Would Added Length Lift The TPC Sawgrass Risk-Taking Shield?

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Not long after the TPC Sawgrass was renovated almost a decade ago, Pete Dye started hinting that he would like to lengthen certain holes. Presumably to offer some setup flexibility that can put driver back in the hands of longer players at the fifth, sixth (now that the tree is gone), seventh, tenth, fourteenth, fifteenth and eighteenth (for downwind days).

With a bunched leaderboard again, The Players has the lack of field separation vibe that prompted Rory McIlroy (71) to note the conservative, boring nature of the golf, as Adam Schupak reported on that the World No. 1 feeling like he was "parring the place to death."

“I was pretty bored out there,” McIlroy said. “I’m not sure how you guys felt about watching it. Just try and hit fairways, hit greens, pick off my birdies when I could.”

The course is not loved by players in part because of Mr. Dye's ability to make them feel awkward, and to a lesser extent, the amount of rough compared to its early days. (I heard not rough griping, but if they played the more Pinehurst-like TPC Sawgrass I think they'd enjoy a more liberating style of golf but one that is not appreciably easier scoring-wise).

Randall Mell talked to Chris Stroud about the course's recent place in SI's anonymous poll and Stroud defended TPC Sawgrass.

“I’ve been out here a long time, I think I know what a good golf course is and I think it’s incredibly great. It rewards great ballstriking. When they say that they probably think there’s too much risk for very little reward.”

Perhaps. Or maybe stifling temptation to take risks on select shots has a dulling effect on the elite players who usually separate themselves with their driving.

We'll see over the next two days if the elite are allowed to take a few clutch chances. Even if they do, the time has come to give Mr. Dye his wish to bring the driver back into play at select places and times.