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The Players Championship delayed opening its gates for Saturday’s third round after a manhunt for a suspect accused of fatally shooting two people in a pharmacy parking lot led police onto the grounds of TPC Sawgrass.
St. Johns County Sheriff Rob Hardwick said at a press conference early Saturday morning that authorities received several calls regarding shots fired in a Walgreens parking lot, about a mile from the track, around 10:30 p.m. Friday.
Si Woo Kim drives from the 17th tee during the second round of The Players Championship golf tournament in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, on March 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
“Two individuals were shot multiple times. Both of those individuals were obviously transported and have succumbed to their injuries,” Hardwick said, describing the scene as a “domestic violence situation.”
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Law enforcement pursued the suspect, identified as 32-year-old Christian Barrios, into the night and said the trail eventually led them to TPC Sawgrass.
“Our dog units actually tracked into the TPC, which is to say PGA Tour headquarters is over there. It tracked in there.”
Hardwick said the suspect had contact with several people on the field, including groundskeepers and security. Barrios also allegedly picked up a PGA Tour radio and later dropped it.
Law enforcement pursued the suspect, identified as 32-year-old Christian Barrios, into the night and said the trail eventually led them to TPC Sawgrass. (Nassau County Sheriff’s Office)
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Barrios then stole a black BMW and fled. Nassau County authorities pursued the car and forced a crash into the woods where he took off on foot.
The Nassau County Sheriff’s Office later confirmed that Barrios was taken into custody just before 1 p.m. 8. His exact charges were not immediately known, but Hardwick suggested he had a long criminal history.
“This bully’s criminal history is embarrassing – embarrassing.”
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The Players Championship cited “operational considerations” when announcing its delay in opening the gates. Start times remained unchanged.
A general view of the 17th hole during the second round of The Players Championship on the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida on March 13, 2026. (Ben Jared/PGA TOUR via Getty Images)
The identity of the victim was not immediately known. Hardwick said the suspect knew both victims.
