The Players Championship Preview: Is It Scheffler vs. The Field?
The PGA Tour’s Florida trip reaches its climax this weekend at the renowned TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach. This weekend’s marquee tournament, the 50th edition of the Players Championship, a testament to its enduring prestige, is set to unfold on the familiar grounds of TPC Sawgrass for the 42nd time. This will also mark the third consecutive PGA event held in the vibrant state of Florida, and The Players Championship is poised to be the most thrilling of the trio.
The history of this tournament is at the top echelon of the sport. From Jack Nicklaus winning the first Players Championship in 1974 to Tiger Woods's historic performance in 2001 to Rickie Fowler’s famous shot on the par three 17th hole in a playoff to win in 2015, and so many more moments in between, this tournament has been the host to some of the best moments in golf history. Now, to look at some more recent and relevant history that pertains to this year’s tournament, last year’s tournament was not particularly competitive as Scottie Scheffler won by a comfortable five strokes after birdieing five consecutive holes during the final round. Scheffler has shown excellent command of this course over the years, and he has always been known for his superb ball striking, which plays a massive advantage in any tournament, especially the big ones. So, as expected, Scheffler comes into this weekend as the favorite, not only because of his previous TPC Sawgrass success but also because of the momentum he is riding after convincingly winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational last weekend. Who stands in Scheffler’s way of continued Florida dominance? Let’s take a look at the rest of the field.
Being the premiere tournament that The Players Championship is, there is plenty of star power in Ponte Vedra this weekend. The biggest names in the sport will be teeing it up this weekend, like Rory McIlroy, Viktor Hovland, Xander Schauffle, Justin Thomas, Patrick Cantlay, Will Zalatoris, Jordan Speith, Max Homa, and many more, will all be attempting to take down Scheffler. Both McIIroy, in 2019, and Thomas, in 2021, have recent victories at this tournament, and Hovland finished third last year. However, Hovland has struggled mightily this year compared to last, primarily due to his poor short game. He will most definitely need to bring an improved short game this weekend to compete, similar to last year. Speaking of McIIroy and Hovland, they are in a group together for the first round on Thursday, and Jordan Speith will also join them. The other marquee group to watch out for on Thursday is full of previous Players Championship winners Scottie Scheffler, Justin Thomas, and Rickie Fowler. That said, if you are a golf fan, there is plenty to watch for this weekend. Will Scottie continue his Florida dominance, or will another star track him down in one of the most famous tournaments in all of golf?
