Fleetwood sets Players pace at stormy Sawgrass

Tommy Fleetwood raced into a share of the early lead after a weather-disrupted opening day at The Players.

The Englishman carded a six-under 66 to move top of a congested leaderboard at TPC Sawgrass, where more than half of the field were unable to complete their rounds due to a delayed start and lengthy mid-round storm delay.

Fleetwood is joined a share of the lead by Tom Hoge, who birdied three of his last five holes to also get to six under, while Keith Mitchell carded a final-hole bogey to fall a shot off the pace alongside Joaquin Niemann, Kramer Hickok and Anirban Lahiri.

"It's a great first day," Fleetwood said. "I'm chuffed to be in on that score. I felt like I drove the ball well aside from a couple, and I felt like I chipped and putted great. That was the most I could have got out of the round, so days like that are very, very pleasing."

Canada's Taylor Pendrith got within two of the lead with two holes to play when play was suspended just after 6.30pm (11.30pm GMT) due to fading light, with more bad weather expected on Friday when the first round continues at 7.15am.

Beginning on the back nine and with preferred lies in place, after a one-hour delay due to overnight rain, Fleetwood followed a two-putt birdie at the par-five 11th by taking advantage of the par-five 16th and chipping in from off the green off the 18th to reach the turn in 33.

Fleetwood rolled in a 12-foot birdie at the first and was left facing a putt of a similar length at the par-five next when play was halted due to dangerous weather, with the world No 49 returning over four hours later to convert his opportunity and move into a share of the lead.

The 31-year-old made a seven-foot birdie at the fifth but failed to get up and down from a