'Easily The Worst Thing I Have Seen In Golf' - Fans React To TPC Sawgrass Animation

To celebrate 40 years of The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass, you'd have thought the PGA Tour would pull out all the stops. Especially given the recent and much-publicised speculation surrounding the threat of the Saudi Super Golf League. 

Maybe there is more to come, but to say what we got during Thursday's first round was underwhelming wouldn't be doing it justice. Just when we were crying out for more action during a heavily disrupted day of golf as well. 

Anyway, the bizarre mixed-reality celebration was picked up by American journalist Geoff Shackelford, and you can check it out below: 

A brief foray into the replies and it's clear to see it wasn't particularly well received. "Easily the worst thing I have seen in golf in years," one user commented, while Trevor Immelman, this year's Presidents Cup captain, took the opportunity to remind everyone of an infamous gold outfit worn by Ian Poulter many moons ago.

This year's event boasts a record prize purse of $20 million, as the PGA Tour looks to stave off the threat of the rumoured Saudi golf league. Jay Monahan addressed the matter ahead of his flagship event, telling reporters that "the PGA Tour is moving on."

The Tour chief was also quizzed about comments made by six-time major winner Phil Mickelson, in which he accused the Tour of "obnoxious greed" and said it was "run like a dictatorship." Mickelson has since apologised for those remarks and is currently taking some time away from the game. 

In response, Monahan added that "we always will be focused on legacy, not leverage", while insisting "the ball is in his [Mickelson's] court" in regards to his return to PGA Tour action. 

Although unconfirmed, many believe Mickelson may have been suspended, with Rory McIlroy calling for more transparency when it comes to disciplinary matters.