| TV:<\/td> | Golf Channel, NBC<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n 2025 The PLAYERS Championship Course Preview<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\nThe Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass is one of the most demanding and balanced\u00a0 tests in professional golf. Measuring 7,352 yards as a Par 72, the Pete Dye design\u00a0ensures that no single style of play has an advantage\u2014every part of a golfer\u2019s game\u00a0 must be sharp to contend. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n There\u2019s a saying at this tournament: \"The guy that plays the\u00a0 best that week, wins the tournament,\" and history proves it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n Past champions like Scottie\u00a0 Scheffler, Cameron Smith, Justin Thomas, and Rory McIlroy all have different strengths,\u00a0yet they each thrived here by executing in every area. This year, weather conditions\u00a0look ideal for most of the week, with only possible wind and rain late on Sunday, which\u00a0 could impact the final round. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n The overseeded Ryegrass and Fescue fairways provide\u00a0 consistent lies, while the Poa Trivialis overseeded greens play smoother and more\u00a0receptive than traditional Bermudagrass, helping players who struggle on grainier\u00a0 greens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n With recent yardage extensions to multiple holes, including key par-5s (2nd,\u00a0 11th, and 16th), TPC Sawgrass remains a strategic and mentally demanding course where only the best all-around player will hoist the trophy on Sunday\u2014weather\u00a0 permitting.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n **Throw out the 2022 results. Crazy storm came in on the afternoon on Friday and everyone that played in the afternoon missed the cut or finished bad and the morning guys had it way easier. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n **Only 3 times since 2007 has the winner come from the late tee times on Thursday. 2024 Scheffler, 2014 Kaymer, 2013 Tiger Woods<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n 2025 The PLAYERS Championship Favorite Holes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\nFavorite Hole: 17th hole Par 3 135 Yards<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\nThis is probably the easiest Favorite Hole of the year. It\u2019s one of the most famous holes\u00a0 in the world, maybe the most famous. On paper, it sounds easy. 135 Yard Par 3?\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n However, shooting it to an island green with almost no rough drives these guys crazy\u00a0every year. Along with the water, there\u2019s an annoying pot bunker in front, and several\u00a0 tiers on the green which can make putting a nightmare. Every year, the club says they\u00a0 pull about 120,000 golf balls out of the water at years end. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n Last year, Tom Kim shot +2\u00a0 going into the 17th, he put his first shot in the water, ended up with a triple bogey, and\u00a0 he promptly withdrew from the tourney. It\u2019s an iconic hole, it would be foolish to pick\u00a0 another hole as the favorite this week.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n 18th Hole: Par 4 460 Yards\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\nDeceivingly nice hole here. The hole bends to the left with water right on the fairways\u00a0 edge, however being on the left side of the fairway is by far the best angle to attack the\u00a0hole. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n Drives off to the right could flirt with the trees, and the angle is much more difficult\u00a0 to attack the hole. The green is a tough one as there are big changes in elevations that\u00a0can make for difficult 2-putts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n A courageous, and accurate drive will set up a green light\u00a0for birdie, but wayward drives spell disaster. Water on the left of the green, and bunkers\u00a0short and long create just a bit more added difficulty as well. The final 2 holes here are\u00a0 really good.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n 2025 The PLAYERS Championship: Players That Can Trip You Up<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\nXander Schauffele<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\nHe made this segment last week, and we were right as he needed a -3 in round 4 to\u00a0 finish 40th, but I\u2019m still of the opinion it\u2019s going to take him several tournaments to get\u00a0back to form. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n He looks like he\u2019s lost muscle, and there\u2019s no way he\u2019s been able to\u00a0practice at 100% and it showed. Driving accuracy was back, putting was bad, around the green was horrific, and the only thing that he did well was his approaches. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n It\u2019s a stacked field on a course that demands a good performance from all parts of the game,\u00a0 I just don\u2019t think he\u2019s going to be consistent over all 4 rounds. He\u2019s priced as a Top 6\u00a0 guy, I just don\u2019t see it.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n Collin Morikawa\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\nI think there could be a letdown from him this week after he blew a lead late in the 4th\u00a0round to lose to Henley. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n His numbers across the board are really good, but this is a\u00a0course he hasn\u2019t played well at for some reason. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n He\u2019s finished 45th, 13th, MC and 41st\u00a0 in his 4 appearances here, and it seems come down to putting for him as he\u2019s negative\u00a0strokes gained in all 4 of those tournaments, and last year he really struggled with\u00a0 approach and accuracy off the tee. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n Let down spot, and bad course history is playing\u00a0 with fire if you\u2019re betting on him this week.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n Russell Henley\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\nAfter the win last week, you\u2019re going to have to pay a premium price for him this week\u00a0 as he\u2019s priced as a top 11 golfer, and he\u2019s never finished top 11 here. Four missed cuts\u00a0 in the last 6 years here with a 13th and 19th in 2022 and 2023. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n He\u2019s having an\u00a0incredible year, maybe he keeps it up this week, but you\u2019re not getting a good deal\u00a0 anymore on him. Also, after a big win like that, there is letdown potential so I\u2019ll proceed\u00a0 with caution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n The PLAYERS Championship DraftKings Darlings\u00a0<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n***Last week's lineup got us a 47th place finish in a 150 person tournament, and that\u00a0 was with 2 guys missing the cut so apparently a lot of people struggled.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n Taylor Moore $5600\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\nThis is an insane price. He\u2019s finished 35th and 31st the last 2 years here, and he\u2019s made 6 cuts in a row this season. His driving and putting have been fantastic the last 30 days, and while his approach numbers haven\u2019t been good, it hasn\u2019t prevented him from making cuts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n Jake Knapp $5900\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\nI like that he took last week off after a disappointing 6th place finish the previous week, but that was his 7th tournament in a row and a little break was probably needed. He finished 45th here last year, and he\u2019s +0.54 approach and +0.42 putting this season, more than good enough to make the cut this week if he keeps up those numbers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n Keith Mitchell $7000\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\nHe\u2019s been a made cut machine this season making all 5 cuts, and he\u2019s made the cut in 5 out of 6 events he\u2019s played here. He\u2019s always been a long hitter with lackluster stats\u00a0in other areas, but he's plus strokes gained putting, approach and around the green this season so he\u2019s good enough to play at this price.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n Rest Of Lineup: Si Woo Kim $8200, Ludvig Aberg $10,200, Scottie Scheffler $12,800<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n$15 FREE for PREMIUM GOLF PICKS - CLAIM BELOW<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\n |
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