Ready to make some money on "golf's fifth major"? Check out our betting preview for The Players Championship, which tees off Thursday, March 14. Best of luck with all of your PGA Tour action this week!
Keegan Bradley (+100) OVER Erik van Rooyen
Keegan’s best finish on this season was his 11th place finish at Pebble. He did miss the cut at the Genesis for his lone miss cut on the season. He now heads to TPC Sawgrass for the PLAYERS where he has 4 Top 20s and 2 Top 10s in the last 5 years.
He did miss the cut last year so tread lightly with him here. He is facing Van Rooyen who finished an impressive 13th in his lone start here in 2022.
He is coming off a 25th place finish at the Arnold Palmer and had back-to-back Top 10 finishes prior. All that said, you would figure Van Rooyen would be favored here on the line but it's even money which leads us to believe Keegan is the play.
Tom Hoge (-130) OVER Eric Cole
Hoge has been on a solid run early this season. Beginning with his 6th place finish at Pebble, he finished outside the Top 25 just once (28th) in his next 4 starts.
Here at the PLAYERS his years of mediocrity finally paid off with a 3rd place finish last season. Eric Cole placed 23rd in his PLAYERS debut last season and has missed the cut in 2 of his last 6 starts this season.
We like the consistency that Hoge has been displaying and now that he found success later in the weekend last year, he should be able to find his way into contention once again.
Adam Hadwin (+100) OVER Corey Conners
Hadwin has finishes of 29th, 9th, and 13th over the last 3 years respectively here at TPC Sawgrass. This season, he has already picked up 2 Top 10 finishes and is facing Corey Conners who failed to make the cut here last season.
Conners overall recent play has been consistent, but he has yet to break through for a Top 15 finish. We like that Hadwin has already been in the Top 10 a few times this season and twice been in the Top 15 here over the last 2 years.
Min Woo Lee (-110) OVER Sahith Theegala
Min Woo picked up a runner-up finish at the Classic at Palm Beach and was able to stay focused and make the cut the following week at the Arnold Palmer. This will be his 2nd start at the PLAYERS.
Last year, in his debut, he finished a very impressive 6th place. Theegala did not participate last year after missing the cut the previous year in his debut.
He is coming off a 6th place finish at the Arnold Palmer, but we like Min Woo’s course history here.
Top 40 Finish: Justin Rose (+170)
Over the last 4 years, only once has Rose not been inside the Top 40 here at TPC Sawgrass. He knows his away around this track and despite coming off a missed cut at the Arnold Palmer, we believe he will turn things around here at the PLAYERS.
Top 40 Finish: Aaron Rai (+135)
TPC Sawgrass lends itself to players that drive the ball accurately, not necessarily those that hit it far. It also plays favorably to players that are in the top of approach shots.
Rai has both of those qualities as he ranks 3rd in accuracy and 28th in approach on TOUR. He finished 23rd last week and 19th week prior and last year in his debut at the PLAYERS he was good enough to finish inside the Top 20.
Top 30 Finish: Shane Lowry (-110)
Like Rai, Lowry is strong in the 2 statistical categories that play well here at TPC Sawgrass. He is 8th in accuracy and 5th in approach. He finished 4th at the Classic in Palm Beach and was 3rd last week at the Arnold Palmer.
In terms of course history, Lowry has finished 35th, 13th, 8th over the last 3 years in the PLAYERS. He should be a shoe-in for Top 30 and could be worth a small sprinkle to win the tournament.
