While it’s not officially in the category, 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 marquee tournaments. A hefty purse tends to bring out the sport’s biggest names and 43 of the world’s top 50 players will compete for the record $4.5 million first-place bounty as the Tour continues its swing through Florida. The top three in the OWGR sit atop the odds board with No. 1 Jon Rahm and No. 3 Rory McIlroy listed as co-favorites. We will have a new champion with last year’s winner Cameron Smith not able to defend after joining LIV Golf. Visit BookMaker.eu for a complete list of betting odds when you’re ready to place a wager.
Odds to Win THE PLAYERS Championship
Jon Rahm +1000
Rory McIlroy +1000
Scottie Scheffler +1100
Patrick Cantlay +1800
Justin Thomas +2000
Max Homa +2200
Collin Morikawa +2500
Viktor Hovland +2800
Xander Schauffele +2800
Jason Day +3000
Tony Finau +3000
Jordan Spieth +3300
Tyrrell Hatton +3500
Will Zalatoris +3500
Cameron Young +4000
Matthew Fitzpatrick +4000
Sungjae Im +4000
Tom Kim +4000
Keegan Bradley +5000
Shane Lowry +5000
Keith Mitchell +5500
Rickie Fowler +6000
Corey Conners +6500
Si Woo Kim +6500
Sahith Theegala +8000
Harris English +9000
Hideki Matsuyama +9000
Tommy Fleetwood +9000
Kurt Kitayama +10000
Russell Henley +10000
Sam Burns +10000
Seamus Power +10000
Odds Analysis
Keegan Bradley +5000
It’s not a stretch to go further down the odds board after watching Kurt Kitayama outduel everyone as a huge underdog to win the API last week. Kitayama is back, but the likelihood of another 150/1 longshot winning doesn’t always happen. There are value picks and Bradley is one that stood out to me. TPC Sawgrass has rewarded the veteran over the years with six straight made cuts and two top-10s, including a T5 last year. Better work with the flat stick has led to a strong season that’s seen Bradley win the ZOZO with three additional top-10s in nine starts.
Jason Day +3000
Last year’s winner Cam Smith was in this price range last season and the way Day is playing it seems like only a matter of time before he returns to the winner’s circle. Four of his top-10s this season have come in his last four starts and he’s finished no worse than 21st with one MC in his last 10 starts. He has a history on this track as well with a win in 2016 and two top-10s since. There is value in a hot golfer.
Rickie Fowler +6000
Fowler hasn’t quite returned to the form he flashed during his not long ago glory days, but it seems like he’s getting close. He made some changes before the season and the results have improved, but one poor round or stretch of holes in a tournament has prevented him from reaching the top. One thing is certain and that’s Fowler playing with more confidence than we’ve seen in past season’s going 8 of 9 with three top-10s. And that will be a factor since like Day, Fowler is a former winner here with plenty of demons to exorcise.
Tyrrell Hatton +3500
Hatton is getting settled in his role as a PGA Tour regular with a pair of top-10s in his last three starts. And he’s been consistent all season scoring par or better in all 20 rounds over his five starts. His ball-striking and approach game are well suited for TPC Sawgrass leading to a T13 last year. We also saw him snare a runner-up and T7 in two of his previous three starts on the DP World Tour.
Justin Thomas +2000
This is as far up the odds board as I’m going and Johnson looks like a good pick with his recent form and course knowledge. He’s finished among the top-25 in each of his last five starts with a best of T4 in Phoenix. He had a tough time in the conditions last week with a closing 74 dropping him to a share of 21st, but overall the game is strong and JT’s win here in 2021 showed his ability to navigate the course.
Course: TPC Sawgrass – 7,275 yards, Par 72
Tournament host since 1982, the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass isn’t long at 7,275 yards, but with an abundance of water hazards and strategically-placed bunkers nestled throughout the property, big numbers are hiding around every corner. Long considered one of the more demanding courses on Tour, 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. Most players take a conservative approach given the obstacles, and that’s the smart thing to do. Par 5s at No. 2 and No. 16 offer 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.
TV Coverage: Golf Channel, NBC
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