While it’s not officially a major, THE PLAYERS Championship has often been referred to as the PGA Tour’s fifth major. The prize money ranks among the best on Tour and the prestige with winning the event is up there with the top tournaments of the season. A hefty purse tends to bring out the sport’s biggest names and the top-10 players in the world are set to peg it up at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach this week as the Tour continues its swing through the Sunshine State. Defending champ Rory McIlroy is No. 1 in the world and the betting favorite at online sportsbooks. Visit BookMaker.eu for a complete list of betting odds when you’re ready to place a wager.
Rory McIlroy + 725
Jon Rahm +1202
Justin Thomas +1602
Bryson Dechambeau +1802
Tommy Fleetwood +2406
Sungjae Im +2606
Dustin Johnson +2606
Patrick Cantlay +2715
Hideki Matsuyama +3008
Webb Simpson +3008
Adam Scott +3008
Xander Schauffele +3311
Patrick Reed +3613
Rickie Fowler +4000
Brooks Koepka +4000
Marc Leishman +5000
Collin Morikawa +5000
Tyrrell Hatton +5000
Matt Kuchar +5000
Matthew Fitzpatrick +5000
Tony Finau +5500
Gary Woodland +5500
Paul Casey +6500
Justin Rose +7500
Daniel Berger +7500
Sergio Garcia +8000
Byeong Hun An +8000
Henrik Stenson +9000
Louis Oosthuizen +9000
Billy Horschel +9000
Abraham Ancer +9000
Jason Day +9000
Scottie Scheffler +9000
Shane Lowry +10000
Jordan Spieth +10000
Joel Dahmen +10000
Odds Analysis
Tommy Fleetwood +2406
I’m going to give Fleetwood a pass on his MC last week since the conditions gobbled up a number of formidable players. It did break his cuts-made streak, but that might actually be a good thing giving him much-needed time off. He’s had a solid run this season despite last week’s showing, and Fleetwood has a pair of top-10s at Sawgrass in his last two starts. He’s going to get it right eventually and this is a place he can do that. The leader after 36 holes last year, He slipped to T5. That came after a T7 the year before. He knows the layout and can taste that first PGA Tour victory.
Adam Scott +3008
Another player who gets the benefit of the doubt after last week’s MC is Scott. He also tees it up on a course he’s quite familiar with so he’s worth taking a look at. He tamed Riviera last month and is 15 of 18 at Sawgrass with four straight finishes of T12 or better. Oh, and he won here in 2004 so that’s a feather in his cap. Of course that means nothing, but a phenomenal record here certainly does.
Daniel Berger +7500
After what’s happened on Tour the last few weeks it would be wise to look beyond the favorites and meander down the odds board. The sample size isn’t as large, but Berger has been hotter than just about every golfer not named McIlroy. The heater started in Phoenix last month with a T9 and continued with a T5 in Pebble Beach. Two weeks ago at the Honda Berger carded three 69s for a T4. He’s played the weekend his last four starts at Sawgrass with a best of T9 in 2016.
Matt Kuchar +5000
Playing in one event a bunch of times doesn’t mean a heck of a lot in the present. When it’s Kuchar at THE PLAYERS you might want to rethink the betting strategy. Kooch has played Sawgrass 15 times finishing among the top-20 on seven occasions, including a victory in 2012. He also tuned up for his annual visit with a victory in Singapore on the Asian Tour and a T2 last month at the Genesis. Solid recent form on a familiar track makes Kuchar an inviting pick at his price.
Brooks Koepka +4000
Every now and then you just have to play a hunch. It might be too much to ask of Koepka to regain his form, but he isn’t No. 3 in the world for nothing. A good sign is that he’s playing in a third straight tournament. And he’s always talked about playing better in the second or third week of a stretch. Well, the second is out of the question after that 81 last week, so that makes the third week the charm. Also, remember Koepka shares the course record by firing a 63 during the 2018 edition.
Course: TPC Sawgrass – 7,189 yards, Par 72
Tournament host since 1982, TPC Sawgrass isn’t a long course at just under 7,200 yards, but with an abundance of water hazards and strategically placed bunkers nestled throughout the property, big numbers are hiding around every corner. Sawgrass has a way of evening the playing field making course management more important than anything else. If you can avoid the water and sand you’re in a better position to play through the weekend with a chance at the big payday. Most players take a conservative approach given the number of obstacles, and that’s the smart thing to do. Par 5s at No. 2 and No. 16 offer up chances to make up strokes, as long as you don’t lose them on the iconic 17th by dropping a tee shot in the drink. The move to March from May also brings wind into play and we’ve seen Mother Nature cause problems in the previous Florida tournaments.
TV Coverage: NBC, Golf Channel
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