Heading into the third round of the 2023 edition of The Players Championship, nine players shared the record for the lowest 18-hole score on the par-72 layout at the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass, which became the permanent host of the PGA Tour's flagship event in 1982.
But by the end of that Saturday afternoon in Ponte Vedra Beach, the mark belonged to just one man, as Tom Hoge fired a blistering 10-under 62 to become the first player to get around Pete Dye's design in double digits under par in a single round.
What makes the record-setting round even more interesting is that he nearly didn't make it to the weekend, even going so far as to book a Friday flight home after a disastrous opening round on Thursday.
Hoge opened his week with a 6-over round of 78, which was tied for the fourth-worst score of the opening round.
But he kept his cool and bounced back with a solid 4-under 68 on Friday to get to 2-over, which proved to be the cut line.
But as the second round wasn't completed until Saturday morning, the TCU alum had to sweat it overnight before it was confirmed that he'd be playing the final 36 holes.
Given the delay, split tees were used in the third round, and Hoge began his Saturday on the back nine at TPC Sawgrass.
After a par at the 10th, he carded a four at the par-5 11th and caught fire from there, making 10 birdies against zero bogeys en route to a 10-under 62. A 10-foot, 1-inch birdie putt on the par-5 ninth ultimately gave him the record, which he hilariously didn't even know he set until he reached the scoring tent.
Nine players shared the low round at TPC Sawgrass during The Players Championship until Tom Hoge set the new mark
Prior to Hoge's record-setting 62, the nine who shared the previous record all posted 9-under rounds of 63, the first being Fred Couples in 1992, just two weeks before he won The Masters.
The latest 63 at The Players Championship was recorded in 2022 by Dustin Johnson in what proved to be one of his last starts on the PGA Tour before defecting to LIV Golf.
It's certainly worth mentioning that there are technically 10 players who've posted 63, but Hideki Matsuyama's 9-under opening round in 2020 doesn't officially count, as the tourney was scrubbed after 18 holes due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Of the 10 players to officially shoot 63 or better at The Players, four ended up winning the tournament. Hoge, however, is not one of them, as he tied for third in 2023 at 10-under, finishing seven shots behind Scottie Scheffler.
Here's a quick look at the 10 lowest rounds ever shot on the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass during The Players Championship.
Player | Score | Year | Round | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Tom Hoge | 62 (-10) | 2022 | Round 3 | T3 |
Fred Couples | 63 (-9) | 1992 | Round 3 | T13 |
Greg Norman | 63 (-9) | 1994 | Round 1 | 1 |
Roberto Castro | 63 (-9) | 2013 | Round 1 | T19 |
Martin Kaymer | 63 (-9) | 2014 | Round 1 | 1 |
Jason Day | 63 (-9) | 2016 | Round 1 | 1 |
Colt Knost | 63 (-9) | 2016 | Round 2 | T3 |
Webb Simpson | 63 (-9) | 2018 | Round 2 | 1 |
Brooks Koepka | 63 (-9) | 2018 | Round 4 | T11 |
Dustin Johnson | 63 (-9) | 2022 | Round 4 | T9 |