The Players Championship: Golf Odds And Predictions
The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass’ Stadium Course in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., is perhaps best known most to many golf fans as home to the famous island par-3 17th hole. Frankly, most Tour players don’t like the gimmicky hole but it makes for good television – Sports Interaction offers a few props options for that hole (how many balls in the water; will there be a hole in one). The course is a par 72 measuring 7,189 yards. The tournament record score of 264 was set by Greg Norman in 1994.
The Players Championship Background
This week’s event in Florida will also be the end of an era of sorts, as it will be the last for the foreseeable future held in May. As part of a major shift on the PGA Tour schedule for the 2018-19 season, the PGA Championship will move from August to May. The Players Championship will move to March, potentially smack dab in the middle of the NCAA Tournament. The Tour wants one signature event per month starting in the spring (Players in March, Masters in April, PGA Championship in May, U.S. Open in June and British Open in July) and then concluding the season around Labor Day with the FedEx Cup playoffs. The Players was held in March from 1977 to 2006 before moving to May.
All of the world’s Top 57 players are in the field, including the 22 who have combined to win the past 28 major championships and Players titles. The defending champion is South Korean Si Woo Kim. He finished at 10-under 278 to beat Louis Oosthuizen and Ian Poulter by three shots. No player has ever repeated at this tournament. Just six golfers have won it multiple times.
The Players Championship Odds Favourites
Rory McIlroy was our choice to win last week’s Wells Fargo Championship in Charlotte for a third time in his career, but he finished T16 largely due to a second-round 76. McIlroy is the +1200 Sports Interaction favourite this week even though he has never won the Players. He does, however, have the best cumulative score at the event the past five years at -29.
Jason Day, who won the Wells Fargo on Sunday, Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas are all +1400. Thomas and Spieth could both potentially take over the No. 1 ranking in the world depending on what they and current No. 1 Dustin Johnson (+1600) do. Spieth hasn’t won the Players yet and missed the cut the past three years. Neither Thomas nor Johnson has won it, either. Day did in 2016 at 15 under. Spaniard Jon Rahm (+2500) also could take the No. 1 ranking.
Tiger Woods is +2800 to win the Players for a third time as he plays at TPC Sawgrass for the first time in three years. Only Jack Nicklaus has won the tournament three times.
The lone Canadian to win the Players was Stephen Ames in 2006 by a whopping six shots. Adam Hadwin is +10000. His best result here is 30th last year. Hadwin finished T16 last week. Mackenzie Hughes and Nick Taylor are each +30000. Taylor has an MC (2016) and 73rd (2015) at the Players. Hughes is making his debut.
The Players Championship Predictions
Sports Interaction also offers some group betting – take Henrik Stenson to win Group C at +300 over the likes of Sergio Garcia (+350), Phil Mickelson (+360) and Tiger (+380). Stenson should contend, but the winning choice at +5000 is Francesco Molinari. He has been no worse than seventh in his past three trips to this tournament.
