goes on to win, given that just Sandy Lyle in 1987 is the only European to have won at TPC Sawgrass.
Back to Thursday, though. What are we to make of the names Kenny Perry (4 under), Paul Goydos (4 under), Steve Elkington (3 under) and Fred Couples (2 under)? Is this the 2008 PLAYERS, or the 1998 PLAYERS? Those four veterans -- Couples and Elkington are both multiple winners here at TPC Sawgrass -- are within four shots of the lead.
All four are on the back nine of their respective PGA TOUR careers, yet they're performing like the group of surging 20-somethings has in 2008. And don't think for a minute that they can't win.
Too old, you say? Not so. Fred Funk won at the tender age of 48 in 2005. Maybe the old guns still have a shot or two left in them.
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