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(AP) -- Zach Johnson made eight birdies Friday for a 6-under 66 that gave him a one-shot lead among the early starters at The Players Championship.

Johnson took bogey on the final hole, tolerable compared with so many others. Martin Laird hit into the water on the 16th and 17th holes and played the last three holes 4-over par for a 73.

He still was only two shots behind, and thankful this happened on a Friday instead of Sunday.

For Rory McIlroy, there will no weekend at Sawgrass.

The No. 1 player shot a 76 and will miss the cut. In three tries, he has never played the weekend at The Players Championship.

It was the first time in more than a year that McIlroy missed a cut.

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