Fans arriving early for Saturday’s third round of The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass were met with a rare sign for a PGA Tour stop: the gates stayed closed past the normal opening time while law enforcement finished a manhunt tied to a fatal shooting less than a mile from the course.
Authorities said the incident began around 10:30 p.m. Friday in the parking lot of a Walgreens near TPC Sawgrass, where two people were shot multiple times in what St. Johns County Sheriff Rob Hardwick described as a domestic violence situation. Both victims were transported to a hospital, where they died.
Hardwick identified the suspect as Christian Barrios, and said the suspect fled the scene by moving onto the TPC Sawgrass property, triggering a law enforcement search that extended into Saturday morning. Canine units pursued Barrios on the course grounds during the manhunt, according to authorities.
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The tournament itself did not stop. The third round tee times began on schedule at 8:15 a.m., but public entry was delayed. Tournament operations cited operational considerations for keeping gates closed until 9 a.m., and hospitality areas were delayed until 11 a.m.
The manhunt ended with Barrios taken into custody around 8 a.m. Saturday in Nassau County, in Florida’s far northeastern area, roughly an hour north of TPC Sawgrass. Authorities said he stole a black BMW, was pursued by Nassau County law enforcement, and a forced crash sent the vehicle into the woods. Barrios then fled on foot before being found and arrested.
During the search, authorities said Barrios briefly picked up a PGA Tour radio and later dropped it. Investigators also said Barrios had a long criminal history and knew the victims.
The disruption landed in the middle of a high-profile weekend at the PGA Tour’s flagship event. At the halfway point, Ludvig Åberg led at 12 under, with Xander Schauffele at 10 under and Cameron Young at 9 under, setting up a crowded chase heading into Saturday’s moving day.
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For fans, the practical impact was immediate: delayed entry and delayed hospitality access, while play continued on the Stadium Course. For tournament organizers, it was a security-first call that kept the event on schedule while law enforcement closed out an active search tied to a nearby double homicide investigation.
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