PLAYERS Championship golf Tips
Xander Schauffele
Justin Thomas
Shane Lowry
Keith Mitchell
Doug Ghim
*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.
It’s been year full of shocks so far on the PGA Tour as unheralded names have by and large upstaged the stuttering big name cast.
This week though, as the build-up to the Masters continues, things step up as the tour heads to TPC Sawgrass for the 50th edition of its flagship event, The Players Championship and you would expect the top names to come to the fore.
One of the most iconic courses played all year, the Pete Dye design never fails to deliver its share of drama, particularly on the signature hole the par three 17th with its famous island green.
Over the years, the thing that has become most apparent is that experience and past course form is key, with the winner more often than not having played the event on five or six occasions.
The market is headed by world number one Scottie Scheffler who showed just how good he can be at Bay Hill at the weekend when his putter cooperates. Add that to the fact he is looking to defend the trophy he won so impressively last year and he is sure to be a warm order. With no one having defended the title at Sawgrass before though I am happy to pass on the odds.
Behind Scheffler in the market we find Rory McIlroy. The Northern Irishman who is playing a heavier schedule this year in his bid to be primed for Augusta continues to take two steps forward.
This was evidenced again at Bay Hill, as after a scintillating back nine on Saturday to get in to the mix, he posted a front nine of 41 on Sunday to tumble back down the board. As is always possible with McIlroy this could be the week it clicks but I can’t trust him at the moment.
Instead then I will head past the front two in the market and start our team with Xander Schauffele.
Another player who can no doubt frustrate at times, Schauffele is winless since 2022. This year the Californian has once more been his consistent self by posting four top tens in six starts.
After a fortnight off, Schauffele knocked any rust off with a 25th place at Bay Hill, where he closed out the week with his most solid day from tee to green.
Schauffele makes his sixth start at Sawgrass this week and with a best of second and a solid 19th last year he has exactly the sort of history we are looking for and he looks primed to step up to the next level.
One player who has triumphed here before is Justin Thomas and there is enough in his form at the moment to think he can do so again.
Following a real dip in form in 2023, after securing a wild card pick for the Ryder Cup in Rome, Thomas has stepped up again posting a slew of top 15 finishes and last week in Bay Hill saw another solid week of work as he finished 12th.
In an event, which has often seen players return to the winners circle after a lengthier drought I can see JT landing his first trophy here since his 2022 PGA Championship win.
With strong form coming in here always a huge pointer one player I cannot ignore is Shane Lowry.
The Irishman has started his Florida swing with two top five finishes so his game is clearly firing strongly. With a solid bank of course experience and a best of eighth here, Lowry is another with exactly the course profile we are looking for, and with the final round this year taking place on St Patrick’s day the Irishman would be a hugely popular winner.
Finally in an event where Paddy are paying to 10 each way places I will take a couple of longer price selections in the shape of Keith Mitchell and Doug Ghim.
Mitchell looks to have exactly the profile to provide a shock this week if we are to have one. A winner in Florida and at his best on Bermuda greens, Mitchell is quietly putting a really solid year together and arrives here on the back of three straight to 20s. The 32yr old is making his sixth start here with a best of 13th and I can see him producing a really big week.
Ghim meanwhile has shown a big liking to Pete Dye layouts including playing really well to finish sixth here in 2022, and with four straight top 16 finishes on tour, he arrives with plenty of momentum, which could see him make the frame again.
PLAYERS Championship golf Tips
Xander Schauffele
Justin Thomas
Shane Lowry
Keith Mitchell
Doug Ghim
*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.
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