Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm and Scottie Scheffler tee it up at the The Players Championship on Thursday looking to add more context to the ongoing conversation surrounding who is the best player in the world.
The trio have all shared time at the top of the official world golf rankings in recent weeks and the prestigious event at TPC Sawgrass could settle the debate for the time being ahead of major season.
McIlroy is thrilled by the PGA Tour adapting its format thanks to LIV’s emergence, with the elevated events delivering greater competition among the world’s best and increased earning potential.
Cameron Smith could have been part of the conversation with his win at the Open part of a sensational 2022, but the Australian’s move to Saudi-backed LIV likely removes him from the debate until Augusta at least. Smith, a resident nearby in Jupiter, could well make an appearance as a fan this week though.
There is not just ranking points and bragging rights at stake though, with a record prize pool on offer from the PGA Tour.
Players Championship 2023 prize money
Win: $4,500,000
2: $2,725,000
3: $1,725,000
4: $1,225,000
5: $1,025,000
6: $906,250
7: $843,750
8: $781,250
9: $731,250
10: $681,250
11: $631,250
12: $581,250
13: $531,250
14: $481,250
15: $456,250
16: $431,250
17: $406,250
18: $381,250
19: $356,250
20: $331,250
21: $306,250
22: $281,250
23: $261,250
24: $241,250
25: $221,250
26: $201,250
27: $193,750
28: $186,250
29: $178,750
30: $171,250
31: $163,750
32: $156,250
33: $148,750
34: $142,500
35: $136,250
36: $130,000
37: $123,750
38: $118,750
39: $113,750
40: $108,750
41: $103,750
42: $98,750
43: $93,750
44: $88,750
45: $83,750
46: $78,750
47: $73,750
48: $69,750
49: $66,250
50: $64,250
51: $62,750
52: $61,250
53: $60,250
54: $59,250
55: $58,750
56: $58,250
57: $57,750
58: $57,250
59: $56,750
60: $56,250
61: $55,750
62: $55,250
63: $54,750
64: $54,250
65: $53,750
When is the 2023 Players Championship?
The 2023 Players Championship will be held from Thursday 9 March to Sunday 12 March at TPC Sawgrass in Jacksonville, Florida.
The opening groups for the first two rounds tee off from 6.50am ET (11.50am GMT), with the final groups underway at 1.51pm ET (6.51pm GMT).
How can I watch it?
Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch all of the action on Sky Sports Golf, with coverage due to begin at 11.30am GMT for the opening two rounds and 2pm GMT over the weekend. Subscribers can stream the event via the Sky Go app or player.
What are the odds?
Rory McIlroy 9/1
Jon Rahm 10//1
Scottie Scheffler 10/1
Patrick Cantlay 14/1
Justin Thomas 18/1
Max Homa 20/1
Xander Schauffele 22/1
Collin Morikawa 22/1
Viktor Hovland 25/1
Jason Day 28/1
Tony Finau 28/1
Will Zalatoris 30/1
Tyrell Hatton 30/1
Cameron Young 28/1
Sung-Jae Im 28/1
Tom Kim 30/1
Jordan Spieth 33/1
Keegan Bradley 33/1
Shane Lowry 33/1
Keith Mitchell 35/1
Corey Conners 40/1
Rickie Fowler 40/1
Sahith Theegala 50/1
Tommy Fleetwood 50/1
Chris Kirk 55/1
Sam Burns 55/1
Si Woo Kim 55/1
Harris English 60/1
Hideki Matsuyama 60/1
Kurt Kitayama 60/1
Adam Scott 66/1
Justin Rose 66/1
Seamus Power 66/1
Tips and prediction
Jordan Spieth appears close, but there are still some wrinkles in his game he must iron out and TPC has never been especially kind to him with five cuts a T48 and T41 in his last seven appearances, although he finished T4 on debut in 2014.
An outsider has as big a chance as the stars based on history, given Smith was as long as 40/1 last year, while Webb Simpson (2018), Si Woo Kim (2017) and even Rickie Fowler (2015) triumphed with big prices.
While a repeat winner is rare, with Tiger Woods (2013) the only player to win multiple times since 2013. So if we ignore the big hitters at the top of the list of odds, we like Jason Day, given his return to form and big win here in 2016, not to mention T6 in 2011, T5 in 2018 and T8 in 2019. Look at his PGA Tour form, too: T7, 5, T9, T10. A breakthrough is coming it seems.
FIRST ROUND TEE TIMES
1st tee
6:50 a.m ET (11.50am GMT) -- Robby Shelton, Austin Smotherman, Min Woo Lee
7:01 a.m. (12.01pm) -- Kevin Streelman, Denny McCarthy, Matthew NeSmith
7:12 a.m. (12.12pm) -- Byeong Hun An, Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Doug Ghim
7:23 a.m. (12.23pm) -- Michael Thompson, Brendon Todd, Keith Mitchell
7:34 a.m. (12.34pm) -- Kevin Kisner, Nick Taylor, Corey Conners
7:45 a.m. (12.45pm) -- Trey Mullinax, Cam Davis, Tyler Duncan
7:56 a.m. (12.56pm) -- Adam Svensson, Joel Dahmen, Robert Streb
8:07 a.m. (1.07pm) -- J.J. Spaun, Chad Ramey, Luke List
8:18 a.m. (1.18pm) -- Russell Henley, Mackenzie Hughes, Brian Harman
8:29 a.m. (1.29pm) -- Emiliano Grillo, Mark Hubbard, Matt Wallace
8:40 a.m. (1.40pm) -- Nate Lashley, Troy Merritt, Kelly Kraft
8:51 a.m. (1.51pm) -- Aaron Baddeley, David Lingmerth, Ben Martin
11:50 a.m. (4.50pm) -- Kevin Tway, Russell Knox, Chesson Hadley
12:01 p.m. (5.01pm) -- Andrew Putnam, Maverick McNealy, Doc Redman
12:12 p.m. (5.12pm) -- Beau Hossler, Adam Schenk, Stephan Jaeger
12:23 p.m. (5.23pm) -- Lucas Herbert, Aaron Wise, Jason Day
12:34 p.m. (5.34pm) -- Matt Fitzpatrick, Viktor Hovland, Shane Lowry
12:45 p.m. (5.45pm) -- Kurt Kitayama, Will Zalatoris, Xander Schauffele
12:56 p.m. (5.56pm) -- Max Homa, Justin Thomas, Jordan Spieth
1:07 p.m. (6.07pm) -- Sam Burns, Cameron Young, Sahith Theegala
1:18 p.m. (6.18pm) -- Chris Kirk, Seamus Power, Keegan Bradley
1:29 p.m. (6.29pm) -- Sam Ryder, Davis Riley, Taylor Moore
1:40 p.m. (6.40pm) -- Alex Noren, Thomas Detry, Max McGreevy
1:51 p.m. (6.51pm) -- Joseph Bramlett, Justin Suh, Andrew Novak
10th tee
6:50 a.m. (11.50am) -- Danny Willett, Brandon Wu, Davis Thompson
7:01 a.m. (12.01pm) -- Adam Long, Hayden Buckley, Taylor Montgomery
7:12 a.m. (12.12pm) -- Tommy Fleetwood, Taylor Pendrith, Callum Tarren
7:23 a.m. (12.23pm) -- Si Woo Kim, Webb Simpson, Tyrrell Hatton
7:34 a.m. (12.34pm) -- Tony Finau, Tom Kim, Patrick Cantlay
7:45 a.m. (12.45pm) -- Collin Morikawa, Adam Scott, Rickie Fowler
7:56 a.m. (12.56pm) -- Jon Rahm, Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy
8:07 a.m. (1.07pm) -- Justin Rose, Billy Horschel, Hideki Matsuyama
8:18 a.m. (1.18pm) -- Nico Echavarria, Sungjae Im, Harris English
8:29 a.m. (1.29pm) -- Jhonattan Vegas, Peter Malnati, Ryan Fox
8:40 a.m. (1.40pm) -- Adam Hadwin, Patrick Rodgers, Greyson Sigg
8:51 a.m. (1.51pm) -- Nick Hardy, Eric Cole, Harrison Endycott
11:50 a.m. (4.50pm) -- David Lipsky, S.H. Kim, Tyson Alexander
12:01 p.m. (5.01pm) -- Kramer Hickok, Lee Hodges, Will Gordon
12:12 p.m. (5.12pm) -- Ben Griffin, Matthias Schwab, Justin Lower
12:23 p.m. (5.23pm) -- Sepp Straka, Garrick Higgo, Stewart Cink
12:34 p.m. (5.34pm) -- Chez Reavie, Tom Hoge, Francesco Molinari
12:45 p.m. (5.45pm) -- J.T. Poston, Lucas Glover, Matt Kuchar
12:56 p.m. (5.56pm) -- K.H. Lee, Martin Laird, Gary Woodland
1:07 p.m. (6.07pm) -- Ryan Brehm, Lanto Griffin, Scott Stallings
1:18 p.m. (6.18pm) -- Ryan Palmer, Patton Kizzire, Alex Smalley
1:29 p.m. (6.29pm) -- Dylan Frittelli, Jerry Kelly, Wyndham Clark
1:40 p.m. (6.40pm) -- Scott Piercy, James Hahn, Nick Watney
1:51 p.m. (6.51pm) -- Aaron Rai, Dylan Wu, Erik Barnes
SECOND ROUND TEE TIMES
1st tee
6:50 a.m ET (11.50am GMT) -- David Lipsky, S.H. Kim, Tyson Alexander
7:01 a.m. (12.01pm) -- Kramer Hickok, Lee Hodges, Will Gordon
7:12 a.m. (12.12pm) -- Ben Griffin, Matthias Schwab, Justin Lower
7:23 a.m. (12.23pm) -- Sepp Straka, Garrick Higgo, Stewart Cink
7:34 a.m. (12.34pm) -- Chez Reavie, Tom Hoge, Francesco Molinari
7:45 a.m. (12.45pm) -- J.T. Poston, Lucas Glover, Matt Kuchar
7:56 a.m. (12.56pm) -- K.H. Lee, Martin Laird, Gary Woodland
8:07 a.m. (1.07pm) -- Ryan Brehm, Lanto Griffin, Scott Stallings
8:18 a.m. (1.18pm) -- Ryan Palmer, Patton Kizzire, Alex Smalley
8:29 a.m. (1.29pm) -- Dylan Frittelli, Jerry Kelly, Wyndham Clark
8:40 a.m. (1.40pm) -- Scott Piercy, James Hahn, Nick Watney
8:51 a.m. (1.51pm) -- Aaron Rai, Dylan Wu, Erik Barnes
11:50 a.m. (4.50pm) -- Danny Willett, Brandon Wu, Davis Thompson
12:01 p.m. (5.01pm) -- Adam Long, Hayden Buckley, Taylor Montgomery
12:12 p.m. (5.12pm) -- Tommy Fleetwood, Taylor Pendrith, Callum Tarren
12:23 p.m. (5.23pm) -- Si Woo Kim, Webb Simpson, Tyrrell Hatton
12:34 p.m. (5.34pm) -- Tony Finau, Tom Kim, Patrick Cantlay
12:45 p.m. (5.45pm) -- Collin Morikawa, Adam Scott, Rickie Fowler
12:56 p.m. (5.56pm) -- Jon Rahm, Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy
1:07 p.m. (6.07pm) -- Justin Rose, Billy Horschel, Hideki Matsuyama
1:18 p.m. (6.18pm) -- Nico Echavarria, Sungjae Im, Harris English
1:29 p.m. (6.29pm) --Jhonattan Vegas, Peter Malnati, Ryan Fox
1:40 p.m. (6.40pm) -- Adam Hadwin, Patrick Rodgers, Greyson Sigg
1:51 p.m. (6.51pm) -- Nick Hardy, Eric Cole, Harrison Endycott
10th tee
6:50 a.m. (11.50am) -- Kevin Tway, Russell Knox, Chesson Hadley
7:01 a.m. (12.01pm) -- Andrew Putnam, Maverick McNealy, Doc Redman
7:12 a.m. (12.12pm) -- Beau Hossler, Adam Schenk, Stephan Jaeger
7:23 a.m. (12.23pm) -- Lucas Herbert, Aaron Wise, Jason Day
7:34 a.m. (12.34pm) -- Matt Fitzpatrick, Viktor Hovland, Shane Lowry
7:45 a.m. (12.45pm) -- Kurt Kitayama, Will Zalatoris, Xander Schauffele
7:56 a.m. (12.56pm) -- Max Homa, Justin Thomas, Jordan Spieth
8:07 a.m. (1.07pm) -- Sam Burns, Cameron Young, Sahith Theegala
8:18 a.m. (1.18pm) -- Chris Kirk, Seamus Power, Keegan Bradley
8:29 a.m. (1.29pm) -- Sam Ryder, Davis Riley, Taylor Moore
8:40 a.m. (1.40pm) -- Alex Noren, Thomas Detry, Max McGreevy
8:51 a.m. (1.51pm) -- Joseph Bramlett, Justin Suh, Andrew Novak
11:50 a.m. (4.50pm) -- Robby Shelton, Austin Smotherman, Min Woo Lee
12:01 p.m. (5.01pm) -- Kevin Streelman, Denny McCarthy, Matthew NeSmith
12:12 p.m. (5.12pm) -- Byeong Hun An, Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Doug Ghim
12:23 p.m. (5.23pm) -- Michael Thompson, Brendon Todd, Keith Mitchell
12:34 p.m. (5.34pm) -- Kevin Kisner, Nick Taylor, Corey Conners
12:45 p.m. (5.45pm) -- Trey Mullinax, Cam Davis, Tyler Duncan
12:56 p.m. (5.56pm) -- Adam Svensson, Joel Dahmen, Robert Streb
1:07 p.m. (6.07pm) -- J.J. Spaun, Chad Ramey, Luke List
1:18 p.m. (6.18pm) -- Russell Henley, Mackenzie Hughes, Brian Harman
1:29 p.m. (6.29pm) -- Emiliano Grillo, Mark Hubbard, Matt Wallace
1:40 p.m. (6.40pm) -- Nate Lashley, Troy Merritt, Kelly Kraft
1:51 p.m. (6.51pm) -- Aaron Baddeley, David Lingmerth, Ben Martin
