The Players Championship to get underway despite heavy rain

The Players Championship gets underway at TPC Sawgrass in Florida on Thursday and organisers are confident the course will have recovered from recent heavy precipitation.

Parts of the course were flooded after torrential rain over the Bank Holiday weekend and the course was closed to spectators on Monday.

More than five inches fell on the course in Ponte Vedra Beach and part of the walkway to one of golf's iconic holes - the island par-3 17th - were under water.

However the course is expected to enjoy warm, dry weather for the end of the week although there is small chance of rain in the forecast for Friday and later on Sunday.

There should be no shortage of drama on the Pete Dye-designed stadium course, with the world's best playing in what amounts to their club championship, golf's unofficial Fifth Major.

Matt Kuchar is the defending champion, shooting a final round of 70, two under par, to win by two strokes from Rickie Fowler, Martin Laird, Ben Curtis, and Zach Johnson.