⛳ The Players Championship Picks This Week: PGA Tour Odds & Outright Winner Best Bets
The Players Championship is underway at the iconic Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass (Ponta Vedra, Fla.). With a $25-million purse and a field featuring 47 of the world's top 50 golfers, I'm dropping my best Players Championship picks, including the outright winner and best props for the famed 17th hole.
Whether you're backing the favorites or chasing a triple-digit long shot, TPC Sawgrass is a volatility machine where a single mistake at the island-green 17th can derail an entire round - so let’s dive in.
🔥 The Players Championship picks: Picks to win
Here are my best golf picks to win the 2026 Players Championship as of Thursday morning. Odds via FanDuel.
| Player (Outright winner) | Current odds | Why they can win |
|---|---|---|
| Scottie Scheffler | +480 | He leads the Tour in SG: Tee-to-Green and remains the man to beat. |
| Rory McIlroy | +1800 | The defending champion (2025) and two-time winner. Rory’s driver is a weapon. |
| Xander Schauffele | +3000 | Coming off a T7 at Riviera, Xander’s well-rounded game fits Sawgrass. |
| Collin Morikawa* | +1600 | Currently on a three-event heater (Win, T7, 5th). His elite iron play is tailor-made for this course. |
* Morikawa WD after the first hole
💰 The Players Championship picks: My best bets
Outright winner: Collin Morikawa (+2000 - .5u)
* Morikawa has withdrawn from the event after one hole.
Morikawa is arguably playing the best golf on Tour right now. He's also arguably the best ball-striker in the world when his irons are hot. His recent form gives me a ton of confidence to back him at +2000 odds to win this one outright, and I've already laid .2u on him to do so. At TPC Sawgrass, where strokes gained: approach (fifth of Tour) is the most correlated stat to winning, I'm pounding my fist on the table.
🤑 More Players Championship odds and picks
Our Esten McLaren also loves Morikawa to perform this week in his Players Championship odds piece.
Hole in one on 17: Yes (+200 - .5u)
While +200 seems short, recent history justifies it. TPC Sawgrass has seen a surge in aces (Shane Lowry in 2022, Aaron Rai in 2023, Ryan Fox in 2024). With the field's overall wedge proximity improving every year, the probability of an ace - especially with Sunday pins that funnel toward the hole - is higher than ever. It's just one of a few hole 17 specials I love this week.
Top-5 finish: Si Woo Kim (+500 - 1u)
The 2017 champion loves this layout. Beyond his win, Kim has recorded multiple top-10s here (2021, 2024) and is coming off a T13 at Bay Hill. He enters the week ranking second on Tour in strokes gained: approach and fourth in driving accuracy, and is a fantastic play to finish top five at TPC Sawgrass. I'm personally waiting until Wednesday to make this play at a full unit, as I can see this bet closing at +600.
Top rest of world: Min Woo Lee (+750 - .2u)
Lee's current statistical profile and history at TPC Sawgrass make him a high-value sleeper for the ROW market. Min Woo enters the week on a massive heater: over his last three starts on the PGA Tour, he hasn't finished outside the top 12. It's a great bet to make behind Si Woo Kim, who I have finishing in the top five this week, and deserves a small sprinkle from your bankroll.
Sleeper pick: Corey Conners (+10000 - .1u)
Conners' issues have come on the greens, without a doubt. However, he's been able to gain strokes on the field on the fast Bermuda greens at TPC Sawgrass. This course is built for precision and penalizes bomb and gouge mentalities - if Conners brings his best, he could be in play come Sunday. If you're looking for more Players Championship sleepers, our LJ Blut has you covered.
Other bets to consider: Top Canadian (+230)
📊 How I'm betting The Players Championship
When wagering on the Players Championship, four stats need to be taken into consideration: strokes gained: approach, strokes gained: around-the-green, driving accuracy, and bogey avoidance. I've highlighted these in each of my favorite plays for the week ahead. Remember, you're not only playing the golfer and his form coming into the tournament, but also the course. Each play is specifically tailored to TPC Sawgrass, with values on a sliding scale based on my confidence.
🔢 Players Championship power rankings
Who ranks No. 1 headed into the Players Championship this week? Esten McLaren breaks it all down in his Players Championship power rankings.
🕰️ The Players Championship tee times
Here are your tee times for the Players Championship for both Round 1 and Round 2:
| Rd 1 Tee | Rd 2 Tee | Player 1 | Player 2 | Player 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7:40 AM | 12:30 PM | Mark Hubbard | Thorbjorn Olesen | Mac Meissner |
| 7:52 AM | 12:42 PM | Bud Cauley | Vince Whaley | Chandler Phillips |
| 8:04 AM | 12:54 PM | Emiliano Grillo | Christiaan Bezuidenhout | Max Greyserman |
| 8:16 AM | 1:06 PM | Kevin Yu | Cam Davis | Gary Woodland |
| 8:28 AM | 1:18 PM | Ricky Castillo | Ryan Gerard | Patrick Cantlay |
| 8:40 AM | 1:30 PM | Adam Schenk | Garrick Higgo | Matt McCarty |
| 8:52 AM | 1:42 PM | Brian Harman | Maverick McNealy | Davis Riley |
| 9:04 AM | 1:54 PM | Sami Valimaki | Lucas Glover | Matt Fitzpatrick |
| 9:16 AM | 2:06 PM | Michael Brennan | Harris English | J.T. Poston |
| 9:28 AM | 2:18 PM | Haotong Li | Zheng Dou | Jordan Spieth |
| 7:40 AM | 12:30 PM | Mackenzie Hughes | Eric Cole | Rico Hoey |
| 7:52 AM | 12:42 PM | Max Homa | Daniel Berger | Michael Thorbjornsen |
| 8:04 AM | 12:54 PM | Rasmus Højgaard | Danny Walker | Kristoffer Reitan |
| 8:16 AM | 1:06 PM | Jhonattan Vegas | Taylor Pendrith | Alex Noren |
| 8:28 AM | 1:18 PM | Akshay Bhatia | Brooks Koepka | Tony Finau |
| 8:40 AM | 1:30 PM | Collin Morikawa | Ludvig Åberg | Si Woo Kim |
| 8:52 AM | 1:42 PM | Scottie Scheffler | Tommy Fleetwood | Justin Thomas |
| 9:04 AM | 1:54 PM | Viktor Hovland | Russell Henley | Robert MacIntyre |
| 9:16 AM | 2:06 PM | Aldrich Potgieter | Jake Knapp | Sungjae Im |
| 9:28 AM | 2:18 PM | Patton Kizzire | Seamus Power | Johnny Keefer |
| 12:30 PM | 7:40 AM | Lee Hodges | Andrew Putnam | Sam Stevens |
| 12:42 PM | 7:52 AM | Erik van Rooyen | Keith Mitchell | Michael Kim |
| 12:54 PM | 8:04 AM | Taylor Moore | Joel Dahmen | Ryo Hisatsune |
| 1:06 PM | 8:16 AM | Jacob Bridgeman | Ben Griffin | Adam Scott |
| 1:18 PM | 8:28 AM | J.J. Spaun | Sepp Straka | Shane Lowry |
| 1:30 PM | 8:40 AM | Joaquin Niemann | Keegan Bradley | Corey Conners |
| 1:42 PM | 8:52 AM | Xander Schauffele | Rory McIlroy | Hideki Matsuyama |
| 1:54 PM | 9:04 AM | Chris Gotterup | Justin Rose | Min Woo Lee |
| 2:06 PM | 9:16 AM | Brian Campbell | Karl Vilips | Aaron Rai |
| 2:18 PM | 9:28 AM | Matti Schmid | Max McGreevy | Takumi Kanaya |
| 2:30 PM | 9:40 AM | Zach Bauchou | Sudarshan Yellamaraju | A.J. Ewart |
| 12:30 PM | 7:40 AM | Tom Hoge | Denny McCarthy | Nicolai Højgaard |
| 12:42 PM | 7:52 AM | Patrick Rodgers | Kevin Roy | Marc Leishman |
| 12:54 PM | 8:04 AM | Chad Ramey | Alex Smalley | Pierceson Coody |
| 1:06 PM | 8:16 AM | Kurt Kitayama | Harry Hall | Stephan Jaeger |
| 1:18 PM | 8:28 AM | Keegan Bradley | Ryan Fox | Chris Kirk |
| 1:30 PM | 8:40 AM | Andrew Novak | Nick Taylor | Wyndham Clark |
| 1:42 PM | 8:52 AM | Steven Fisk | William Mouw | Joe Highsmith |
| 1:54 PM | 9:04 AM | Camilo Villegas | Carson Young | Sam Burns |
| 2:06 PM | 9:16 AM | Nico Echavarria | Jason Day | Corey Conners |
| 2:18 PM | 9:28 AM | Matthieu Pavon | S.H. Kim | Austin Smotherman |
🏆 The Players Championship outright odds: Favorites
Here are the betting favorites to win this week's Players Championship, with odds via FanDuel. Top finish odds include ties. For the full-field odds from our best golf betting sites, scroll further down.
| Golfer | OWGR Rank | Odds to win | Top 5 odds | Top 10 odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scottie Scheffler | 1 | +440 | +105 | -185 |
| Rory McIlroy | 2 | +1300 | +290 | +150 |
| Collin Morikawa | 4 | +2000 | +450 | +210 |
| Tommy Fleetwood | 3 | +2500 | +500 | +240 |
| Xander Schauffele | 10 | +2700 | +500 | +280 |
| Ludvig Aberg | 21 | +2500 | +500 | +270 |
| Viktor Hovland | 18 | +3500 | +750 | +360 |
| Hideki Matsuyama | 12 | +4000 | +850 | +410 |
| Si Woo Kim | 28 | +2200 | +490 | +240 |
🎟️ Most bet tickets for Players Championship
Ticket information via DraftKings:
| Market | Player (Most bet) |
|---|---|
| Winner | Collin Morikawa |
| Winner | Ludvig Aberg |
| Winner | Scottie Scheffler |
| Longshot Winner | Brooks Koepka |
| Longshot Winner | Sepp Straka |
| Longshot Winner | Sahith Theegala |
| Winner w/o Scheffler | Collin Morikawa |
| Winner w/o Scheffler | Rory McIlroy |
| Winner w/o Scheffler | Ludvig Aberg |
| Winner w/o Scheffler | Collin Morikawa |
| Winner w/o Scheffler | Ludvig Aberg |
| Winner w/o Scheffler | Jake Knapp |
| T5 | Collin Morikawa |
| T5 | Scottie Scheffler |
| T5 | Si Woo Kim |
| T5 | Scottie Scheffler |
| T5 | Collin Morikawa |
| T5 | Chris Gotterup |
| T10 | Collin Morikawa |
| T10 | Si Woo Kim |
| T10 | Ludvig Aberg |
| T10 | Collin Morikawa |
| T10 | Scottie Scheffler |
| T10 | Ludvig Aberg |
ℹ️ TPC Sawgrass course info
Often considered Pete Dye's most iconic design, The Players Championship consistently features the strongest field in golf, and the 2026 edition took a step closer to that standard with Brooks Koepka returning to the PGA Tour field this season.
The course's intricate Bermuda greens play fast and feature subtle but demanding slopes, many of which funnel toward the numerous water hazards scattered throughout the layout. Precision off the tee is critical, as the fairways require golfers to find specific landing zones or risk difficult lies in the rough - or even more trouble in the water.
Over the past decade, winning scores at the tournament have typically fallen between 10-under and 20-under par.
| Info | TPC Sawgrass |
|---|---|
| Par | 72 |
| Yardage | 7,275 |
| Greens | Bermuda |
| Architect | Pete Dye |
| Bunkers | 88 |
Key stats
Here are the key stats I'll be using when betting on the 2026 Players Championship:
- Strokes gained: approach
- Strokes gained: tee-to-green
- Proximity to the pin (125-150 yards)
- Bogey avoidance
- Driving accuracy over driving distance
📺 How to watch The Players Championship
The 2026 Genesis Invitational will be broadcast over PGA Tour Live (ESPN+), Golf Channel, and CBS. Here's the full broadcast schedule and how to watch each time slot:
| Date | Streaming (ESPN+) | TV Coverage (ET) | Network / Platform |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thurs, March 12 | 4:30 AM - 7:00 PM | 1:00 PM - 7:00 PM | Golf Channel |
| Fri, March 13 | 4:30 AM - 7:00 PM | 1:00 PM - 7:00 PM | Golf Channel |
| Sat, March 14 | 5:00 AM - 7:00 PM | 2:00 PM - 7:00 PM | NBC / Peacock |
| Sun, March 15 | 5:00 AM - 6:00 PM | 1:00 PM - 6:00 PM | NBC / Peacock |
☀️ The Players Championship weather
Here is the weather forecast for TPC Sawgrass (Ponta Vedra, Fla.) this week, according to Accuweather:
| Date | Condition | High / Low (°C) | High / Low (°F) | Precip Chance | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thurs, March 12 | Light rain | 25°C / 16°C | 77°F / 61°F | 35% | 14 mph SW |
| Fri, March 13 | Light rain | 18°C / 16°C | 64°F / 61°F | 65% | 18 mph N |
| Sat, March 14 | Mostly sunny | 20°C / 17°C | 68°F / 63°F | 15% | 11 mph NE |
| Sun, March 15 | Light rain | 23°C / 18°C | 73°F / 64°F | 20% | 10 mph SE |
📜 The Players Championship betting history
Here are the recent winners of The Players Championship at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, Calif. Historical golf odds via GolfOdds.com:
| Year | Winner | Score | Margin of Victory |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Rory McIlroy | -12 | Playoff |
| 2024 | Scottie Scheffler | -20 | 1 stroke |
| 2023 | Scottie Scheffler | -17 | 5 strokes |
| 2022 | Cameron Smith | -13 | 1 stroke |
| 2021 | Justin Thomas | -14 | 1 stroke |
| 2020 | No Winner | N/A | Canceled |
| 2019 | Rory McIlroy | -16 | 1 stroke |
| 2018 | Webb Simpson | -18 | 4 strokes |
| 2017 | Si Woo Kim | -10 | 3 strokes |
| 2016 | Jason Day | -15 | 4 strokes |
| 2015 | Rickie Fowler | -12 | Playoff |
❓ The Players Championship FAQs
Who is favored to win The Players Championship?
Scottie Scheffler opened as the favorite to win The Players Championship, with +400 outright betting odds via BetRivers.
Who won The Players Championship last year?
Rory McIlroy won The Players Championship in a playoff with a 72-hole score of 12-under par. His pre-tournament odds last year were +1400.
When is The Players Championship?
The 2026 Players Championship will be played from March 12-15.
Where is The Players Championship?
The Players Championship is held annually at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.
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