PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – Round 1 of The Players Championship starts Thursday morning, with two featured groups of golfers who will no doubt draws fans from all over.
Ahead of the start of the tournament, TPC officials reminded fans of the code of conduct.
The Players Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass was built with fans in mind. Officials just want to make sure everyone remembers to be respectful, as the golfers playing in the tournament have $2 million on the line.
On Wednesday, Tony Johnson and his wife, Marise, had their chairs staked out in a prime spot on the famous par-3 17th hole. They've been coming to TPC for 17 years.
"It's definitely getting more vocal," Marise Johnson said.
The Johnsons said they've noticed the fans growing more rowdy over the last several years, with some shouting and even hollering at players in the middle of their round.
"Respect the players," Tony Johnson said. "Respect what they are trying to do under a massive audience without silly comments being shouted. It is a sport and it is a quiet sport when the players are playing and we should respect that."
Tournament officials said they want everyone to have a good time, but they don’t want your fun to affect the competition going on inside the ropes.
"I think we all know what it means to be respectful versus inappropriate," said Jared Rice, executive director of The Players. "And if we see the latter, we will take action to correct it."
You could get kicked out of the tournament if you aren’t following the PGA Tour Code of Conduct, which bans:
- Using foul language or gestures.
- Causing distractions, such as yelling during someone’s backswing.
- Failing to follow instructions from security or volunteers.
Fans can report issues from anywhere on the course by texting "PLAYERS," followed by the issue and location, to 69050 to get in touch with tournament staff.
Click here to review all the rules and guidelines for TPC.