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Immelman headed home to Orlando after he woke up with a stomach virus, leaving the PGA Tour's flagship event without the last two major champions. PGA champion Tiger Woods missed the tournament while recovering from knee surgery.
Mahan and Gore also withdrew because of illness. Mahan played two holes, parred both, and left the course. Gore walked away after four holes, which included a quadruple bogey and a double bogey. Beckman stopped after 13 holes with a back injury.
Ryan Armour withdrew after the first round. He shot a 9-over 81.
Immelman has had a tough time since winning the Masters by three shots over Woods. He failed to break par in his last two tournaments, missing the cut at the EDS Byron Nelson Championship and the Wachovia Championship.
Immelman was replaced by Dustin Johnson, a 23-year-old rookie who opened with a 73.
Johnson arrived at the course around 6:15 a.m, and was sitting in the locker room watching television when he received a text message telling him he was teeing off at 8:30 a.m.
"I kind of expected not to get in as first alternate," Johnson said. "But it just happened I did. ... It was pretty exciting."
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ISLAND TALES: Tom Lehman's tee shot on the 17th hole narrowly stayed on the fringe, keeping in tact his amazing luck on the island green. He has played that hole 59 times, and only once has found the water, the second round last year.
The flip side is Charles Howell III.
He looked disgusted when his tee shot went over the back and into the water, but that should not have come as a surprise. Howell is 18-over par on the 17th in his seven years at The Players Championship.
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DIVOTS: The PGA Tour does not market The Players Championship as a major, although it sure seems to act like one. In a subtle change this year, the name on the back of caddie bibs included the flag from the country where the player was born. And the players were introduced by name and country - and every other PGA Tour event, they are introduced by name and the city where they live. ... Rich Beem holed out from 132 yards on the seventh fairway for an eagle on his way to a 72. ... Paul Goydos no longer has an endorsement deal with Pep Boys, so he wore a Long Beach State baseball cap.
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AP Golf Writer Doug Ferguson contributed to this report.
