The 2023 edition of the Players Championship is set to kick off Thursday in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL. The event’s first two rounds will be broadcast on the Golf Channel before switching over to NBC for Saturday and Sunday.
Thursday’s tee sheet includes marquee groupings of Jon Rahm, Rory McElroy, and Scottie Scheffler at 7:56am ET and Max Homa, Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth at 12:56pm ET. Other notable groups include Collin Morikawa, Adam Scott and Rickie Fowler at 7:45am ET, and Justin Rose, Billy Horschel, and Hideki Matsuyama at 8:07am ET.
There’s never been a repeat winner at TPC, and that won’t be changing this year. 2022 champion Cameron Smith’s image has been scrubbed from all merchandise and branding leading up to the event after his move to LIV Golf. Smith won’t be competing at this year’s event, making the field that much more open for the competitors.
With average winning score of -12.4 strokes below par, this year’s champion will need to go low if they hope to lay claim to the record $4.5M that comes with winning. $25M in winnings is up for grabs, with each of the top 13 spots earning at least $500K for their efforts over the course of the next 4 days.
As always, expect the fabled number 17 Island Green hole to loom large all weekend long.
Previous winners
2022: Cameron Smith (-13)
2021: Justin Thomas (-14)
2020: Event canceled
2019: Rory McIlroy (-16)
2018: Webb Simpson (-18)
2017: Si Woo Kim (-10)
2016: Jason Day (-15)
2015: Rickie Fowler (-12)
2014: Martin Kaymer (-13)
2013: Tiger Woods (-13)
The golfers with the three best odds of winning it all at most sports books are paired together for Thursdays round, adding an extra layer of intrigue to the event, and making a fast start that much more important.
Betting odds
Jon Rahm +900
Rory McIlroy +900
Scottie Scheffler +1,100
Patrick Cantlay +1,600
Justin Thomas +1,800
Xander Schauffele +2,000
Max Homa +2,200
Collin Morikawa +2,500
Jordan Spieth +2,500
Tony Finau +2,500
Viktor Hovland +2,500
Cameron Young +3,300
Jason Day +3,300
Sungjae Im +3,300
Tyrrell Hatton +3,300
Will Zalatoris +3,300
The 48th edition of TPC officially kicks off Thursday at 6:50am ET when Robby Shelton, Austin Smotherman, and Min Woo Lee tee it up.
Photo: Craig ONeal. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.