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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Riley Hamel

2023 Players Championship: Odds, course history and picks to win at TPC Sawgrass

For the fourth designated event in five weeks, the PGA Tour is in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, for the Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass.

Often dubbed “the fifth major,” the Players boasts one of the best fields of the year. Tiger Woods, who made his first start of the season at the Genesis Invitational, decided to sit this one out as he continues to recover. His next event will more than likely be the Masters in April.

A mega-group of Jon Rahm, Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy, the top three players in the Official World Golf Ranking, will tee off at 7:56 a.m. ET Thursday.

Golf course

TPC Sawgrass | Par 72 | 7,256 yards | Pete Dye design

Course comparisons (from Data Golf): 1. Sedgefield Country Club, 2. TPC Twin Cities, 3. Innisbrook Resort (Copperhead)

The 17th green at the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. (Photo: by David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire via AP Images)

Course history

Betting preview

Odds

Player Odds Player Odds
Rory McIlroy (+900) Jason Day (+2900)
Jon Rahm (+1100) Matt Fitzpatrick (+3500)
Scottie Scheffler (+1100) Sungjae Im (+3500)
Patrick Cantlay (+1800) Tyrrell Hatton (+3500)
Justin Thomas (+2000) Will Zalatoris (+3500)
Max Homa (+2100) Cameron Young (+4000)
Collin Morikawa (+2500) Tom Kim (+4000)
Tony Finau (+2800) Jordan Spieth (+4100)
Viktor Hovland (+2800) Keegan Bradley (+5000)
Xander Schauffele (+2800) Keith Mitchell (+5500)

Max Homa (+2100)

Max Homa hits his drive on the 18th hole during the second round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports

Max Homa is a six-time winner on the PGA Tour, but it’s time for him to add a next-level championship to his resume.

Homa missed the cut at Sawgrass in 2021 but finished 13th last season.

The Cal product is coming off a solid week at Bay Hill (T-14) and has performed well in the designated events so far this season: T-3 (Sentry Tournament of Champions), T-39 (WM Phoenix Open), 2 (Genesis Invitational) and T-14 (Arnold Palmer Invitational).

Viktor Hovland (+2800)

Viktor Hovland stands on the 10th hole during the second round of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am golf tournament at Monterey Peninsula Country Club – Shore Course. Mandatory Credit: Ray Acevedo-USA TODAY Sports

Viktor Hovland tied for 20th (Genesis) and 10th (API) in the last two designated events. The Norwegian is still looking for his first big win on the PGA Tour.

After missing the cut at the 2021 Players, Hovland tied for ninth last season.

Jason Day (+2900)

Jason Day watches his drive on the first hole during the final round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational golf tournament. (Photo: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports)

I can’t stop and won’t stop betting on Jason Day.

He hasn’t cashed an outright ticket for me yet, but he has been as reliable as it gets when it come to top 10s and top 20s.

Day’s results in 2023: T-18 (American Express), T-7 (Farmers), 5th (WMPO), T-9 (Genesis), and T-10 (API).

Over the last few years, the Aussie hasn’t had great success at TPC Sawgrass, missing the cut in ’22 and finishing 35th in ’21. However, Day totaled three top-eight finishes in a four-year stretch from 2016-19, including a win in ’16.

Shane Lowry (+5500)

Shane Lowry plays a shot from a bunker on the eighth hole during the third round of the Honda Classic golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

It’s been a mixed bag for Shane Lowry on the PGA Tour in 2023.

After missing the cut at the WM Phoenix Open, Lowry tied for 14th at the Genesis Invitational and fifth at the Honda Classic. The Irishman finished 67th at last week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational, however, he shot par or better in three of the four rounds (posted an 80 on Saturday).

Lowry has found his groove at Sawgrass over the last two seasons finishing eighth in ’21 and 13th in ’22.

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