Zach Johnson in the hunt at TPC

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — Zach Johnson got an early and flashy start at The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass on Thursday.

But the Cedar Rapids golfer had to settle for a 3-under par 69, placing him in a tie for 19th through the first round.

Teeing off at 7:18 a.m. (Iowa time), Johnson, playing the back nine first, took advantage of calm conditions and made the turn in 3-under 33. On his second nine, Sawgrass' front, he got his round to 5-under when he converted three birdies in a four-hole stretch ending at the fourth.

But a late double bogey on the par-3 8th hole brought his round back to 3-under.

There is so much that can happen on this risk-reward course with plenty of water in play, especially on the famed par-3 17th's island green.

Johnson's best finish in the Players to date is his tie for second in 2012. Playing this event now for the 10th time, the 38-year-old believes the key to overcoming the course's intimidating holes is being committed to each shot.

'It's a tight golf course,' Johnson said. 'You can play whatever shot you want, what you typically play, but you've got to step up there and commit. Picking your target out and being committed to that target is imperative here.'

On Thursday, Johnson played committed shots into Sawgrass' small, but undulating greens. He reached 13 of 18 in regulation and tallied eight birdies to go with two bogeys and a double bogey.

'I really gave myself some great opportunities, that's really what it was (Thursday),' Johnson said. 'I putted well. To make that many birdies you've got to putt really well.'

There was much discussion before the tournament that a handful of Sawgrass' greens were in bad shape and not rolling consistently. Johnson said the greens 'weren't that bad at all.'

He took 27 total putts in his round on Thursday.

Johnson said patience also is a big part of the equation in taking on Sawgrass' challenging layout.

'It requires every (club) in your bag and so I think patience is key here,' he said. 'I would say that the biggest challenge is to not get frustrated with what your score is. You can hit good shots here and be 1 or 2 over, even par and you can feel like you're getting nothing out of it but you've just got to remain patient.'

Johnson knows if he wants to make a move on today's leader board he'll have to hit more fairways and greens and get that putter in his hands.

'I just gotta keep doing what I'm doing,' Johnson said. 'Hopefully I can hit a few more fairways and keep giving myself opportunities. I know that I'm not going to make everything, but the greens are small enough that if you get your shots on the green you feel like you have a chance.'

Martin Kaymer birdied his last four holes to equal the tournament record and seize a two-shot lead in opening round with a 9-under 63.

His final nine holes, the front nine where he shot a 7-under 29, set a new low for the tournament while his 63 matched the record scores previously posted at the Players Championship by Fred Couples (1992), Greg Norman (1994) and Roberto Castro (2013).