Reasons For Optimism As Normality Breaks Out At Players

PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan addresses the media during his State of the Tour news conference prior to the Players Championship. Photo: Chris Condon, PGA Tour via Getty Images

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FLORIDA |  As anniversaries go, there’s never been one quite like this at the Players Championship.
It was here one year ago March 13 that professional golf stopped in the hours when the world was cascading to a halt. When PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan met with the media Tuesday morning, he noted the 362-day window and altered global landscape since his last Players Championship news conference.
So much is familiar this week but so much is still so different.
“I was saying to someone (Monday), it's felt like an incredibly slow 12 months, but at the same time it's gone really fast. I can't believe we're back here already,” Rory McIlroy said.
In that sense, golf is no different than the rest of the world. Days have turned into months that have now turned into a year. Tournament golf returned nine months ago but it’s still not bac...