Defending champion Jason Day and 2015 victor Rickie Fowler both faltered late in their rounds after encouraging starts, while another former champion, Adam Scott, appeared certain to claim the outright lead until he double-bogeyed the final two holes.
Defending champion Jason Day, winless since his victory at The Players a year ago, was 5 under through 11 holes until he dropped shots on three of his last four holes for a 70.
Johnson, bidding for a fourth victory in five starts after his winning streak ended with a runner-up finish at the Wells Fargo Championship last weekend, made an eagle at the 16th to salvage a one-under 71 which also included two birdies and three dropped shots. - On a track as hard to dominate as the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass and a tournament as tough as The Players Championship, synergy - when the results are actually better than the sum of its parts - can be the most important attribute to carry in the bag.
Masters champion Sergio Garcia and Dustin Johnson played in the afternoon.
The three highest scores in the field on Thursday were produced by 2016 Masters champion Danny Willett (79), Scott Piercy (80) and Harris English (84), who had four double bogeys and a triple bogey on his scorecard.
Phil Mickelson hits on the 10th green during the first round of The Players Championship golf tournament Thursday, May 11, 2017, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. Previous year s Memorial Tournament victor McGirt is just the 26th player to record two eagles in one round during The Players Championship.
American McGirt and Canadian Hughes will take a one-shot lead into day two of golf's unofficial fifth major, with JB Holmes, Chez Reavie, Jon Rahm and Alex Noren (68) trailing in third at four under.
Garcia's round was different.
WR Eddie Royal, DL Will Sutton among Chicago Bears' cuts
In two seasons Royal had been in and out of the lineup and put up a combined 70 catches, 607 yards and three touchdowns. With the Bears signing Markus Wheaton and Kendall Wright , the idea was that his seat was very hot in 2017.
"The feeling was great", he said. "I think I wasn t quite in the tournament because of everything that s been going on after the Masters win and media and people congratulating you left, right and centre". "I felt like I was a little bit up in the clouds, and when I woke up, I was 4 over after six".
That was before he stood on the 17th tee with a gap wedge in his hand and watched his shot bounce in front of the pin on the island green, land just behind the hole and spin back slightly into the cup. 2 and 12. Johnson rallied late with a 25-foot eagle putt on the 16th hole.
"It was just a bunker that was raked to where it just kind of looked like somebody didn't really care much to do it or were rushing off the green", Spieth said.
McGirt was among 13 players from the morning draw who shot in the 60s, but he was the only player to get as low as 6 under until he missed a short par putt on the final hole.
"It's unbelievable what a little bit of confidence will do", McGirt said.
Hughes wasn't flashy (no eagles) or dominant (78th in driving distance), but he converted all five scrambling attempts and hit just 26 putts.
He made it sound simple, even though the Players Stadium Course can be anything but that.
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