Scottie Scheffler tees off on the 18th hole during the final round of the 2024 Players Championship.
Keyur Khamar/PGA TOUR via Getty Images
The biggest tournament of the year (so far) begins on Thursday at TPC Sawgrass’ Stadium Course. The famed Pete Dye design has hosted the Players Championship since 1982, and its iconic island-green par-3 17th has long been one of the most well-known holes in the sport.
The 17th is also a part of an iconic watery finishing stretch that produces great drama for the PGA Tour’s marquee event of the season
This week, there’s lots of star power (and lots of cash up for grabs) at Sawgrass, as 48 of the top 50 players in the world are in the field. (No, Tiger Woods is not.)
This year’s event boasts a purse of $25 million with $4.5 million going to the winner. Scottie Scheffler is hoping for a three-peat, having won in both 2023 and 2024. His win two years ago was by a whopping five shots, and it’s the only Players in the last five years not decided by a stroke.
Who are our staffers picking to win the Players Championship? We asked some of them. Scroll below for their picks, and click here for their sleepers to watch.
Scottie Scheffler (+500)Rory McIlroy (+1100)Collin Morikawa (+1400)Ludvig Aberg (+1800)Justin Thomas (+2500)Tommy Fleetwood (+2500)Hideki Matsuyama (+2800)Russell Henley (+2800)Xander Schauffele (+2800)
Patrick Cantlay (+3300)
Jack Hirsh, associate equipment editor: Collin Morikawa, +1400. I wrote Scottie Scheffler’s name like six times here, but I just can’t fathom someone winning three years in a row at TPC Sawgrass. Morikawa is hitting the ball as well as he ever has, which says something giving his prolific ball striking. I don’t expect a hangover from Bay Hill’s loss.
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Jessica Marksbury, senior editor: Shane Lowry, +4000. He’s never finished better than 8th in 10 appearances at TPC Sawgrass, but I think this is the year Lowry contends. Florida golf suits him, and he’s played well for the last two weeks, finishing T11 at the Cognizant and 7th at Bay Hill. He’s a favorite but not the favorite, so he should be able to play with some freedom.
Josh Sens, senior writer: Sepp Straka, +3300. Always a great ballstriker, he finished T16 last year. This year, he comes into Sawgrass with a much-improved putting game. That bodes well for a guy who seems to be in the mix almost every time he pegs it.
James Colgan, news and features editor: Ludvig Aberg, +1800. The smart money is betting on Scottie Scheffler this week, but I’m not smart, so I’m rolling with Aberg — an uber-talented player fresh off the biggest win of his young career. The Players is a springboard into major championship glory, and this is Aberg’s year to do it.
Claire Rogers, director of social: Scottie Scheffler, +500. You know who couldn’t get the three-peat this year? The Kansas City Chiefs. You know who can? Scottie Scheffler at TPC Sawgrass. I think the World No. 1 gets it done (again). His last win was at the Hero World Challenge, which is about two years in Scottie Scheffler time. In other words, he’s due for a win this week.
Zephyr Melton, assistant editor: Scottie Scheffler, +500. I’m not going to overthink this one. Scottie may not have a win on his card this season, but he’s still the best player on the planet. Sawgrass fits his game well, and as long as he brings even his B- game, he’ll be on the first page of the leaderboard come Sunday.
Nick Piastowski, senior editor: Justin Thomas, +2500. The three-year winless stretch ends here. Sawgrass demands shot-shaping, and when he’s right, JT is one of the best to do it.
Josh Berhow, managing editor: Scottie Scheffler, +500. I didn’t want to pick him, I really didn’t, but it’s hard to ignore the guy who has won the last two who also happens to be the best player in the world and it’s not even close. He hasn’t even had his best stuff this year and has three top-11 finishes in four starts. He also has rarely crumbled under the pressure like others have. And the pressure, like always at Swagrass, will be emcee.
Dylan Dethier, senior writer: Daniel Berger, +5500. You guys are lame with your 5-to-1 favorite. Gimme Berger, who is red-hot and ready to make a splash on the PGA Tour’s biggest stage. Berger is very literally doing everything well right now, and he’ll be able to keep it in play in tough conditions; count on him to be there at the end.
