Kiwi golfers Danny Lee and Tim Wilkinson have both carded rounds of 73 to begin The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass in Florida today.
Their one-over totals left the pair in a share of 77th, six strokes back from a quarter of players - Hideki Matsuyama, David Hearn, Charley Hoffman and Kevin Na - who lead the event at five-under.
Lee is the leading Kiwi on tour this season and came in to this week's event in 58th on the FedEx Cup standings, while Wilkinson is in 175th and needs to keep making cuts to maintain his place on the ladder. Hamilton's Steven Alker, who has struggled on his return to the PGA Tour, isn't in the field this week.
The Players has a spot in Kiwi golfing folklore as former PGA Tour professional Craig Perks won the event in 2002, which remained his only win on the world's richest circuit. Perks retired from the game in 2007 after a poor run of form.
