2023 Players Championship: Who to Watch at TPC Sawgrass
This week marks the start of the 2023 Players Championship, one of the most prestigious events on the PGA Tour.[0] Held at the iconic TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Verda Beach, Florida, the 7,245-yard par-72 course is a Pete Dye design that requires patience and precision. With 43 of the top 50 golfers in the field, the competition will be fierce.[1]
Leading the pack is Rory McIlroy (+850), who is coming off a victory at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.[2] He’s joined by Jon Rahm ($11,800) and Scottie Scheffler (+1000), who have both had impressive starts to the season. Justin Thomas ($11,600), the 2021 champion, will be paired with Jordan Spieth and Max Homa, who's already recorded two wins this season.[2]
Other golfers to watch include Collin Morikawa (+25-1), Tony Finau (+3400), Scottie Scheffler (+1000), Xander Schauffele (+2200), Patrick Cantlay (+14000), Si Woo Kim (+66-1), Tyrrell Hatton (+3400), Will Zalatoris (+3200), Rickie Fowler (+14000), Jason Day (+3500), Tommy Fleetwood (+120=Top-South American), Sungjae Im (+3700), Cameron Young (+3500), Sam Burns (+3400), Kurt Kitayama (+9000), Hideki Matsuyama (+8500), Russell Henley (+15000), Taylor Montgomery (+18000), Nate Lashley (+250=Top-40), Sahith Theegala (+7000), Jhonattan Vegas (+25000), Adam Scott (+10000), Tom Hoge (+10000), Sepp Straka (+15000), and Adam Hadwin (+15000).[3]
Stats to pay attention to include strokes gained approach, good drives gained, strokes gained off the tee, and strokes gained on par-5s.
For really high-end targets, look no further than Jon Rahm ($11,400), who ranks sixth in strokes gained total stats at TPC Sawgrass over the past five seasons. Keegan Bradley ($7,500) also has a lot of experience at the course, having made 12 starts, with two top-10 finishes across his past four starts.[4]
0. “2023 Players Championship: Jon Rahm's dominance, Justin Thomas' struggles lead 10 storylines at TPC Sawgrass” CBS Sports, 6 Mar. 2023, https://www.cbssports.com/golf/news/2023-players-championship-jon-rahms-dominance-justin-thomas-struggles-lead-10-storylines-at-tpc-sawgrass
1. “2023 Players Championship predictions, odds, Fantasy golf power rankings: PGA Tour picks and best bets from top …” SportsLine, 7 Mar. 2023, https://www.sportsline.com/insiders/2023-players-championship-predictions-odds-fantasy-golf-power-rankings-pga-tour-picks-and-best-bets-from-top-golf-expert/
2. “2023 Players Championship odds, picks, field: Surprising PGA predictions from golf model that nailed 8 majors” CBS Sports, 8 Mar. 2023, https://www.cbssports.com/golf/news/2023-players-championship-odds-picks-field-surprising-pga-predictions-from-golf-model-that-nailed-8-majors/
3. “2023 Players Championship 9 Outsiders to Follow” Golfshake, 7 Mar. 2023, https://www.golfshake.com/news/view/18748/2023_Players_Championship_9_Outsiders_to_Follow.html
4. “PGA DFS: Top Cash Game Picks for THE PLAYERS Championship” Fantasy Labs, 8 Mar. 2023, https://www.fantasylabs.com/articles/pga-dfs-top-cash-game-picks-for-the-players-championship
