The Players Championship Preview and Picks

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🏌️‍♂️ This Week’s Field: The Best of the Best Converge on TPC Sawgrass

The Players Championship boasts another star-studded field this year, featuring 84 of the top 100 players in the Official World Golf Ranking and 48 of the top 50. This includes world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, who is chasing a historic three-peat after victories in 2023 and 2024, alongside elite contenders like Rory McIlroy, Xander Schauffele, Collin Morikawa, and Ludvig Åberg.

Some of golf’s biggest names remain absent due to their ties to LIV Golf, including Tyrrell Hatton, Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm, and Joaquin Niemann. However, the depth of this week’s field more than compensates for their absence. 69 of the top 70 players in the 2025 FedExCup standings will tee it up at TPC Sawgrass, with Lee Hodges as the lone exception.

The field features eight past champions, led by Scheffler and Justin Thomas (2021), Rory McIlroy (2019), Jason Day (2016), and Adam Scott (2004). Meanwhile, 25 players will be making their Players Championship debut, including promising names like Rasmus Hojgaard, Max Greyserman, and Karl Vilips.

📊 Data-Driven Insights for Fantasy & Betting

For fantasy golf players and bettors, performance history is key. Our GolfStats database provides in-depth insights - the Internet’s most complete and detailed golf analysis

• Our Performance Chart ranks players by their average finish of all players at The Players Championship, helping you identify those who consistently contend.

• Our GolfStats Custom Formula highlights the best performers at this event over the last five years, factoring in course history and key stats.

• Our Sortable 8-Year Glance lets you track trends, breakout performances, and potential sleepers at TPC Sawgrass.

These tools are invaluable whether you’re betting, setting a DFS lineup, or simply looking for an edge in your fantasy league. Check out the full blog post for in-depth DK fantasy advice too.

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⛳️ What a Difference a Year Makes

Time flies in the world of professional golf. Just four years ago, the sport was navigating its way out of the COVID-19 era, and Bryson DeChambeau, Dustin Johnson, and Phil Mickelson were among the biggest names on the PGA Tour. Meanwhile, Scottie Scheffler was a promising young player, but few could have imagined he would rise to become the dominant force in the game.

Fast forward to today, and Scheffler is the clear No. 1, while DeChambeau, Johnson, and Mickelson are playing LIV Golf, a league that keeps them out of events like The Players Championship. The financial landscape has also changed dramatically—the first-place prize at The Players Championship is now $4.5 million, an eye-popping figure when you consider that the entire purse was $4 million in 1998.

Last year, Scheffler was on the verge of a historic season. He followed up his Arnold Palmer Invitational win with a dominant Players Championship victory, a run that led to nine wins in 21 starts, including The Masters, the Olympics, and the FedExCup title. Incredibly, he finished outside the top 10 just three times all season. His earnings? A staggering $62 million when including bonus money.

Can Scheffler Win Again?

This season, however, has started slowly for the world No. 1. A hand injury kept him out early, and while he has three top-11 finishes, he’s earned just $2.25 million so far—well behind his 2024 pace. The issue? Putting. Scheffler remains the best ball-striker on Tour, but his struggles on the greens have been noticeable.

Still, history shows that he doesn’t need to be great with the putter to win at TPC Sawgrass. In 2023, he ranked 48th in Strokes Gained Putting but still won. Last year, when his putting improved slightly, he ranked 37th in Strokes Gained Putting and T-23rd in putting inside 10 feet. If he finds a spark on the greens this week, he’s more than capable of defending his title.

Picking a Winner at TPC Sawgrass is No Easy Task

Unlike some venues where history can help identify strong contenders, Sawgrass has never produced a true “Horse for the Course.” Over 42 years at TPC Sawgrass, only six players have won The Players Championship twice—Tiger Woods, Fred Couples, Davis Love III, Hal Sutton, Steve Elkington, and Scottie Scheffler. Before Scheffler went back-to-back last year, no player had ever successfully defended their title.

Even the game’s best have struggled at Sawgrass. Tiger Woods won twice in 19 starts but only had five total top-10s. Jack Nicklaus never finished better than T-17th in 10 appearances. Many past winners—Rory McIlroy, Jason Day, and Justin Thomas—have followed up their victories with missed cuts or disappointing finishes.

Who’s Hot Right Now?

This year, the hottest player on Tour isn’t Scottie Scheffler—it’s Michael Kim. After missing cuts at the Sony Open and Farmers Insurance Open, he’s been on fire, finishing T-2 at Phoenix, T-6 at Cognizant, and 4th at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

Other players to watch:

• Russell Henley – Winner at Bay Hill and one of the most consistent players this season.

• Sepp Straka – Leads the FedExCup standings and has two top-5 finishes in his last three starts.

• Justin Thomas – Runner-up at the American Express and a top-10 machine on the West Coast Swing.

Meanwhile, some big names are cold entering this week: Viktor Hovland, Rickie Fowler, Cameron Young, Will Zalatoris, and Max Homa have all been struggling to find form.

A New Era of Golf Betting and Fantasy Picks

With huge prize money and a deep field, The Players Championship is one of the most difficult events to predict. Unlike Augusta, where certain players seem to shine year after year, Sawgrass remains unpredictable—a place where stars win, but also where unheralded players like Craig Perks, Si Woo Kim, and Stephen Ames have triumphed.

The 2025 season is in full swing, and The Players is a critical checkpoint. But in today’s PGA Tour, it’s just one of many elite events. With four majors, four more signature events, and the FedExCup Playoffs still ahead, the best in the world know that this is just the beginning.

🏆️ Everything You Need to Know About The Players Championship

This week marks the 51st edition of The Players Championship, the crown jewel of the PGA Tour. Played at TPC Sawgrass since 1982, The Players is widely regarded as the most prestigious non-major in golf. While only the four majors rank higher in significance, The Players is often referred to as golf’s unofficial fifth major, and for good reason.

Over the years, The Players has consistently drawn one of the strongest fields in professional golf, often rivaling the PGA Championship. However, LIV Golf’s emergence has changed the landscape, making the majors the only events where all of the world’s best players now compete together.

The move back to March—now in its sixth consecutive year—continues to shape the tournament's identity. With recent heavy rainfall, tournament officials will face a challenge in getting the course to play firm and fast. Additionally, the rough is longer than ever, which could lead to higher scores, especially if the wind picks up. With TPC Sawgrass located just a mile from the ocean, weather conditions can quickly turn this into a brutal test of precision. Expect higher scores over the weekend if the wind forecast holds.

Does Experience Matter at Sawgrass?

Unlike Augusta National, where course knowledge is often a predictor of success, The Players Championship has produced a wide variety of winners, from superstars to surprising champions. In fact, 20 different players in their 20s have won since the event moved to TPC Sawgrass, a list that includes recent champions like Scottie Scheffler (2023 & 2024), Cameron Smith (2022), Justin Thomas (2021), Rory McIlroy (2019), and Si Woo Kim (2017).

That said, TPC Sawgrass is a course that has seen shock winners as well—Craig Perks, Fred Funk, Tim Clark, and Henrik Stenson all lifted the trophy despite entering the week with little expectation.

Course Breakdown: TPC Sawgrass

• Location: Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida

• Length: 7,352 yards, Par 72

• Greens: TifEagle Bermuda (with poa)

• Fairways & Rough: Celebration Bermudagrass & 419 Bermudagrass

• Bunkers: 92

• Water Hazards: In play on 11 holes

Sawgrass is a shotmaker’s course, favoring precision over raw power. The small greens (5,500 sq. ft. on average) make approach play and scrambling essential, while water hazards lurking throughout the course mean errant shots are heavily punished.

Despite its beauty, TPC Sawgrass remains one of the toughest tests on Tour, particularly when conditions are firm and fast. Last year, it played as the 13th hardest course on Tour, with an average score of 72.45 (+0.45 over par). However, it has played much harder in the past, ranking among the top 5 toughest PGA Tour courses on multiple occasions.

📊 Key Stats for Success at TPC Sawgrass

TPC Sawgrass is a challenging test for golfers, and mastering the course requires more than just raw power. The following four stats are critical for success at The Players Championship based on last year’s data and the current 2025 field:

1. Strokes Gained Tee-to-Green

• Hitting it long and straight is crucial. The combination of driving distance, accuracy, and greens hit is vital for success at Sawgrass.

• Scottie Scheffler was a prime example in 2023, ranking 1st in Strokes Gained Tee-to-Green, 5th in driving distance, and 1st in greens hit.

2. Proximity to Hole

• Hitting greens is important, but getting closer to the hole matters even more. Last year, TPC Sawgrass ranked 16th in greens hit, but the Proximity to the hole stat reveals how well players are placing their shots.

• Scheffler finished T-3rd in Proximity to Hole, averaging 36 feet from the hole, which helped him secure the win.

3. Scrambling

• Scrambling is key, as missing greens at Sawgrass is almost inevitable. The ability to get up and down from difficult spots is essential.

• Scheffler ranked 8th in scrambling, successfully recovering from 13 of the 17 greens he missed last year.

4. Strokes Gained Putting

• Even with small greens, putting remains a critical skill at TPC Sawgrass. The greens average 5,500 square feet, meaning players must capitalize on their opportunities.

• Scheffler, despite ranking 37th in Strokes Gained Putting in 2023, was able to avoid three-putts (T-1st in 3-putt avoidance) and make key putts, including 61 of 67 inside ten feet.

Who to watch for at the The Players Championship

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