PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — They played golf on Thursday at The Players Championship amidst the global crisis involving coronavirus and despite every other major sports league and organization ceasing operation.

Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama tied the course record at the TPC Sawgrass Stadium Course with a 9-under 63, taking a two-shot lead over Harris English and South Africa’s Christiaan Bezuidenhout.

But he will not get a chance to win the title because later in the night, the PGA Tour canceled the rest of the event.

Matsuyama carded eight birdies and an eagle with only one bogey, playing his final five holes in 5-under after holing a 25-foot eagle putt on his last hole.

“I didn’t have the greatest warm-up this morning, but once play started I got into a good groove,” said Matsuyama, who became the fifth player in tournament history to open with 63.

Other players who also played well included former champion Si Woo Kim (7-under), Patrick Cantlay and Marc Leishman at 5-under, and several at 4-under, including Graeme McDowell, Jason Dufner, Webb Simpson, Jim Herman and Daniel Berger.

A number of big names struggled, too, including defending champion Rory McIlroy, who managed only an even-par 72, Jordan Spieth and Phil Mickelson, who both shot 3-over, and Patrick Reed, who shot 73.

Matsuyama, who’s struggled for the better part of the past two years, has finished tied for 16th or better in nine of 11 worldwide starts since October, highlighted by a runner-up finish at the Zozo Championship behind Tiger Woods.

He also finished tied for fith at the Genesis Invitational and for sixth at the WGC-Mexico Championship, and it didn’t take him long to rebound from a rough weekend at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

“I’ve been working hard and have a lot of confidence in my swing,” Matsuyama said. “Last week was a tough week at Bay Hill, but today I made some putts and that seems to be the difference of late.”