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Kevin Na takes share of lead at Players Championship

May 7, 2015
Kevin Na hits from the 16th tee during the first round of The Players Championship golf tournament Thursday, May 7, 2015, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Kevin Na hits from the 16th tee during the first round of The Players Championship golf tournament Thursday, May 7, 2015, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

By Brian Han

Korean American golfer Kevin Na cruised to a tie for the lead Thursday at the Players Championship after a 5-under 67 at TPC Sawgrass.

The star-studded field includes the likes of world No.1 Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth and Tiger Woods to name a few.

Na stuck to his strengths by choosing accuracy over distance yielding an impressive 16 of 18 greens in regulation.

He carded three birdies on each nine and had a lone bogey on the 449 yard par-4 16th where his par putt zoomed ten feet past the cup.

Na is in a four-way tie with Hideki Matsuyama, David Hearn and Charley Hoffman.

Woods is playing in his first tournament since April at the Masters where he showed vast improvements to his ailing game.

He shot a 1-over 73 after a disappointing 18th hole double bogey following two birdies.

The two-time Players champion couldn’t eek enough out of his driver to clear the water on the dogleg left and found the hazard.

He is currently tied for 77th.

Spieth had trouble finding both the fairways and greens leading to a 3-over 75 to put him in tied-for-109.

McIlroy, who has yet to add his name to the trophy at this event, shot a 3-under 69 after a bumpy start to tie for 11th.