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The Players Championship arrives this weekend to ring in the spring as 123 players descend upon TPC Sawgrass outside of Jacksonville, Florida. The “fifth major” will see favorite Scottie Scheffler go toe-to-toe with defending champion Rory McIlroy and many others for one of the biggest purses on tour. Water is a given at this course, but we’re getting it from the sky too as the forecast calls for rain in the first round. Read on for expert The Players Championship picks and explore stats to make your best The Players Championship predictions.
- The Players Championship
- 123-player field
- PGA Tour event
- March 12-15, 2026
- TPC at Sawgrass, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL
- ESPN+, Golf Channel, CBS
THE PLAYERS Championship Picks: Who do Sportsbooks Favor?
Scottie Scheffler reigns supreme on the odds boards yet again at (+425), but his numbers are drifting from the (+2XX) prices we saw a few times last year. His toughest competitors represent Collin Morikawa (+1700) and Rory McIlroy (+2200), the defending champion. A second tier of contenders includes Si Woo Kim (+2200) and Ludvig Aberg (+2300). Xander Schauffele (+3000), Russell Henley (+3000), and Tommy Fleetwood (+3000) will also make a case for a title run this weekend.
| The PLAYERS Championship |  |  |  |
| Scottie Scheffler | +425 | +410 | +425 |
| Collin Morikawa | +1700 | +1500 | +1600 |
| Rory McIlroy | +2200 | +1450 | +1600 |
| Si Woo Kim | +2200 | +2000 | +2200 |
| Ludvig Aberg | +2300 | +2100 | +2200 |
| Xander Schauffele | +2500 | +2700 | +3000 |
| Russell Henley | +2800 | +2500 | +3000 |
| Tommy Fleetwood | +3000 | +2300 | +2800 |
| Cameron Young | +3500 | +3000 | +3000 |
| Chris Gotterup | +3500 | +4000 | +4000 |
| Min Woo Lee | +3500 | +3700 | +3500 |
| Hideki Matsuyama | +3800 | +3600 | +3500 |
| Harris English | +4000 | +5400 | +6000 |
| Viktor Hovland | +4000 | +2900 | +4000 |
| Matt Fitzpatrick | +4000 | +3500 | +3500 |
| Jake Knapp | +4000 | +4200 | +4000 |
| Akshay Bhatia | +4500 | +4000 | +4000 |
Access our guide to golf betting sites in 2026. Also, explore our dedicated page on the best sites for The Players Championship.
TPC at Sawgrass Course Setup, Preview
For the initiated, TPC Sawgrass needs no reminding. This beautiful Stadium course in Ponta Vedra, Florida is one of the most iconic in all of golf, let alone its famous (perhaps infamous?) 17th “Island Green” hole. Designed by Pete Dye, the course is designed to avoid shortcuts off the tee and reward daring play. With an average fairway width of just 30 yards, players will have to be accurate in driving, especially considering the rough is 4” tall and there are water hazards on almost every hole. 13-stimpmeter bermudagrass greens don’t make it any easier either.
The extreme difficulty of this location breeds volatility and reduces the predictive power of course history, making it a tricky event to call. There is no forgiveness; the winner of this tournament will have to avoid making any major mistakes. There are storm threats and challenging winds predicted for parts of the weekend, including on Sunday. That should make for a higher winning score.
Don’t expect anyone to run away with this tournament. So many factors are in play that will increase scoring, so if your book offers odds on winning score, go with the over. BetOnline offers Winning 72 Hole Score at 272.5, so I will take the over there. It has already moved from an opening line of 269.5.
Red-Hot Jake Knapp in Line for Top 10 Finish
Jake Knapp has turned heads with five straight finishes inside the top 11, and will look to capitalize on his red-hot form at The Players, an event he has traditionally excelled in. Indeed, Knapp finished 12th last year at Sawgrass despite struggling off the tee. His status amongst the elite may be lower than others but he’s on the top of his game. Knapp boasts one of the longest drivers on tour and can finish on the greens as well.
Knapp’s biggest strength actually comes on the approach, with a tour-leading 82% scramble rate from the rough. That comes in handy when he sprays his tee shots, which is far too often. Knapp’s biggest weakness is his driving accuracy, and fans know all too well the perils of missing at the tee box at TPC Sawgrass. Water surrounds many parts of the course, leaving little margin for error. But Knapp’s accuracy has improved in 2026 and if he misses dry, he can make back par better than anyone.
It should be noted that Knapp withdrew last week with a back injury, but reports suggest he will be healthy for this weekend. Knapp got in a practice round on Wednesday and looked fine. He may not be the guy to hoist the trophy come Sunday evening, but he should be in line for a Top 10 finish. I like the value on Knapp at (+500) to do so.
THE PLAYERS Championship Picks: Why Si Woo Kim is a Trendy Pick
Si Woo Kim opened at 40/1 to win the The Players this week but has seen his price fall all the way down to 20/1. It’s not hard to understand why. Kim is playing some of the best golf of his career with 5 top-15 finishes and 2 top-3 finishes to begin the calendar year. He has history at this course, having won 10 years ago as a 500/1 longshot. He’s also 1st in the field in strokes gained from approach in 2026, arguably the most important statistic of this tournament.
It shouldn’t dissuade bettors too much that Si Woo Kim has struggled with the putter at times. TPC Sawgrass seems to have a leveling effect on the greens, meaning players will not make or break their weekend from their putting. Search around for any lagging sportsbooks that offer better prices on the Korean, but as I often like to say, “Si Woo, play Woo.”
Odds are accurate at time of writing but subject to change.
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