Rory McIlroy laboured to a two-over par opening round as his Players Championship title defence at Sawgrass appeared hampered by recent back problems.
Masters champion McIlroy had withdrawn from the Arnold Palmer Invitational on Saturday before his third round, but having spent some extra time recuperating at home, he did manage to complete a short practice session at Ponte Vedra on Wednesday.
The world number two, though, never really looked comfortable as he made successive bogeys at the fourth – where he went off left into the treeline – and the fifth, finding the bunker.
Although McIlroy immediately clawed a birdie back on the sixth after a brilliant second shot from the bunker, that was swiftly cancelled out after another wayward drive off the 11th tee left him in the deep rough.
McIlroy then regrouped to move through the closing holes level par, finishing with a neat chip and short putt, but will have plenty to think about overnight.
“I would say the most discomfort was like when the ball was below my feet or with chipping, just like getting down a little bit to it.
“Honestly, overall it was fine. (I) got a little bit tired at the end of the day, but it was actually all pretty good.”
McIlroy added: “It’s not as if I’ve taken a ton of time off, but (I) just felt like unbelievably rusty out there.
“I’m glad I got through the round. Hopefully tonight goes well and I will get out there tomorrow.
“If I can go out and shoot a good one, I feel like I’ll be right in it for the weekend.”
Four players shared the club-house lead at five under, with a chipped eagle from Sepp Straka at the 16th seeing him join Maverick McNealy, Lee Hodges and Sahith Theegala.
Austin Smotherman, who started on the back nine, also sat at five under as he looked to claim the solo lead heading into his last three holes.
However, after a bogey on the seventh and then a birdie at the next, with the light fading, Smotherman opted not to take his final putt attempt, so will return first thing on Friday morning to compete the first round which could see him out front.
Justin Thomas, Russell Henley and Taylor Moore are all at four under.
England’s Tommy Fleetwood, starting on the back nine, finished in a group alongside Ryder Cup team-mates Ludvig Aberg and Viktor Hovland at three under, which could have been lower but for three bogeys across the closing holes.
“Just a few sort of simple dropped shots. I think just the way the game is,” said Fleetwood, who had been five under par after his first 11 holes. “Other than that, I played solid.”
It was, though, a round to forget for Ireland’s Shane Lowry – who finished with an eight on the 18th having found the water twice, so had to sign for a 76.
World number one Scottie Scheffler could only manage an even-par opening round, with his choice of driver again under the spotlight.
“It just kept going right,” Scheffler said. “(I) hit some better ones on the back (nine), but overall, I just (have) got to be a little sharper.”
Play had earlier been suspended for around 20 minutes following heavy rain, before soon resuming from 12.30pm local time, with the afternoon tee times pushed back by half-an-hour.
Collin Morikawa, though, had withdrawn after just one hole, having been in obvious discomfort while taking a practice swing on the 11th tee box.
“I felt fine in warm-up,” Morikawa said. “Nothing has been any signs of back problems.
“I teed it up on 11, took one practice swing, and I just knew it was gone. I can’t swing through it.
“Trust me, I would play if I could. It is just the worst thing in the world.”
