PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — Xander Schauffele could only laugh.
It beat the alternative Saturday when the punishing, windswept Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass brought many of the world’s best golfers to their knees.
Schauffele sat 4-under-par with two holes remaining to conclude an interminable first round stretching over three days because of multiple weather delays. Hitting into a stiff wind at the par-3 17th island green, Schauffele’s tee shot came up 10 yards short, causing him to smile and shake his head.
By the time he exited the equally demanding par-4 18th green with a triple-bogey, the world’s seventh-ranked golfer was even-par for his opening 18 holes, much less convivial than 20 minutes earlier and in a downward spiral. A second-round 78 followed.
Players all over the property went from contending for the PGA Tour’s biggest prize to collapsing in the span of a few holes, if not a few minutes.
“This is as tough ... golf as you’re ever going to play,” Keegan Bradley said. “This is a course you want to play under no conditions because of how tough the shots are.”
Blow-up holes, water balls and dashed dreams could be found at every corner as winds consistently above 20 mph lashed designer Pete Dye’s 7,128-yard, par-72 layout and temperatures dipped into the 50s.
Only three holes — all par-5s — played under par as the scoring average ballooned to 75.32.
But at least golf was played. Some of it was brilliant.
Defending champion Justin Thomas and two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson carded the day’s two bogey-free rounds — Thomas a 3-under 69 and Watson one stroke better at 68 — to hold the 36-hole clubhouse lead at 3-under-par 141 total.
A stalled weather front dumped several inches of rain Thursday and Friday to push the completion of the first round into Saturday for half of the 144-player field. Many of those who completed play the first day will not hit his next competitive shot again until Sunday.
Co-leader Tommy Fleetwood played three holes Saturday in even par to remain 6-under with Tom Hoge, who did not tee it up Saturday.
The stopping, starting and waiting left golfers disoriented.
“No knows what day it is anymore,” Harry Riggs said after finishing his week 9-over. “You get a tee time and whenever that is you go.”
Some golfers felt snakebitten by a draw and turned their ire on fellow competitors.
“I hope it blows like this in the morning and they freeze their butts off since they’ve been sitting at home all day watching us in the carnage,” Kevin Kisner said.
Kisner was tied for the lead at 6-under after 12 holes Saturday but ended the day four shots back. Honda Classic winner Seep Straka was a shot back when he reached the par-3 17th hole, hit two balls in the water and made a 7.
Meanwhile, Thomas and Watson maintained their wits and confidence.
One of the game’ elite ballstrikers, Thomas was comfortable and in control all day while putting on a shotmaking clinic.
“He really showed today what he does well and what he excels at,” said Rory McIlroy, who played alongside Thomas. “Three-under-par out there is a helluva round.”
Watson, a shot-shaping wizard, capitalized on his creativity and the imagination required to pull the right club, even when the choice seemed implausible. Long one of the game’s big hitters, Watson closed his round with a par on the 18th hole following a 5-iron from just 156 yards — his normal pitching wedge distance.
“It was one of those days you had to trust and you had to be committed to your shots, even if they go wild,” said Watson, a 43-year-old from the Florida Panhandle.
Every player left the course with a story about the wild swings in club selection.
“I hit two pitching wedges 185 yards, and I hit a 5-wood 193 yards,” Thomas said after finding 14 of 18 greens in regulation. “It was some of the most bizarre conditions I’ve played in.”
Few shots held their lines as gusts reached 35 mph.
“I bet a lot of guys have had their golf ball curve 60 or 80 yards in the air,” Riggs said. “That doesn’t happen that often.”
On Sunday, the conditions are forecast to change once again.
Temperatures were to dip into the 30s overnight. Players teeing off early will face bitter cold and winds expected to be 12 to 15 mph. The high will be in the mid-50s.
By Monday, temperatures are expected to push 70 again, giving golfers enough of a window to wrap up the Tour’s showcase event.
Rory McIlroy, the 2019 winner, wondered if returning the tournament to March from May was such a wise idea.
“It’s been really unfortunate, just with the weather and everything that’s sort of come our way,” McIlroy said. “I guess that was part of the reason why they moved it to May a few years ago.”
