Players Championship delays gate opening amid manhunt for double murder suspect near golf course

The Players Championship delayed opening its gates for Saturday’s 3rd circular aft a manhunt for a fishy accused of fatally shooting 2 radical successful a drugstore parking batch that led constabulary onto the grounds of TPC Sawgrass.

St. Johns County Sheriff Rob Hardwick said successful a property league aboriginal Saturday greeting that authorities received aggregate calls regarding shots fired successful a Walgreens parking lot, astir a mile from the course, astatine astir 10:30 p.m. Friday. 

Si Woo Kim drives disconnected the 17th tee during the 2nd circular of The Players Championship play tourney successful Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, connected March 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

"Two individuals were changeable aggregate times. Both those individuals were, of course, transported and person succumbed to their injuries," Hardwick said, describing the country arsenic a "domestic unit situation." 

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Law enforcement pursued the suspect, identified arsenic 32-year-old Christian Barrios, into the nighttime and said the way yet led them to TPC Sawgrass.

"Our canine units really tracked into TPC, which is, the PGA Tour office is implicit there. It tracked successful there."

Hardwick said the fishy had interaction with aggregate individuals connected the course, including groundskeepers and security. Barrios had besides allegedly picked up a PGA Tour vigor and aboriginal dropped it. 

Law enforcement pursued the suspect, identified arsenic 32-year-old Christian Barrios, into the nighttime and said the way yet led them to TPC Sawgrass.   (Nassau County Sheriff's Office)

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Barrios past stole a achromatic BMW and fled. Nassau County authorities pursued the car and forced a clang into the woods wherever helium took disconnected connected foot.

The Nassau County Sheriff's Office aboriginal confirmed that Barrios was taken into custody conscionable earlier 8 a.m. His nonstop charges were not instantly known, but Hardwick suggested helium had a lengthy transgression history. 

"This thug’s transgression past is embarrassing – embarrassing."

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 The Players Championship cited "operational considerations" erstwhile announcing its hold successful opening the gates. Tee times remained unchanged. 

A wide presumption of the 17th spread during the 2nd circular of The Players Championship astatine the Stadium Course astatine TPC Sawgrass successful Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, connected March 13, 2026. ( Ben Jared/PGA TOUR via Getty Images)

The victim’s identities were not instantly known. Hardwick said the fishy knew some victims.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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