Emerging onto the golfing scene back in 1974 under the banner of the Tournament Players Championship, The Players Tournament has been quite the spectacle. Over the years, it’s seen quite the financial evolution, with its purse ballooning from a modest $12.5 million in 2019 to a jaw-dropping $25 million by 2023. Typically the top-50 in the world rankings are invited to compete. Unlike the traditional major championships, though, The Players is firmly under the wing of the PGA Tour.
Despite not being a major, it has been promoted as such by the tour, dubbed the fifth major, and is often regarded as the next most prestigious tournament in golf. And it’s not hard to see why. The Players shares many traits with its more esteemed counterparts, boasting top-tier talent and a hefty payday. Plus, it’s got a storied home in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, where the TPC at Sawgrass Stadium Course has been the battleground since 1982. And let’s not forget the iconic par-3 No. 17, fondly known as the “Island Green,” a symbol of both challenge and charm on the course. As one of the most well-known and difficult tournaments on Tour, there are only a handful of guys who can win at TPC Sawgrass this weekend.
Scottie Scheffler
7 PGA Tour Wins (2022 Masters, 2023 Players)
While putting the World Number 1 on this list seems pretty obvious, no one in the history of the PGA has won The Players back-to-back years. Only six players have even won The Players multiple times (the shortest gap being six years apart — technically Nicklaus got his three wins each two years apart but none of them were at the Stadium Course).
That all being said, you can never count out Scottie Scheffler. Even when Scheffler doesn’t win, he is always right there in the mix. He’s coming off a big win at The Arnold Palmer Invitational last week and it seems his new putter is finally paying the dividends in the one gap in his game (if you can even call it a gap). If Scheffler doesn’t take this tournament, he will still likely finish top-5. And, if he is within 10 strokes on the last day, that’s striking distance for Scottie Scheffler.
Will Zalatoris
1 PGA Tour Win, 5 Runner-Ups
You may be thinking, “Zalatoris only has one PGA Tour win and that was in 2022.” While that may be true, Zalatoris has been playing lights out this season after missing the majority of his 2023 campaign with a back injury. He already has two top-10 finishes this season and in his last four tournaments, he has finished T34, T13, T2, and T4 respectively. This is a kid who competes well in big tournaments as shown by his 2022 FedEx Championship win and his 2022 PGA Championship runner-up where he lost in a playoff to Justin Thomas. If Zalatoris can play like he has been all season, he is a contender to win this year’s The Players.
Matthieu Pavon
1 PGA Tour Win
Speaking of someone who’s been playing lights out, how about the first Frenchman ever to win on the PGA Tour? Pavon won the 2024 Farmers Insurance Open in January and has been on a tear since. He has three top-10 finishes this season already and easily could have won back-to-back tournaments if the fourth day of the Pebble Beach Pro-Am didn’t get cancelled due to weather (he finished 3rd after three days). Pavon has been riding that high of his first win and has looked laser-sharp in every tournament. Every aspect of his game is firing right now and you need all aspects when you are playing at TPC Sawgrass.
Tom Kim
3 PGA Tour Wins
Tom Kim is only 21 years old. That’s right…21. He already has three PGA Tour wins under his belt and every season it looks like he just keeps getting better. Kim has made six-of-seven cuts this year and has the skillset to make a run at The Players. Kim has only participated in The Players once, and that was last year when he finished T51. While that finish doesn’t make you want to put all your chips on the table for a Tom Kim win, it should be noted that his score got better every round he played here in 2023. With any continued momentum, Kim will build off his day four score of 69 and make a run in Ponte Vedra Beach this year.
Jordan Spieth
13 PGA Tour Wins (2015 Masters, 2015 U.S. Open, 2017 The Open Championship)
Spieth has quite the resume, we all know that. Some of you may think he hasn’t been the same golfer now for quite a few years (only two wins from 2018-present). But Spieth is starting to look a little like his old self. Spieth has played in five tournaments this year with two top-10 finishes and zero missed cuts (he did have a DQ for a scorecard issue but no missed cuts). Spieth finished T19 in The Players last year and shot an impressive 66 in the third round. Spieth’s best finish at The Players was his first shot at the event in 2014 where he finished T4. Still, this is a course he enjoys playing and with his hot start to 2024, he may be ready to win his first tournament since the 2022 RBC Heritage.
Hideki Matsuyama
9 PGA Tour Wins (2021 Masters)
After a winless 2023 campaign, Hideki is coming off a big win at The Genesis Invitational in February. Hideki has made the cut at each tournament he’s played this year and already has a T13, T12, and a 1st place finish this year. His T12 was last week at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. There is something to be said about momentum in golf and Hideki certainly has it right now. His drives are looking similar to that of his impressive Masters run in 2021. He looks very comfortable on the golf course this season and seems to be playing at the top of his game. Hideki would certainly like to add to his list of big tournaments won and The Players would be a huge win to add to the trophy case.
Keegan Bradley
6 PGA Tour Wins (2011 PGA Championship)
Last season was a bit of a resurgence for Keegan Bradley with two PGA Tour Wins. He seems to be carrying that momentum into this year with a T2 playoff loss at the Sony Open in Hawaii in January and a T11 at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am in February. Bradley’s strokes gained from approach this season have been top-20 in all distances. He is 71.43% GIR this season. If he can get his putter cooking, Bradley is a surefire contender this weekend.
Wyndham Clark
3 PGA Tour Wins (2023 U.S. Open)
I think it’s fair to say Wyndham Clark is at the top of his game. After two PGA Wins in 2023 including a major, his 2024 campaign is off to a sizzling start. Clark won the Pebble Beach Pro-Am in February and took 2nd at the Arnold Palmer Invitational last week. Clark finished T27 at last year’s The Players and looks poised to make a run in this year’s tournament. Clark is ninth in total strokes gained, 11th in driving distance, and sixth in putting average on the PGA so far this season. If all facets of Clark’s game are clicking, he should be a favorite to win this weekend.
Brian Harman
3 PGA Tour Wins (2023 The Open Championship)
While Harman only has three PGA Wins in his 11-year career, he put on quite the display at The Open last year. Harman shot three straight rounds in the 60s before capping his final day with a 70 and finishing six strokes better than the next four closest guys. Harman is off to another hot start this year with a T5 finish at The Sentry in January and a finish of T12 at last week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational. Harman finished T44 at last year’s The Players but has a top-5 and a top-10 finish in his last six campaigns at The Players.
Lucas Glover
6 PGA Tour Wins (2009 U.S. Open)
Speaking of guys experiencing a resurgence, how about Lucas Glover? Glover won his first PGA event in 2005. Last year he capped off the season with back-to-back wins at the Wyndham Championship and the FedEx Championship. Glover is a fantastic iron player and one of the most accurate golfers out there. At TPC Sawgrass you need all the tricks in your bad and accuracy is no exception. If Glover can putt like he did toward the end of last season, he is a contender this weekend.
Adam Scott
14 PGA Tour Wins (2004 The Players, 2013 Masters)
14 PGA Tour wins and 14 runner-ups with the most recent win for Adam Scott being the 2020 Genesis Invitational. Scott has been on tour since 2003 and has had consistent success. Although it’s been four years since his last win, he is constantly in the mix. Scott’s campaign this season has already seen T20, T8, T19 on the PGA Tour and 6th, T4, and T7 on the DP World Tour. Although finishing 71st at The Players last year, Scott does have two top-10 finishes at this tournament. Looking back to form as of late, Scott looks to make a run at TPC Sawgrass.
Cam Young
0 PGA Tour Wins, 6 Runner-Ups
Zero PGA Tour Wins will not last for long. Cam Young is only 26 years old and has only been on the tour since 2022. With that, Young has six runner-ups including two top-3 finishes in major events. He clearly performs well on the biggest stages and has all the skillset to win at a tough course like TPC Sawgrass. Cam Young finished T51 at last year’s The Players Tournament but will undoubtedly finish in the top-10 this year and has an outside shot to win it all.
Nicolai Højgaard
0 PGA Tour Wins, 2 Runner-Ups
Okay, Højgaard may be a bit of a reach, but man has he been playing some great golf. Højgaard was the 2023 DP World Tour Champion and already has a 2nd place finish at The Farmer’s Insurance Open and a T7 finish at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic (DP World Tour). Højgaard is only 23 and this will be his first outing at The Players Championship. Last season Højgaard took part in 13 tournaments, earning one top-5 finish and collecting two finishes in the top-10. His lack of experience may end up hindering him at TPC Sawgrass, but as an outside shot looking in, we can’t count out the incredible level of play Højgaard has had recently.
Notable Names Who Will Not Win The Players Championship
Max Homa: Homa has had a decent start to the season. Not as exciting as his start last season, but he has made 5/6 cuts and has 3 top-20 finishes and 1 top-10 finish. However, Homa tends to disappear in the big tournaments. Homa’s average finish has been 10th, and his average score -7, over his last three appearances at The Players Championship. Last year, Homa was 6th in strokes gained while putting. This year he is 60th. We will all be cheering for Homa, but look for him to finish right around 10th.
Xander Schauffele: Xander has had a very good start to his season. 4 top-10s in 6 tournaments this season with no missed cuts. He is 8th in strokes gained off the tee and 40th in strokes gained on approach. However, over his last three trips to The Players Championship, Schauffele has an average score of -6, with an average finish of 19th. He is 126th in strokes gained while putting. You need every aspect of your game to click at TPC Sawgrass to be a contender.
Patrick Cantlay: Cantlay has missed the cut at TPC Sawgrass two of the last three years. Last year, he was able to finish T19, but he also won zero tournaments in 2023. Cantlay has had a decent start to 2024 with 6/6 cuts made, 1 top-10, and 2 top-15 finishes. Cantlay has been solid putting this season, but is a putrid 111th in strokes gained on approach. At TPC Sawgrass, you are going to find a lot of trouble if you are missing the green. Good luck, Cantlay.
Collin Morikawa: Morikawa’s last three trips to The Players resulted in T41, missed cut, T13. This season, Morikawa has started off boom or bust, either finishing top-20 in tournaments or missing the cut. Morikawa has been top-5 in strokes gained on approach the last two seasons. This season he is down to 21st, and remains an unfavorable 135th in strokes gained while putting. Morikawa will need better than that to win at TPC Sawgrass.
Justin Thomas: JT won The Players in 2021. When JT won that tournament, he was 3rd in strokes gained on approach and 104th in strokes gained putting. In 2024, he is 30th in strokes gained on approach and 135th in strokes gained putting. Still, JT is having a good season with 4/5 cuts made and a finish of 12th or better in all four tournaments where he made the cut. In JT’s last two appearances at TPC Sawgrass, he finished T33 and T60. With the regression in strokes gained on approach, we don’t like his chances for The Players in 2024.
Sahith Theegala: Theegala is definitely a household name by this point. And for good reason. He is a fantastic golfer for his age (26, joined tour in 2022). So far this season, Theegala has made 6/7 cuts with 3 top-10 finishes. Theegala’s performance at TPC Sawgrass however has resulted in a cut and a 74th. Theegala has yet to have a round under 70 at this course. This may be a breakthrough year for him at The Players, but he will not be winning.
Rory McIlroy: McIlroy has played in 6 professional golf tournaments in 2024 – 2 DP World Tour events and 4 PGA Tour events. In the DP World Tour events, McIlroy finished T2 and 1st. In the four PGA Tour events, McIlroy finished T21 or worse. McIlroy won The Players in 2019, a season where he was 1st in strokes gained off the tee, 12th in strokes gained on approach, and 24th in strokes gained putting. This year, McIlroy is still 1st in strokes gained off the tee, but he’s 152nd in strokes gained on approach and 129th in strokes gained putting. Needless to say, this does not look like Rory’s year to take home The Players Championship.