Manhunt Near TPC Sawgrass Delays Players Championship Fan Entry After Fatal Shooting, Suspect Flight Through Course

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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