Players Championship: Deadly shooting near TPC Sawgrass delays fans’ entry

A deadly shooting near TPC Sawgrass led to spectators being delayed entering the field before the third day of the Players Championship.

The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office said two people were shot and killed at 22:30 local time on Friday, less than a mile from the stadium in Florida.

The suspect, identified as Christian Barrios, fled into the stadium before being arrested in Nassau County at around 8 a.m. Saturday after a car chase, according to police.

Sheriff Robert Hardwick said Barrios “made contact” with employees at TPC Sawgrass while trying to escape.

“He picked it up — we think it was a PGA Tour radio, not one of our radios and we know he dropped it afterward. Our canines used it as a scent when they came in there,” Hardwick said.

The gates at Sawgrass were scheduled to open to fans at 07:30 but entry was delayed until 09:00, with the PGA citing “operational considerations” as the reason for its decision.

The third round match in the PGA Tour Main Event started on time.

Sweden’s Ludwig Aberg led the tournament after two rounds after scoring a nine-under-par 63 on Friday.