It doesn’t get any better than the fifth major in March. If the Saudis and the extremely controversial LIV players hadn’t messed with the tour, this would be even better. But those guys have made their beds. They’re playing on that joke tour that has no substance or legacy. But guys like Scottie Scheffler, Justin Thomas, Jordan Spieth, Hideki Matsuyama, Patrick Cantlay, Collin Morikawa, Will Zalatoris, Viktor Hovland and Wyndham Clark decided they want to play for a legacy, and that’s admirable. They can also make some really good money themselves to go along with it and also really know what it’s like to be a competitor.
Do I want the LIV players to return to the PGA Tour if there is a merger with the Saudis and the PGA? Not clear on that yet. Still working on it.Part of me wants to say see you later, but there are a few guys that would be nice to have back.I wish Jon Rahm hadn’t left; that was a blow. But what do you do. I know the guy got $300 million from the Saudis and that’s extremely hard to pass up. But he did say a year and a half ago what’s the differnce between $65M and $300M. There is a big difference, but $65 million or most likely more ain’t too bad either. And you play on a serious tour.
I do like the Signature Events this year. They make the season more fun. And this one is the best outside the 4 majors. The Players purse is $25 million with $4.5M going to the winner. So winning is a highly desirable goal . And it’s also a history making victory. People remember who wins the Players. From Hal Sutton’s “Be the right club to-day,” to Tiger’s “better than most,” there are some very historic and memorable moments in this tournament. Nothing like stepping up the to the tee on the Island Hole, No. 17, with the wind blowing 10 MPH or so on Sunday and having to execute an 8 iron or such and keep it from going into the water with everything on the line and the intense pressure that goes with it. Now that’s dramatic. Then you go to one of the most underrated and best holes on tour, the 18th, with everything still on the line, and left is the water and right are mounds and trees. The pressure is ratcheted up to the max. These are the electric, historic moments these guys play for. So that’s what’s in store this weekend.
The defending champion is Scottie Scheffler, who also won last week at the Arnie and with a new Taylor Made Spider putter that has weighing on the back to help straighten out the misses. He’s starting to putt lights out again. He was fifth for the week in Strokes Gained: Putting at the Arnie and No.1 on Sunday. He’s such a tremendous ball striker that if his putter is working, he’s the best in the world. And he is ranked No.1 at present. Guys like Jon Rahm and Cam Smith aren’t playing. No Koepka. No Dustin. No DeChambeau. That’s a shame, but it doesn’t take away from the extraordinariness of this event.
Here are this week’s odds for the Players:
Scottie Scheffler, 5 1/2:1
Rory: 12/1. I failed to mention Rory among the admirable PGA players, and he certainly is one and the leader for the Tour or he has been. He’s had me a little worried lately that he might defect as he’s been more empathetic towards the LIV players.
JT: 22/1. A previous winner here in 2021. Would like to see him really return to form.
Xander: 22/1. Another one I didn’t mention. Certainly in that group of stars who are dedicated to the Tour.
Hovland: 22/1. Definitely a contender this weekend.
Cantlay: 25/1
Zalatoris: 25/1
Hideki: 28/1
Max Homa: 33/1. Another guy who’s a stellar player and leader on the tour.
Ludvig Aberg: 33/1. Has come on lately. Not real knowledgeable about him.
Wyndham Clark: 33/1. The reigning U.S. Open champion.
Sam Burns: 33/1. Definitely a threat here. And another guy on the list above.
Morikawa: 35/1. Former Open and PGA champion. Trying to get his game back in form. If he does he’ll be a factor this weekend. The talent is there.
Spieth: 35/1. It would be awesome if he could get his game back in gear.
Shane Lowry: 40/1
Tommy Fleetwood: 45/1. What a likable, pleasant guy.
Jason Day: 45/1. Would like to see him get it going again like Jordan. He’s shown flashes in the last 2 years.
Sahith Theegala: 50/1. A young up and comer, who’s already making his mark. Watched an interview with him at the Arnie. Awesome guy.
Cam Young: 50/1
Min Woo Lee: 55/1
Sungjae Im: 60/1
Si Woo Kim: 60/1. Has won here in 2017.
Russell Henley: 60/1. In contention a lot.
Tony Finau: 60/1. Another leader on the tour who can break out at any moment.
Brian Harmon: 65/1. The defending Open Champion is very much a factor many times.
Harris English: 65/1. Like Henley and Harmon from that talented University of Georgia lineage. Always competitive.
Matt Fitzpatrick: 70/1. Another leader and a heckuva player when he’s on.
Adam Scott: 80/1. The veteran is still competitive and won the Players in 2004.
So, superb field for this 5th Major. Really loaded. Meanwhile, the member guest LIV Tour meanders on its boring path. Those guys don’t play again until April, the week before the Masters, the Miami tournament at Trump National. I know great players on this blog who are talented and have 10 times the heart that those guys have.
Weather
Thursday: 78, Sunny. Wind NE 9
Friday: 84, Partly Sunny. Wind S 11.
Saturday: 83. Chance of T storms in the PM. Wind WSW 10.
Sunday: 82. Chance of T storms, but only 38%. Wind SW !2.
No. 17 will be riveting on Sunday. So will 18.
TV
Thursday-Friday, 12-6 PM CT. Golf Channel.
Saturday, 1-6 PM CT. NBC
Sunday, 12-5 PM CT. NBC.
The great Gary Koch and the great Roger Maltbie will be on the call for NBC as well this weekend along with Dan Hicks and others. I wish they’d bring back those two legends permanently. They’re just what you think of when you think about key events on the PGA Tour.
Winner
It is so hard to pick against the 27 year old from Ridgewood, New Jersey by way of the University of Texas. There is fierce competition at the Players and nobody has won it back to back. There have been multiple winners like Tiger and Hal Sutton, but no-one has repeated as champion, which is interesting in and of itself. But I can’t go against a guy who is arguably the best ball striker on tour and has now gotten back his putting stroke. I just can’t go against him. He’ll win his 8th tournament on Tour in his young, illustrious and always ascending career.
Scottie Scheffler
Sleeper
I’ll take the 150/1 30 year old from Vienna, Austria by way of the University of Georgia.