The eyes of the golfing world turn to TPC Sawgrass, the iconic Florida venue which will host the Players Championship for the 52nd time this week. The PGA Tour’s flagship tournament comes with a $25 million purse and, while its colloquial ‘fifth Major’ tag is somewhat hollow given the continued absence of Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau and a small handful of other LIV Golf defectors, this is still the top event on the strongest circuit in the world.
The field, expanded to 123 runners from 120 to allow Brooks Koepka to compete, is as elite as it gets outside the Majors and the betting, unsurprisingly, is topped by 2023 and 2024 winner Scottie Scheffler, with Rory McIlroy not far behind as he seeks to defend the title he won for the 2nd time last year. However, Scheffler was unhappy with the state of his game at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, finishing 24th in an event he had won on 2 previous occasions, while McIlroy withdrew due to back spasms when handily placed at the halfway point, so bettors must think carefully about whether to support the top 2 in the market. Let’s dive into my golf predictions for this week’s The Players Championship.
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The Players Championship golf picks and predictions
The Players Championship best bet: Collin Morikawa (+2050)
Odds available at DraftKings Sportsbook at time of publishing.
7 of the last 8 winners are Major champions and resurgent Collin Morikawa could make that 8 in 9 with a first Players Championship triumph on Sunday. After a spell in the doldrums, Morikawa has returned to form in spectacular fashion, winning the Pebble Beach Pro-Am, then following up with a 7th-place finish at the Genesis Invitational and 5th at the Arnold Palmer, striking the ball with authority on each occasion.
At his best, Morikawa is precise off the tee and one of the best iron players in the world, and while his form has not escaped the attention of the oddsmakers, this looks an ideal chance for him to secure one of the biggest titles of his career at a venue where he finished 10th last season despite struggling on the greens.
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The Players Championship prediction: Min-Woo Lee (+4100)
Odds available at DraftKings Sportsbook at time of publishing.
This also represents a big chance for Min Woo Lee, who is firing on all cylinders this season and has all the tools required to tame Sawgrass. The Australian is comfortable in a breeze and has demonstrated his affinity for Sawgrass, finishing 6th on his Players Championship debut in 2023 and 20th last year. He returns to Ponte Vedra Beach having finished in the top 12 of three consecutive Signature Events.
The Players Championship pick: Rickie Fowler (+5000)
Odds available at FanDuel Sportsbook at time of publishing.
Of the former champions in the field, Rickie Fowler also looks worth a bet 11 years after his most famous triumph. The Californian finished birdie-par-birdie-eagle-birdie-birdie and then won a playoff on that occasion, and while his form has been topsy-turvy in recent years, he has been in excellent form this season, finishing 9th at Bay Hill last Sunday.
The Players Championship pick: Sahith Theegala (+10000)
Odds available at FanDuel Sportsbook at time of publishing.
Driving accuracy is not the forte of Sahith Theegala, but he has the creativity and the class to go well at Sawgrass. He was 9th in the 2024 Players, and 3 PGA Tour top-8 finishes this year suggest he’s well and truly back on song.
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