Moore ties back-nine record at TPC

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla, -- Today's reason why the Players should never be confused with a major championship can be found in the unlikely person of Ryan Moore.

The former U.S. Amateur champion, a winner for the first time on the PGA Tour last season, tied the back-nine record at TPC Sawgrass with a six-under 30, and with a birdie on the par-4 second, is within range of the Players course record of 63 set by Greg Norman and Fred Couples.

The assault isn't an aberration, either. Though it's early, the 36-hole cut is projected at one under, another byproduct of the lethal combination of heat, no wind, and a golf course that was already soft in part thanks to a harsh winter in North Florida.

As for Tiger Woods, the world No. 1 is remarkably one under on the day and three under overall. The remarkable part is that Woods' tee shot was off-the-map right and into the water on No. 14 and took a double bogey. But he responded with consecutive birdies and is now on the tee on the par-4 first, his 10th hole of the day.

*-- Sam Weinman *