Saturday at The Players Championship didn’t start with birdies — it started with a manhunt.
Tournament officials delayed opening the gates for the third round after police searching for a double-murder suspect said the trail led straight to the grounds of TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.
St. Johns County Sheriff Rob Hardwick said deputies got multiple calls about shots fired around 10:30 p.m. Friday in a Walgreens parking lot roughly a mile from the course.
Two people were shot multiple times, transported to the hospital, and later died from their injuries, Hardwick said. He described the case as a domestic violence situation.
The suspect was identified as 32-year-old Christian Barrios.
According to Hardwick, law enforcement pursued Barrios overnight, and K-9 units tracked him into TPC Sawgrass — home to PGA Tour headquarters.
Hardwick said the suspect came into contact with multiple people on the property, including groundskeepers and security. At one point, he allegedly picked up a PGA Tour radio and later dropped it.
Authorities then said Barrios allegedly stole a black BMW and took off.
The chase continued into Nassau County, where deputies forced the vehicle to crash into the woods. Barrios ran, but Nassau County officials later confirmed he was taken into custody just before 8 a.m. Saturday.
Specific charges were not immediately announced, but Hardwick suggested Barrios had a lengthy criminal history.
“This thug’s criminal history is embarrassing — embarrassing,” the sheriff said.
The Players Championship later said the delayed gate opening was due to “operational considerations.” Tee times were not changed.
The victims’ names were not released. Hardwick said the suspect knew both of them.
