Weather forecast forces Players Championship to move up Sunday start

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – Weather forecasts for Sunday and an impending cold front that is expected to bring in rain have shifted the final round schedule at The Players Championship.

RELATED: Severe weather forecast for Southeast Georgia, Northeast Florida could threaten the final round of The Players

The PGA Tour announced the schedule change Saturday afternoon as the tournament hopes to avoid the first Monday finish since 2022. The final round will have the field go off between 8 and 10:01 a.m. from the No. 1 and 10 holes.

Storms making their way across the country have ravaged central and southeast parts of the US. There have been 20 deaths blamed on the weather in Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas, according to multiple reports.

The last time The Players finished on Monday was Cam Smith in 2022. Before that, it was Fred Funk finishing late into the afternoon on Monday in 2005 to win. There have been eight Monday finishes in Players history.

News4JAX meteorologist Michelle McCormick is forecasting rains to enter southeast Georgia by sunrise on Sunday and then moving quickly into northeast Florida around noon. Wind gusts up to 50 mph, hail and low chances of tornados are a concern. The system is expected to move offshore by sunset on Sunday.

The projected bad weather in the final round will scuff what has been three beautiful days of weather at the Stadium Course.

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