The Players Championship is annually one of the toughest tests in golf. It’s a course that rewards precision and punishes mistakes, where even the best players can struggle if they’re not sharp.
Unlike courses that favor power, TPC Sawgrass forces players to think strategically. The fairways are tight, and hazards — bunkers, water, and mounds — are placed exactly where they shouldn’t be. Many players won’t even use their driver off the tee, opting instead for control over distance. If the wind picks up, the challenge gets even harder.
The biggest test is hitting the greens. They’re small, firm and difficult to hold, demanding nearly perfect approach shots. Nowhere is that more evident than the iconic par 3 island green on hole 17, surrounded entirely by water, where one slight miscalculation can turn into a disaster.
Betting on players who are great off-the-tee and with their irons and have had recent strong finishes could be useful.
Tee times tend to shape the entire tournament, and history shows that the outright winner at the Players Championship has started early on Thursday and late on Friday, benefiting from smoother greens and calmer winds in the morning.
TPC Sawgrass demands precision, and those in the early wave get the best scoring conditions before the course firms up. Late Thursday starters often face bumpier greens and shifting winds, while their early Friday round can be affected by cold, dew-covered fairways. These small disadvantages add up over four days.
This year, players like Michael Kim, Sepp Straka and Justin Thomas have the favorable early/late draw, while others like Scottie Scheffler, Collin Morikawa, Daniel Berger and Tommy Fleetwood fall into the tougher late/early wave. At a course where every shot matters, tee times could be the difference between contending and chasing.
Here’s a breakdown of the players that offer the best betting value in the Players Championship field, including picks to win, finish in the Top 20 and finish as the first-round leader.
All odds are accurate as of time stamp. All times Eastern. For the latest odds go to ESPN BET.
