{"id":26525,"date":"2024-03-12T10:01:10","date_gmt":"2024-03-12T14:01:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/news\/?p=26525"},"modified":"2024-03-13T11:31:59","modified_gmt":"2024-03-13T15:31:59","slug":"the-players-championship-predictions-best-bets-free-picks-and-odds-march-14-17","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/news\/golf\/the-players-championship-predictions-best-bets-free-picks-and-odds-march-14-17\/","title":{"rendered":"THE PLAYERS Championship Predictions, Best Bets, Free Picks and Odds March 14-17"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">THE PLAYERS Championship Betting Preview<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/profile\/nick-borrman\">WagerTalk golf handicapper Nick Borrman<\/a> offers his thoughts on THE PLAYERS Championship teeing off from Players Stadium Course in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL. Nick discusses the guys at the top of the odds board, golfers to fade and other expert picks surrounding THE PLAYERS Championship starting March 14th!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"amazing-offer-from-expert-nfl-handicappers\">$15 FREE for PREMIUM GOLF PICKS &#8211; CLAIM BELOW<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><div class=\"hottest_play_area\">\n<div id=\"newsletter_widget\" class=\"hottest_play_third_area newsletter_widget\">\n<div class=\"hottest_play_third_area_content\">\n<div class=\"sign-up-offer-text\">\nSPECIAL OFFER FOR FIRST TIME SUBSCRIBERS\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"newsletter-thank new\" style=\"display: none;\">Thanks for signing up! Check your email in a few minutes for your $15.00 Coupon Code.<\/div>\n<div class=\"newsletter-thank old\" style=\"display: none;\">Thanks for signing up!\nYou are not eligible for this offer<\/div>\n<div class=\"newsletter-form-container\" style=\"display: none;\">\n<h3><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"get-wagertalk-img\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/images\/email-open-wagertalk.png\" alt=\"WagerTalk NewsLetter\">\nSign up for WagerTalk news alerts and get free picks, discounts and\n<span class=\"get-wagertalk\">GET<\/span>\n<span class=\"free-wagertalk\">$15<\/span>\n<span class=\"get-wagertalk-line2\">FREE<\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"center\">ANY SINGLE PURCHASE AT WAGERTALK.COM<\/p>\n<div class=\"free-wagertalk-signup-form\">\n<form id=\"splash-email-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/emailsignup\" method=\"POST\"><input name=\"formSubmitted\" type=\"hidden\" value=\"yes\">\n<input id=\"splash-email-recaptcha-site-key\" name=\"data_recaptchaSiteKey\" type=\"hidden\" value=\"6LdCARkmAAAAAANHM-KhXLNdRk_r8GTFerrGSrZo\">\n<input id=\"splash-email-recaptcha-token\" name=\"data_recaptchaToken\" type=\"hidden\" value=\"\">\n<input id=\"splash-email-return-url\" name=\"data_returnURL\" type=\"hidden\" value=\"\">\n<!--suppress HtmlFormInputWithoutLabel -->\n<input name=\"data_email\" type=\"email\" placeholder=\"Enter your email address\">\n<div class=\"icon\"><!--suppress HtmlFormInputWithoutLabel -->\n<input class=\"sign-up\" name=\"signup\" type=\"submit\" value=\"Sign Up\"><\/div>\n<\/form>\n<p class=\"small\">This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google\n<a href=\"https:\/\/policies.google.com\/privacy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Privacy Policy<\/a> and\n<a href=\"https:\/\/policies.google.com\/terms\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Terms of Service<\/a> apply.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><em>Stay on top of the latest <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/picks\/golf\">Golf<\/a> updates direct from Las Vegas!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>WagerTalk also offers <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/free-sports-picks\/nfl\">Free NFL Picks<\/a> all year long!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><th>THE PLAYERS Championship<\/th><th>THE PLAYERS Championship Betting Notes<\/th><\/tr><tr><td>When:<\/td><td>March 14-17<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Where:<\/td><td>Players Stadium Course in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Defending Champ:<\/td><td>Scottie Scheffler<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Current Favorite:<\/td><td>Scottie Scheffler (+500 at <a href=\"https:\/\/wagertalk.go.metabet.io\/bet\/draftkings\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">DraftKings<\/a>)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>TV:<\/td><td>Golf Channel, NBC<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">THE PLAYERS Championship Odds Board<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Top-10 Total Strokes Gained over the last six months (betting odds via <a href=\"https:\/\/wagertalk.go.metabet.io\/bet\/fanduel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">FanDuel<\/a> ,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/wagertalk.go.metabet.io\/bet\/draftkings\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">DraftKings <\/a>and others)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"570\" height=\"345\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Screen-Shot-2024-03-11-at-11.39.16-PM.png\" alt=\"THE PLAYERS Championship odds\" class=\"wp-image-26526\" style=\"width:420px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Screen-Shot-2024-03-11-at-11.39.16-PM.png 570w, https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Screen-Shot-2024-03-11-at-11.39.16-PM-300x182.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 570px) 100vw, 570px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">THE PLAYERS Championship Betting Preview<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The logo says it all. This is the 50th edition of THE PLAYERS with the biggest purse in history as the winner will grab a $4.5M payday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>TPC Sawgrass is designed by the notorious Pete Dye and presents one of the toughest challenges the players face every season. Very much like last week at Bay Hill, we usually don\u2019t see too many players reach double-digit under par. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Last year Scheffler ran away with it at 17-under, but he was one of only four players to reach 10-under. That score was also the 2nd lowest total dating back to 1996, which gives you an idea of how rare it is to reach that number.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The track plays as a stock par-72 measuring a little over 7,200 yards, so it\u2019s not one of the longest courses the guys face all year. But length isn\u2019t Dye\u2019s shtick. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Dye prioritizes accuracy over length and all his courses are designed to reward good shots while penalizing even slightly errant shots. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Birdies can be found with well struck irons but miss on approach by a just a few feet and double bogey quickly comes into play. Of course, there is no better example of that than the famous 17th hole island green par 3.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"amazing-offer-from-expert-nfl-handicappers\">Before You Read Nick&#8217;s THE PLAYERS Championship Betting Preview&#8230; Get $15 FREE towards all expert picks &#8211; including THE PLAYERS Championship &amp; More<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><a class=\"anchor\" id=\"newsletterfrm\"><\/a>\n<div class=\"hottest_play_area\">\n  <div id=\"newsletter_widget\" class=\"hottest_play_third_area newsletter_widget\">\n    <div class=\"hottest_play_third_area_content\">\n      <div class=\"sign-up-offer-text\">\n        <p>SPECIAL OFFER FOR FIRST TIME SUBSCRIBERS<\/p>\n      <\/div>\n      <div class=\"newsletter-thank new\" style=\"display: none;\">\n        <a class=\"anchor-newsletter\"><\/a>\n        Thanks for signing up! Check your email in a few minutes for your $15.00 Coupon Code.\n      <\/div>\n      <div class=\"newsletter-thank old\" style=\"display: none;\">\n        <a class=\"anchor-newsletter\"><\/a>\n        Thanks for signing up!<br>You are not eligible for this offer\n      <\/div>\n      <div class=\"newsletter-form-container\" style=\"display: none;\">\n        <h3>\n          <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/images\/email-open-wagertalk.png\" alt=\"WagerTalk NewsLetter\" class=\"get-wagertalk-img\">\n          Sign up for WagerTalk news alerts and get free picks, discounts and\n          <span class=\"get-wagertalk\">GET<\/span>\n          <span class=\"free-wagertalk\">$15<\/span>\n          <span class=\"get-wagertalk-line2\">FREE<\/span>\n        <\/h3>\n        <p class=\"center\">ANY SINGLE PURCHASE AT WAGERTALK.COM<\/p>\n        <div class=\"free-wagertalk-signup-form\">\n          <form id=\"splash-email-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/emailsignup\" method=\"POST\">\n            <input type=\"hidden\" name=\"formSubmitted\" value=\"yes\">\n            <input type=\"hidden\" id=\"splash-email-recaptcha-site-key\" name=\"data_recaptchaSiteKey\" value=\"6LdCARkmAAAAAANHM-KhXLNdRk_r8GTFerrGSrZo\">\n            <input type=\"hidden\" id=\"splash-email-recaptcha-token\" name=\"data_recaptchaToken\" value=\"\">\n            <input type=\"hidden\" id=\"splash-email-return-url\" name=\"data_returnURL\" value=\"\">\n            <!--suppress HtmlFormInputWithoutLabel -->\n            <input type=\"email\" name=\"data_email\" placeholder=\"Enter your email address\">\n            <div class=\"icon\">\n              <!--suppress HtmlFormInputWithoutLabel -->\n              <input type=\"submit\" name=\"signup\" value=\"Sign Up\" class=\"sign-up\">\n            <\/div>\n          <\/form>\n          <p class=\"signup-form-text\" style=\"color: red !important;font-weight: bold;\"><\/p>\n          <p class=\"small\">\n            This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google\n            <a href=\"https:\/\/policies.google.com\/privacy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Privacy Policy<\/a> and\n            <a href=\"https:\/\/policies.google.com\/terms\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Terms of Service<\/a> apply.\n          <\/p>\n        <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n<\/div><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Last week at Bay Hill, the best ball-strikers in the field rose to the top by the end of the tournament with the best in the business claiming victory. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This week will be more of the same so it\u2019s no wonder Scottie Scheffler is an even shorter favorite despite the field more than doubling in size. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While it\u2019s easy to want to jump all in on Scottie again this week, the stark reminder you need to hear is that no PLAYERS Champion has ever repeated. Streaks of course are meant to be broken, but that one is hard to ignore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are some more important trends to pay attention to this week:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Course Experience<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Aside from the inaugural addition, there have only been two first-time winners of this event.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>15 of the last 16 winners finished at least 23<sup>rd<\/sup> in a previous PLAYERS.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>10 of the last 13 winners played in at least five previous PLAYERS.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Current Form<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Each of the last 25 winners has made the cut in their previous start.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>17 of the last 19 winners ranked in the top 35 in SG Approach over the prior 12 months.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>10 of the last 12 winners ranked in the top 45 in SG Around the Green over the previous 12 months.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>11 of the last 12 winners finished at least 22<sup>nd<\/sup> in their previous start.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>And finally, one more than is entirely out of the players\u2019 control.&nbsp; 14 of the last 16 winners have played in the Thursday AM \/ Friday PM wave.&nbsp; Another anti-Scottie streak.&nbsp; Coincidence?&nbsp; You decide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If those above trends didn\u2019t highlight it for you, I\u2019ll spell it out simply.&nbsp; Zero in on elite iron players that also have strong short games.&nbsp; Driving and putting take a back seat this week.&nbsp; <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I mean, Scheffler ranked 48<sup>th<\/sup> in SG Putting last year and still won by five, but his +4.29 SG T2G nearly lapped the field as Tom Hoge, who finished T3, was 2<sup>nd<\/sup> by a wide margin at +2.93.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Weather looks great all week with only a slight chance of Thunderstorms on Friday afternoon.\u00a0 Temperatures will be around 80 degrees all week so don\u2019t expect any stark tee time wave advantages like we saw just a couple years ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"epyt-video-wrapper\"><div  style=\"display: block; margin: 0px auto;\"  id=\"_ytid_10428\"  width=\"870\" height=\"489\"  data-origwidth=\"870\" data-origheight=\"489\" data-facadesrc=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/wfZnHCmedGE?enablejsapi=1&#038;origin=https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com&#038;autoplay=0&#038;cc_load_policy=1&#038;cc_lang_pref=&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;loop=0&#038;rel=0&#038;fs=1&#038;playsinline=0&#038;autohide=2&#038;hl=en_US&#038;theme=dark&#038;color=red&#038;controls=1&#038;disablekb=0&#038;\" class=\"__youtube_prefs__ epyt-facade  epyt-is-override  no-lazyload\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-spai-excluded=\"true\" class=\"epyt-facade-poster skip-lazy\" loading=\"lazy\"  alt=\"The Players Championship 2024 PGA Picks &amp; Predictions | Betting Tips &amp; Course Preview | Tee Time\"  src=\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/wfZnHCmedGE\/maxresdefault.jpg\"  \/><button class=\"epyt-facade-play\" aria-label=\"Play\"><svg data-no-lazy=\"1\" height=\"100%\" version=\"1.1\" viewBox=\"0 0 68 48\" width=\"100%\"><path class=\"ytp-large-play-button-bg\" d=\"M66.52,7.74c-0.78-2.93-2.49-5.41-5.42-6.19C55.79,.13,34,0,34,0S12.21,.13,6.9,1.55 C3.97,2.33,2.27,4.81,1.48,7.74C0.06,13.05,0,24,0,24s0.06,10.95,1.48,16.26c0.78,2.93,2.49,5.41,5.42,6.19 C12.21,47.87,34,48,34,48s21.79-0.13,27.1-1.55c2.93-0.78,4.64-3.26,5.42-6.19C67.94,34.95,68,24,68,24S67.94,13.05,66.52,7.74z\" fill=\"#f00\"><\/path><path d=\"M 45,24 27,14 27,34\" fill=\"#fff\"><\/path><\/svg><\/button><\/div><\/div><span itemprop=\"video\" itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/VideoObject\"><meta itemprop=\"embedUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/wfZnHCmedGE\"><meta itemprop=\"name\" content=\"The Players Championship 2024 PGA Picks &amp; Predictions | Betting Tips &amp; Course Preview | Tee Time\"><meta itemprop=\"description\" content=\"\u26f3\ufe0f The Players Get Down to Business: Your Guide to the 2024 Players Championship It&#039;s that time of year again! The PGA Tour&#039;s &quot;Super Bowl,&quot; the Players Championship, tees off this week at the iconic TPC Sawgrass Stadium Course in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. \ud83d\udc40 Here&#039;s your ultimate guide to catching all the action, from March 14th to 17th, 2024: \ud83d\udccd Tee Time &amp; Location: Get ready for an early start! Play begins at 7:15 AM EST each day. Featured groups typically tee off later in the morning. \ud83e\udd14 Who&#039;s Favored? This prestigious tournament attracts the biggest names, and the odds reflect that tight competition: Scottie Scheffler: +11\/2 (defending champion aiming for a repeat) Justin Thomas: +8\/1 (former winner looking to reclaim his title) Collin Morikawa: +10\/1 (known for his strategic approach at Sawgrass) Rory McIlroy: +12\/1 (seeking redemption after past struggles at TPC Sawgrass) Jon Rahm: +12\/1 (powerful player with a chance to shine) Tune In: Don&#039;t miss a single shot with live coverage on CBS and Golf Channel throughout the week. Check your local listings for specific broadcast times. \ud83d\udcf1 Follow the Action: Stay connected with the tournament and players on Twitter: Tournament: &#064;THEPLAYERS Scottie Scheffler: &#064;McChicken4Life Justin Thomas: &#064;JustinThomas34 Collin Morikawa: &#064;collin_morikawa Rory McIlroy: &#064;McIlroyRory Jon Rahm: &#064;JonRahm97 \ud83d\udcf1 Hashtag Hype: Join the conversation and share your picks using these official hashtags: #THEPLAYERS #TPCSawgrass #StadiumCourse #PGATour \ud83d\udcca Video Timestamps 00:00 Introduction 01:05 Player Trends &amp; Tournament Format 04:15 Weather &amp; Tee Times 07:05 Players Course Preview 12:24 Total Strokes Gained Chart 15:25 Players To Avoid 19:36 Outright Winner Pick 22:17 DraftKings Picks 26:30 Top 20 Predictions The Players Championship 2024: A Detailed Look The PGA Tour&#039;s flagship event, the Players Championship, takes center stage this week (March 14th-17th) at the infamous TPC Sawgrass Stadium Course in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. With a record-breaking $25 million purse and a field boasting the best golfers in the world, this tournament promises high drama and electrifying competition. Defending Champ Aims for Repeat: Scottie Scheffler, the current World No. 1, enters the week as the defending champion after a dominant victory in 2023. He&#039;ll be looking to become the first player to win back-to-back titles at the Players since Phil Mickelson in 2007. A Field of Champions: Scheffler faces stiff competition from a stacked field. Former champion Justin Thomas, known for his all-around game, is hungry to reclaim his title. Collin Morikawa, a master strategist, thrives on the demanding layout of TPC Sawgrass. Rory McIlroy, seeking redemption after past struggles at the course, could be a sleeper pick. Meanwhile, Jon Rahm&#039;s powerful game makes him a potential force to be reckoned with. TPC Sawgrass: A Notorious Challenge: The Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass is a true test of skill and mental fortitude. Water hazards, strategically placed bunkers, and the iconic par-3 17th island green all conspire to make birdies hard-earned and mistakes costly. Mastering this course will be a key factor in determining the champion. \ud83d\udc4d Make sure to SUBSCRIBE to WagerTalk TV; \ud83d\udd14 CLICK the Bell and never miss an episode! \ud83e\udd11 Free Sports Picks: https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/free-sports-picks \ud83d\udcca Live Odds: https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/odds \ud83d\uddde\ufe0f News: https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/news \ud83d\udc4d Stay connected with WagerTalk \ud83d\udcfa YouTube: https:\/\/wt.buzz\/tv \ud83d\udc4d Facebook: https:\/\/wt.buzz\/fb \ud83d\udc26 Twitter: https:\/\/wt.buzz\/tw \ud83d\udcf8 Instagram: https:\/\/wt.buzz\/ig \ud83d\udcf0 Reddit: https:\/\/wt.buzz\/rd \u2764\ufe0f iHeart Radio: https:\/\/wt.buzz\/iheart \ud83c\udf4e Apple Podcasts: https:\/\/wt.buzz\/ap \ud83d\udccc Pinterest: https:\/\/wt.buzz\/pin\"><meta itemprop=\"thumbnailUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/wfZnHCmedGE\/0.jpg\"><meta itemprop=\"duration\" content=\"PT29M27S\"><meta itemprop=\"uploadDate\" content=\"2024-03-12T20:25:04Z\"><\/span>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">THE PLAYERS Championship Outright Winner: Will Zalatoris +3000 (FanDuel or PointsBet)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>From <a href=\"https:\/\/wt.buzz\/nb\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Nick Borrman<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When you talk about ball-strikers, aside from Scottie, the first person that comes to mind is Will Zalatoris. He has sort of been forgotten about after having back surgery last April and missing the remainder of the 2023 season. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He returned to action in the unofficial Hero World Challenge in December where he finished dead last. He then missed the cut in his first official start at the Sony Open but showed signs of life the following week at the American Express with a T34.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It made all the sense in the world to wait and see on Willy Z, but if you haven\u2019t already jumped back on the bandwagon, now is the time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Zalatoris finished T13 at the Farmers Insurance Open as has since followed that up with a T2 at The Genesis Invitational and a T4 last week at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. At one point on Saturday, Zalatoris had a 5-stroke lead before two double bogeys on the back nine saw that disappear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Will\u2019s putting stroke gets a lot of attention because, well, it ain\u2019t pretty. But it\u2019s been very effective the last four weeks, gaining +0.57 strokes gained per round. Much like we saw from Scheffler last week, if Zalatoris gains strokes putting, he will contend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">THE PLAYERS Championship Top-20 Finish: Russell Henley +210 (Bet365)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Henley played great last week at the API and I like him to carry that over this week. Henley fits the profile of those likely to contend. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He lacks distance off the tee, but that doesn\u2019t matter here as I already mentioned Pete Dye designs reward accuracy and Henley certainly has that. Avoiding trouble is more important than making bogeys around Sawgrass.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Dating back the THE PLAYERS last year, Henley has played in 21 events and finished in the Top-20 in 14 of them (67%). <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He gains strokes both off the tee and approach nearly every time he tees it up while his short game is also on point and last week was evidence of that going a perfect 10-for-10 in sand saves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Finally, Henley has finished in the Top-20 here each of the last two years and of course, has the important Thursday AM tee time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>See you next week for the Valspar Championship!<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>**************************************************<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Looking for more free sports picks and sports betting tips?<\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><strong>Latest Betting Odds and Public Action<\/strong><strong>: <\/strong><a href=\"http:\/\/wt.buzz\/odds\" data-schema-attribute=\"\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Vegas lines<\/a> updated in real time, including who the public is betting on. <\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Last Minute Handicapping Advice<\/strong><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">: Check out our extensive library of <\/span><a style=\"font-size: 12pt;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/sports-betting-guide\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">handicapping tips<\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"> and advice from professional Vegas handicappers (we also recommend taking the time to look over our <\/span><a style=\"font-size: 12pt;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/videos\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">sports betting tips video library<\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">)<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Want an expert opinion?<\/strong><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"> Check out the latest <\/span><a style=\"font-size: 12pt;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/free-sports-picks\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Free Sports Picks<\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"> and <\/span><a style=\"font-size: 12pt;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/picks\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Best Bets<\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"> from our team of expert sports handicappers.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><em><strong>Make sure to bookmark all the above!<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>THE PLAYERS Championship Betting Preview WagerTalk golf handicapper Nick Borrman offers his thoughts on THE PLAYERS Championship teeing off from Players Stadium Course in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL. Nick discusses the guys at the top of the odds board, golfers to fade and other expert picks surrounding THE PLAYERS Championship starting March 14th! $15 FREE [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":26527,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[439],"tags":[9308,9309,9310,3568,2101,2352,2353,2354,9306,9307,4353],"class_list":["post-26525","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-golf","tag-2024-the-players-championship","tag-2024-the-players-championship-picks","tag-2024-the-players-championship-prediction","tag-russell-henley","tag-scottie-scheffler","tag-the-players-championship","tag-the-players-championship-picks","tag-the-players-championship-predictions","tag-the-players-championship-preview","tag-the-players-championship-winner","tag-will-zalatoris"],"basic_html":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">THE PLAYERS Championship Betting Preview<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/profile\/nick-borrman\">WagerTalk golf handicapper Nick Borrman<\/a> offers his thoughts on THE PLAYERS Championship teeing off from Players Stadium Course in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL. Nick discusses the guys at the top of the odds board, golfers to fade and other expert picks surrounding THE PLAYERS Championship starting March 14th!<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"amazing-offer-from-expert-nfl-handicappers\">$15 FREE for PREMIUM GOLF PICKS - CLAIM BELOW<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p><div class=\"hottest_play_area\">\n<div id=\"newsletter_widget\" class=\"hottest_play_third_area newsletter_widget\">\n<div class=\"hottest_play_third_area_content\">\n<div class=\"sign-up-offer-text\">\nSPECIAL OFFER FOR FIRST TIME SUBSCRIBERS\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"newsletter-thank new\" style=\"display: none;\">Thanks for signing up! Check your email in a few minutes for your $15.00 Coupon Code.<\/div>\n<div class=\"newsletter-thank old\" style=\"display: none;\">Thanks for signing up!\nYou are not eligible for this offer<\/div>\n<div class=\"newsletter-form-container\" style=\"display: none;\">\n<h3><img class=\"get-wagertalk-img\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/images\/email-open-wagertalk.png\" alt=\"WagerTalk NewsLetter\">\nSign up for WagerTalk news alerts and get free picks, discounts and\n<span class=\"get-wagertalk\">GET<\/span>\n<span class=\"free-wagertalk\">$15<\/span>\n<span class=\"get-wagertalk-line2\">FREE<\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"center\">ANY SINGLE PURCHASE AT WAGERTALK.COM<\/p>\n<div class=\"free-wagertalk-signup-form\">\n<form id=\"splash-email-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/emailsignup\" method=\"POST\"><input name=\"formSubmitted\" type=\"hidden\" value=\"yes\">\n<input id=\"splash-email-recaptcha-site-key\" name=\"data_recaptchaSiteKey\" type=\"hidden\" value=\"6LdCARkmAAAAAANHM-KhXLNdRk_r8GTFerrGSrZo\">\n<input id=\"splash-email-recaptcha-token\" name=\"data_recaptchaToken\" type=\"hidden\" value=\"\">\n<input id=\"splash-email-return-url\" name=\"data_returnURL\" type=\"hidden\" value=\"\">\n<!--suppress HtmlFormInputWithoutLabel -->\n<input name=\"data_email\" type=\"email\" placeholder=\"Enter your email address\">\n<div class=\"icon\"><!--suppress HtmlFormInputWithoutLabel -->\n<input class=\"sign-up\" name=\"signup\" type=\"submit\" value=\"Sign Up\"><\/div>\n<\/form>\n<p class=\"small\">This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google\n<a href=\"https:\/\/policies.google.com\/privacy\">Privacy Policy<\/a> and\n<a href=\"https:\/\/policies.google.com\/terms\">Terms of Service<\/a> apply.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><em>Stay on top of the latest <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/picks\/golf\">Golf<\/a> updates direct from Las Vegas!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>WagerTalk also offers <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/free-sports-picks\/nfl\">Free NFL Picks<\/a> all year long!<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><th>THE PLAYERS Championship<\/th><th>THE PLAYERS Championship Betting Notes<\/th><\/tr><tr><td>When:<\/td><td>March 14-17<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Where:<\/td><td>Players Stadium Course in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Defending Champ:<\/td><td>Scottie Scheffler<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Current Favorite:<\/td><td>Scottie Scheffler (+500 at <a href=\"https:\/\/wagertalk.go.metabet.io\/bet\/draftkings\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">DraftKings<\/a>)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>TV:<\/td><td>Golf Channel, NBC<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">THE PLAYERS Championship Odds Board<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>Top-10 Total Strokes Gained over the last six months (betting odds via <a href=\"https:\/\/wagertalk.go.metabet.io\/bet\/fanduel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">FanDuel<\/a> ,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/wagertalk.go.metabet.io\/bet\/draftkings\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">DraftKings <\/a>and others)<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img src=\"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Screen-Shot-2024-03-11-at-11.39.16-PM.png\" alt=\"THE PLAYERS Championship odds\" class=\"wp-image-26526\" style=\"width:420px;height:auto\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">THE PLAYERS Championship Betting Preview<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>The logo says it all. This is the 50th edition of THE PLAYERS with the biggest purse in history as the winner will grab a $4.5M payday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>TPC Sawgrass is designed by the notorious Pete Dye and presents one of the toughest challenges the players face every season. Very much like last week at Bay Hill, we usually don\u2019t see too many players reach double-digit under par. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>Last year Scheffler ran away with it at 17-under, but he was one of only four players to reach 10-under. That score was also the 2nd lowest total dating back to 1996, which gives you an idea of how rare it is to reach that number.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>The track plays as a stock par-72 measuring a little over 7,200 yards, so it\u2019s not one of the longest courses the guys face all year. But length isn\u2019t Dye\u2019s shtick. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>Dye prioritizes accuracy over length and all his courses are designed to reward good shots while penalizing even slightly errant shots. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>Birdies can be found with well struck irons but miss on approach by a just a few feet and double bogey quickly comes into play. Of course, there is no better example of that than the famous 17th hole island green par 3.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"amazing-offer-from-expert-nfl-handicappers\">Before You Read Nick's THE PLAYERS Championship Betting Preview... Get $15 FREE towards all expert picks - including THE PLAYERS Championship &amp; More<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p><a class=\"anchor\" id=\"newsletterfrm\"><\/a>\n<div class=\"hottest_play_area\">\n  <div id=\"newsletter_widget\" class=\"hottest_play_third_area newsletter_widget\">\n    <div class=\"hottest_play_third_area_content\">\n      <div class=\"sign-up-offer-text\">\n        <p>SPECIAL OFFER FOR FIRST TIME SUBSCRIBERS<\/p>\n      <\/div>\n      <div class=\"newsletter-thank new\" style=\"display: none;\">\n        <a class=\"anchor-newsletter\"><\/a>\n        Thanks for signing up! Check your email in a few minutes for your $15.00 Coupon Code.\n      <\/div>\n      <div class=\"newsletter-thank old\" style=\"display: none;\">\n        <a class=\"anchor-newsletter\"><\/a>\n        Thanks for signing up!<br>You are not eligible for this offer\n      <\/div>\n      <div class=\"newsletter-form-container\" style=\"display: none;\">\n        <h3>\n          <img src=\"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/images\/email-open-wagertalk.png\" alt=\"WagerTalk NewsLetter\" class=\"get-wagertalk-img\">\n          Sign up for WagerTalk news alerts and get free picks, discounts and\n          <span class=\"get-wagertalk\">GET<\/span>\n          <span class=\"free-wagertalk\">$15<\/span>\n          <span class=\"get-wagertalk-line2\">FREE<\/span>\n        <\/h3>\n        <p class=\"center\">ANY SINGLE PURCHASE AT WAGERTALK.COM<\/p>\n        <div class=\"free-wagertalk-signup-form\">\n          <form id=\"splash-email-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/emailsignup\" method=\"POST\">\n            <input type=\"hidden\" name=\"formSubmitted\" value=\"yes\">\n            <input type=\"hidden\" id=\"splash-email-recaptcha-site-key\" name=\"data_recaptchaSiteKey\" value=\"6LdCARkmAAAAAANHM-KhXLNdRk_r8GTFerrGSrZo\">\n            <input type=\"hidden\" id=\"splash-email-recaptcha-token\" name=\"data_recaptchaToken\" value=\"\">\n            <input type=\"hidden\" id=\"splash-email-return-url\" name=\"data_returnURL\" value=\"\">\n            <!--suppress HtmlFormInputWithoutLabel -->\n            <input type=\"email\" name=\"data_email\" placeholder=\"Enter your email address\">\n            <div class=\"icon\">\n              <!--suppress HtmlFormInputWithoutLabel -->\n              <input type=\"submit\" name=\"signup\" value=\"Sign Up\" class=\"sign-up\">\n            <\/div>\n          <\/form>\n          <p class=\"signup-form-text\" style=\"color: red !important;font-weight: bold;\"><\/p>\n          <p class=\"small\">\n            This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google\n            <a href=\"https:\/\/policies.google.com\/privacy\">Privacy Policy<\/a> and\n            <a href=\"https:\/\/policies.google.com\/terms\">Terms of Service<\/a> apply.\n          <\/p>\n        <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n<\/div><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>Last week at Bay Hill, the best ball-strikers in the field rose to the top by the end of the tournament with the best in the business claiming victory. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>This week will be more of the same so it\u2019s no wonder Scottie Scheffler is an even shorter favorite despite the field more than doubling in size. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>While it\u2019s easy to want to jump all in on Scottie again this week, the stark reminder you need to hear is that no PLAYERS Champion has ever repeated. Streaks of course are meant to be broken, but that one is hard to ignore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>Here are some more important trends to pay attention to this week:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Course Experience<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<ul>\n\n\n\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Current Form<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<ul>\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>And finally, one more than is entirely out of the players\u2019 control.&nbsp; 14 of the last 16 winners have played in the Thursday AM \/ Friday PM wave.&nbsp; Another anti-Scottie streak.&nbsp; Coincidence?&nbsp; You decide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>If those above trends didn\u2019t highlight it for you, I\u2019ll spell it out simply.&nbsp; Zero in on elite iron players that also have strong short games.&nbsp; Driving and putting take a back seat this week.&nbsp; <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>I mean, Scheffler ranked 48<sup>th<\/sup> in SG Putting last year and still won by five, but his +4.29 SG T2G nearly lapped the field as Tom Hoge, who finished T3, was 2<sup>nd<\/sup> by a wide margin at +2.93.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>Weather looks great all week with only a slight chance of Thunderstorms on Friday afternoon.\u00a0 Temperatures will be around 80 degrees all week so don\u2019t expect any stark tee time wave advantages like we saw just a couple years ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n<iframe src='https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/wfZnHCmedGE?origin=https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com'><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">THE PLAYERS Championship Outright Winner: Will Zalatoris +3000 (FanDuel or PointsBet)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>From <a href=\"https:\/\/wt.buzz\/nb\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Nick Borrman<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>When you talk about ball-strikers, aside from Scottie, the first person that comes to mind is Will Zalatoris. He has sort of been forgotten about after having back surgery last April and missing the remainder of the 2023 season. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>He returned to action in the unofficial Hero World Challenge in December where he finished dead last. He then missed the cut in his first official start at the Sony Open but showed signs of life the following week at the American Express with a T34.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>It made all the sense in the world to wait and see on Willy Z, but if you haven\u2019t already jumped back on the bandwagon, now is the time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>Zalatoris finished T13 at the Farmers Insurance Open as has since followed that up with a T2 at The Genesis Invitational and a T4 last week at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. At one point on Saturday, Zalatoris had a 5-stroke lead before two double bogeys on the back nine saw that disappear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>Will\u2019s putting stroke gets a lot of attention because, well, it ain\u2019t pretty. But it\u2019s been very effective the last four weeks, gaining +0.57 strokes gained per round. Much like we saw from Scheffler last week, if Zalatoris gains strokes putting, he will contend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">THE PLAYERS Championship Top-20 Finish: Russell Henley +210 (Bet365)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>Henley played great last week at the API and I like him to carry that over this week. Henley fits the profile of those likely to contend. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>He lacks distance off the tee, but that doesn\u2019t matter here as I already mentioned Pete Dye designs reward accuracy and Henley certainly has that. Avoiding trouble is more important than making bogeys around Sawgrass.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>Dating back the THE PLAYERS last year, Henley has played in 21 events and finished in the Top-20 in 14 of them (67%). <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>He gains strokes both off the tee and approach nearly every time he tees it up while his short game is also on point and last week was evidence of that going a perfect 10-for-10 in sand saves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>Finally, Henley has finished in the Top-20 here each of the last two years and of course, has the important Thursday AM tee time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>See you next week for the Valspar Championship!<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>**************************************************<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Looking for more free sports picks and sports betting tips?<\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n\n\n<ul>\n\n\n\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><em><strong>Make sure to bookmark all the above!<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26525","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26525"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26525\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":26564,"href":"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26525\/revisions\/26564"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/26527"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26525"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26525"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26525"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}