Toms Takes Early Lead At Players
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FL (AP) David Toms set the pace Friday at The Players Championship with six more birdies in a round of a 4-under 68 that put him atop the leaderboard among early starters.
Toms went 25 holes before making his first bogey on the TPC Sawgrass, and he kept his mistakes to a minimum while building a two-shot lead over U.S. Open champion Graeme McDowell and Steve Stricker. Toms was at 10-under 134.
First-round leader Nick Watney was among those playing in the steamy afternoon.
It was a welcome turnaround for McDowell, who had missed the cut in three of his last four PGA Tour events. With his title defense in the U.S. Open a month away, McDowell had a 69.
Stricker played bogey-free and made five birdies on the back nine for a 67.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
