Crane Leads Red Day at Sawgrass

TPC Sawgrass is supposed to be brutal. It's supposed to be nasty. For heaven's sake, it's supposed to be the fifth major! Well, unless the fairways and greens are soft and the wind doesn't blow.

Ben Crane, who started on the back nine in the first round of the Players Championship, turned at 3-under 33, but went on a tear from there, making five birdies in six holes on his way to a 7-under 65 and the first-round lead. Crane, who hasn't won on tour since 2005, noted after his round that the greens were perfect, "like putting on the hood of your car," and the low scores the first day indicated that.

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All in all, 56 players broke par in round one of the Players, including a star-studded group at 1-under that includes Tiger Woods, Vijay Singh, Adam Scott and defending champion Sergio Garcia.

Someone who failed to break par for the day was Phil Mickelson, whom most picked to win the event. Starting on the first hole Thursday, Lefty was on a tear, making birdies on three of his first four holes. That was the highlight of his day, and the lowlight came immediately after, as Phil carded six bogeys on his way in to finish at 1-over and a tie for 79th.

The story of the day was Crane, who at one point was sneaking up on the course record of 63 before a bogey on his 17th hole and a par on his final hole, the par-5 9th. Sawgrass has been a friend to Crane over the years, as the 33-year-old has only missed the cut once, and finished tie for sixth last year.

Nipping at his heels is a group of rather unknowns in John Mallinger, Richard Johnson and Alex Cejka, all at 6-under. Directly behind them are eight players at 5-under that includes Camilo Villegas and long-hitting Bubba Watson.