Players Championship Leaderboard: Thomas’s comeback, tee times and weather split
players championship leaderboard: Justin Thomas sits four under after an opening 68 as the second round begins Friday, March 13, at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., where tee-time splits and worsening afternoon weather could reshuffle the standings. Thomas, recovering from back surgery and coming off missed cuts at his return, will tee off Round 2 at 1: 42 p. m. ET alongside Scottie Scheffler and Tommy Fleetwood. The second round features early starters facing markedly different conditions than afternoon groups, with television and early streaming windows set across the day.
Players Championship Leaderboard: Round 1 status and key pairings
Two-time PGA champion Justin Thomas opened with birdies on his first three holes, turned that hot start into a 68 and sits at four under, tied for second as play moves to Round 2 on Friday, March 13. Thomas began his first round on the 10th tee and will switch to a 1st-tee start for his afternoon slot at 1: 42 p. m. ET with Scottie Scheffler and Tommy Fleetwood. The sheet of pairings shows other afternoon groups of note, and several morning waves will get the fresher conditions that have historically produced lower scores at this course.
Immediate reactions from the course
Brandel Chamblee, former professional turned commentator, pressed the argument that the field at this event represents the game’s strongest competition and that the tournament already meets the definition used for the sport’s top championships. Rory McIlroy, defending champion, pushed back on elevating the event to a new status in the sport’s hierarchy, calling himself a traditionalist and reiterating that there are four major championships. Thomas’s 68 after recent back surgery and a difficult return week at the Arnold Palmer Invitational — where he shot back-to-back 79s and missed the cut — drew attention in players and commentators alike for the abrupt swing in form.
Quick context: course and weather that will shape the leaderboard
TPC Sawgrass’s Stadium Course favors precision — tight tree-lined fairways, small firm greens and water on 17 of 18 holes — rewarding elite iron play, driving accuracy and bogey avoidance. Forecasted winds, rain and an afternoon storm risk on Thursday created a stark split between morning and afternoon starts; that split is expected to magnify scoring differences across early and late groups. By Friday the wind shifts, and Sunday carries a higher chance of afternoon rain and gusts, leaving Saturday as the clearest scoring window.
What’s next — who to watch and when to check the players championship leaderboard
Watch for how Thomas and his afternoon group handle the firmer, windier conditions forecast for late-day play; his 1: 42 p. m. ET start is a key moment for his comeback narrative. Morning starters who avoided Thursday’s storms set benchmarks the rest of the field will chase. Live coverage runs through the afternoon and early evening, with early streaming coverage available from 7: 30 a. m. ET and broader broadcast windows later in the day; expect the players championship leaderboard to swing as conditions shift and Saturday emerges as the pivotal scoring day. Check the leaderboard after each wave to track who benefits from the split and who falters under late-day wind and rain.
