The Shotgun Start Reacting to early Players action and Rolapp’s plan for big PGA Tour changes
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Mar 13, 2026 Live reactions from TPC Sawgrass, rain delays, and the chaos after Collin Morikawa’s withdrawal. Takeaways on how course setup punished bailouts and shaped scoring across morning and afternoon waves. Quick rundowns of standout rounds and quirky player habits. Deep dive into Brian Rolapp’s theatrical rollout of major PGA Tour changes and the political pushback those plans face.
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Sawgrass Moguls Make Fairways Premium
- TPC Sawgrass punished small errors with moguls and tiny bunkers, making fairway position far more valuable than being short-sided near greens.
- Brendan and Andy pointed to holes like 9 and 16 where moguls turned potential birdies into big numbers, showing course design drives volatility.
Morikawa's Sudden WD And The Hosts' Reaction
- Colin Morikawa withdrew after a sudden back spasm, saying "it's just the worst thing in the world," which drew strong reaction from hosts.
- Andy and Brendan contrasted the shock of a WD with broader real-world tragedies while still sympathizing with Morikawa.
Players Beyond The Big Two Are Emerging
- The current season shows deeper competitive bench beyond Rory and Scottie with players like Tommy Fleetwood, Hovland, JT, and Ludwig rising.
- Hosts argued this depth is healthy for the Tour's long-term product and storytelling.