The world’s richest golf tournament, The PLAYERS Championship, will tee off from TPC Sawgrass on Friday (AEDT) with 48 of the world’s Top 50 golfers in attendance.
The $20 million prize fund has attracted the likes of current favourite Jon Rahm, last week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational winner Scottie Scheffler, as well as defending champion Justin Thomas – who is hoping to become the first back-to-back winner in the tournament’s history.
Adam Scott remains the only Australian to have won this event back in 2013, but there are a host of Aussies in contention this week, including Cameron Smith, Scott, Marc Leishman, and last week’s latecomer, Lucas Herbert.
This will also be the first PLAYERS Championship since 1994 without Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, the two combining to win this tournament eight times between them.
Even if you’re a casual golf fan, the PLAYERS Championship is always a must-watch event, so be sure to find out who we’re tipping in our preview below.
The PLAYERS Championship Best Bet
Colin Morikawa @ $15.00
Just an all-round beast when it comes to consistency. Hasn’t landed outside the Top 10 in his last five tournaments, with his worst day at Riviera two weeks ago being a third-round 68. Ranks No. 1 on TOUR in Ball Striking and fourth in Strokes Gained: Approach the Green, two key statistics at TPC Sawgrass. Finished just outside the Top 40 last year but is impossible to fault.
The PLAYERS Championship Best Value
Xander Schauffele @ $26.00
Continues to flirt with a win and has enjoyed a week off since finishing T13 at Riviera two weeks ago. Finished in a tie for second behind Webb Simpson at this event in 2018 and is among the Top 20 best ball strikers on Tour. Has found close to 72% of greens in regulation (good for 25th) and has shown some real improvement with the putter recently. Has to win one of these big tournaments eventually, right?
Hideki Matsuyama @ $29.00
Has always been one of the most consistent balls strikers for a number of years. Owns a pair of Top 10 finishes at this event and has also finished Top 25 in five of his seven appearances. Won the Sony Open in Hawaii – his first victory since last year’s win at Augusta – and has been thereabouts in four tournaments since.
The PLAYERS Championship Best Roughie
Russell Henley @ $67.00
Massive odds for a guy that ranks Top 10 in Ball Striking and Strokes Gained: Approach the Green. More recently finished outright second at the Sony Open in Hawaii, T14 at The American Express, and T13 last week at Arnie’s Place, and hasn’t missed a cut since last year’s Open Championship. Has struggled at this course in the past but also finished inside the Top 25 in back-to-back years during 2017/18.
Corey Conners @ $67.00
Similar reasons to the ones above. The Canadian ranks towards the top of the leaderboard in all the statistics that matter, while he also stormed home with a final round 66 to finish in a tie for seventh at this tournament last year. Needs to tidy up the putting, but has also been one of the most accurate guys with the driver so far this season.
