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By Dave Shedloski
PGATOUR.com Senior Correspondent

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- Persistent rains for much of the day Wednesday might be helping May flowers, but they've also helped to prove a point.

Bubba Watson was out early in the rain at TPC Sawgrass on Wednesday. A half-inch of rain fell on the course. (WireImage)

The PGA TOUR spent $8 million renovating the PLAYERS Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass so that it could ensure a firm, fast layout for its most prestigious event, THE PLAYERS Championship.

The fairways were stripped of organic material underneath that was preventing proper drainage and a state-of-the-art drainage system -- including an eight-inch layer of sand -- were installed.

In addition, the greens were redone to USGA specifications after a sub-air system was put in.

That money was well-spent. On Wednesday, the course received a half-inch of rain, putting the new drainage system to the test, even though May is historically the driest month in northeast Florida.

"It's unfortunate," said Fred Funk, a local resident and the 2005 PLAYERS champion. "The irony of the whole thing, coming to May ... and now we have March weather. But it will be a great test for the golf course and with all the work that they did to see if it really works."

Guess what? It works.

"The rain hasn't affected the playability of the golf course at all," course superintendent Fred Klauk said. "In fact, given our forecast, I'm trying to retain the moisture that we've had so that the greens do not get too firm. The half-inch of rain we had Sunday didn't really change the firmness of the course. Water is just passing right through."

All of which means that when the 34th PLAYERS begins Thursday at 7:20 a.m. ET, the Pete Dye-designed TPC Sawgrass should present a challenge befitting a major tournament.

Drives will have to be shaped into firm fairways or they will release into the Bermuda rough. Greens covered in a new strain of Bermuda grass -- called "miniverde" -- will be firm and running at speeds of about 11 on the Stimpmeter. That reading is only slightly less than an average U.S. Open or Masters Tournament.

Said 18-time major winner Jack Nicklaus, the only three-time PLAYERS champion: "I think a fast golf course produces a better champion, and you weren't getting that."

As for the rest of the setup, players have readily noted how drastically the nature of the course has been altered.

"It just looks very different," Tiger Woods said. "It plays totally different."

Patrons with umbrellas dot the 18th hole on Wednesday morning. (WireImage)

The two most notable tweaks are on the periphery of the playing targets, and they will force myriad strategic challenges and shotmaking decisions. Instead of Rye grass rough of 4-5 inches, players who miss fairways have to contend with 2-3 inches of Bermuda.

Around the greens, instead of heavy Rye grass, there are shaved chipping areas that will present players with more options for recovery.

The Bermuda grass in the rough was made possible by the tournament's switch in dates. It's likely to be a double-edged sword for the contestants -- as it should be.

U.S. Open champion Geoff Ogilvy sounded like Hall of Fame catcher Yogi Berra with his description of the changes.

"It's easier in a lot of respects. But what makes it easier also makes it harder," Oglivy said. "The rough is easier because you can probably go for the greens most of the time. But it's harder because it's tougher to control the shots."

"It's pretty much a guaranteed flier out of the Bermuda rough, so it's not easy to pick a good club," said 2004 winner Adam Scott. "Especially if it's windy, there are so many factors. Out of the rye, you pretty much know what it's going to do. You just lose all control of the golf ball out of the Bermuda rough."

"It gives you a chance; it gives you options," Ernie Els said. "I'm sure 90 percent of the guys will try to hit the miracle shot, and I think that makes it even more exciting. But it could lead to higher numbers."

Fred Funk (WireImage)

More options also exist around the greens, something Funk said hasn't much been discussed. The roll-offs are a philosophical change from years past when all a player could do was hack out of the gunch and hope to make a putt to save par.

A downside for players is that the runoffs -- some of them extensive -- will enable poorly struck shots to run farther away from the small putting surfaces.

The result of it will be more intrigue for fans to observe and more decisions for players to make.

"It gives you a lot of options around the greens to bump it into the hill, putt it, flop it up, whatever you want to do," Funk said. "It forces a lot of creativity by the players and imagination on how they're going to handle their chipping around the greens. You're going to see a lot of different varieties of shots."

Over the years there have been a variety of different players who have won THE PLAYERS. But there's usually been just one way to come out on top.

"The players who are playing best are going to be at the top," Scott said. "There's going to be no faking you way up to the top of this leaderboard."