Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla ? Tiger Woods was right when he said The Players Championship had to play firm and fast to allow the best players to separate themselves from the toughest field in golf.

In a rain-soaked opening round Thursday, just about everybody was in contention even Colin Montgomerie, who had a happy and heckle-free return to American soil.

After a 21/2-hour rain delay that made the Stadium Course on the TPC at Sawgrass vulnerable, Phil Mickelson, Scott Hoch and Chris DiMarco were tied for the lead at 5 under when play was suspended by darkness.

Seventy-four players will have to finish the round this morning.

That includes Woods, whose bogey on No. 5 in near darkness left him at 1-under par through 14 holes, among 52 players under par. Two dozen of them were within three shots of the lead.

Six players from the morning starters were tied for the clubhouse lead at 3-under 69 PGA champion David Toms, Mark Calcavecchia, Robert Allenby, Stuart Appleby, Steve Lowery and Jeff Sluman.