The PGA Tour heads to Florida this week for what many consider the unofficial “fifth major” as the world’s best players take on TPC Sawgrass for The Players Championship. With one of the strongest fields of the season and one of the most demanding layouts on the schedule, this tournament consistently produces dramatic finishes and unpredictable leaderboards.
Below we break down the course and highlight a few selections from a betting perspective.
The Course
TPC Sawgrass sits just a mile from the Atlantic Ocean in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, and the Pete Dye-designed Stadium Course is widely regarded as one of the most strategic layouts on the PGA Tour.
The par-72 course measures 7,245 yards, but length is rarely the deciding factor here. Instead, Sawgrass places a premium on precision, course management and nerve.
Fairways are relatively narrow and heavily protected by strategically placed bunkers, while the greens are slightly smaller than the PGA Tour average and can be difficult to hold when the wind picks up. Water hazards are a constant threat, coming into play on 16 of the 18 holes, forcing players to commit fully to their shot selections.
Approach play is particularly important at Sawgrass. Players must repeatedly hit precise irons into well-protected greens, and missing in the wrong areas often leads to difficult recovery shots.
The closing stretch is among the most famous in golf, highlighted by the iconic par-3 17th island green, one of the most nerve-wracking shots on the entire PGA Tour schedule.
Since the tournament moved permanently to March, the course has tended to favour players who combine strong tee-to-green play with excellent iron control, although longer hitters have increasingly been able to take advantage of certain scoring opportunities.
Winning scores typically range between -12 and -20, depending largely on weather conditions.
Betting (The Players Championship) - Click here to bet
Scottie Scheffler 5.50
Rory McIlroy 17.00
Collin Morikawa 19.00
Si Woo Kim 23.00
Ludvig Aberg 23.00
Tommy Fleetwood 29.00
Russell Henley 29.00
Previous winners
2025 Rory McIlory (Northen Ireland) -12 Playoff
2024 Scottie Scheffler (United States) -20 1 stroke
2023 Scottie Scheffler (United States) -17 5 strokes
2022 Cameron Smith (Australia) -13 1 stroke
2021 Justin Thomas (United States) -14 1 stroke
(Prices correct at the time of writing but subject to change)
While the course has thrown up some surprise winners over the years the last 3 years have gone to Scheffler and McIlroy. It is the sort of course though where I prefer to take on the short priced runners at the top of the boards.
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Selections:
Collin Morikawa at 19.00
Morikawa arrives this week in excellent form. In his last three starts he has recorded three top-10 finishes, including a win at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, seventh place at the Genesis Invitational, and fifth place at last week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational.
Few players strike their irons as consistently as Morikawa, and that precision should prove extremely valuable at TPC Sawgrass where approach play is critical. He also finished 10th here last year, showing he is comfortable with the layout.
Suggested bet: Collin Morikawa each way at 19.00
Akshay Bhatia at 41.00
Bhatia comes into the week with plenty of momentum after producing a superb finish to win last week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational.
Starting the back nine five shots behind the lead, he played a brilliant closing stretch to force a playoff before holding his nerve to secure the victory. Prior to that win he had already shown strong form with two top-10 finishes in his previous three starts.
Confidence is a huge factor in golf and if Bhatia carries that momentum into Sawgrass he could easily contend again having finished 3rd last year in only his 2nd start here.
Suggested bet: Akshay Bhatia each way at 41.00
Jacob Bridgeman at 56.00
Bridgeman has quietly been one of the most consistent performers on the PGA Tour this season.
He has played six events so far and finished inside the top 20 in every single one, highlighted by his victory at the Genesis Invitational where he edged Rory McIlroy by a shot. During that stretch he has also recorded a top-5, top-10 and top-15 finish.
Given that level of consistency, another strong performance looks very likely.
Suggested bet: Jacob Bridgeman top 20 finish at 3.25 and smaller stakes each way at 56.00
Justin Thomas at 151.00
Thomas represents value at this price for a player with proven pedigree at TPC Sawgrass.
He won the tournament in 2021 and his aggressive iron play makes him extremely dangerous on courses where approach shots are key. When Thomas finds rhythm with his irons he is capable of going very low, and his creativity around the greens is another major asset on a layout that demands strong scrambling.
At odds of 151.00, he looks a very interesting outsider capable of making a serious run at the title if he can find his form following a layoff and a missed cut last week.
Suggested Bet: Justin Thomas each way at 151.00
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