The famed TPC Sawgrass Course in Ponte Vedra, FL. plays host to the 49th playing of the Players Championship with the largest purse in golf, outside of the LIV Tour. The purse is $25 million and the winner earns $4.5 million. Second place gets $2.725 million. Third place pays $1.725 million. Fourth gets $1.225 million. And fifth place pays $1.025 million. So, your life is good if you can excel at TPC Sawgrass.

The defending champion is Cameron Smith, but he’s ineligible to play because he plays on the LIV Tour. He made his choice, so he’ll have to live with it.

The PGA instituted some new features for elevated events in 2023-2024. There will be eight events with no cut after 36 holes and featuring the top 70 to 80 golfers on tour with the $20 million purses. These go along with the 4 majors and the Fed Ex Cup playoffs. Pretty good deal for the players who make up those fields. I’m not a fan of this no cut golf. I thought the PGA was a competitive entity and an alternative to the LIV Tour with no cut and 54 hole team events. But Commissioner Jay Monahan says it will enhance the game of golf. Maybe it will. To be determined.

TPC Sawgrass is a 7,275, par 72 layout with some of the most spectacular holes in golf. The Par 5, 9th will be playing over 600 yards. The 358 yard par 4 12th has water to the left and bunkers in the center. It’s a tight drive and a surefire risk/reward hole as the player can go for it or lay up and take a safer shot at birdie. Awesome hole. The Par 3, 181 yard 13th is Justin Thomas’s favorite hole. There is water all along the left hand side and a large bunker in front. The green is a large complex with a slope in the middle of it making for some challenging two putts. Everybody knows about the 137 yard par 3 17th, the Island hole. It’s either the agony or the ecstasy on 17. It can really be heartbreak hotel for the players as the 71st hole on Sunday. It’s either the thrill of victory or the agony of defeat on this hole as ABC’s Jim McKay used to say on Wide World of Sports. That was classic and so is this. And it can be the reason one of the players captures the championship.

And the 18th is one of the most underrated holes in golf. Playing 462 yards with water running down the entire left side and a tight landing spot in the fairway. The par 4 features rough that is up to 3 1/2 inches along the right hand side along with a set of trees. The second shot needs to not be overcooked or the player is going in the water. The pin could very well be in front on Sunday with a tight landing area on the front of the green. It could also be front left, which is also challenging bringing the water in play for the bold player who has to have a birdie. It can also be back left, another major challenge. This hole will make for an electric finish.

Weather

Thursday, 72, Partly sunny, Wind, ENE 12 MPH

Friday, 82, 55% chance of scattered showers in the afternoon, Wind 20 MPH.

Saturday, 70, Sunny, Wind N 12 MPH.

Sunday, 78, Sunny, wind SE 13 MPH.

So should be pleasant, but the wind, as always, will play a role in the outcome.

TV

Thursday-Friday, 11 AM-5 PM CT, Golf Channel.

Saturday-Sunday, 12-5 PM CT, NBC.

Odds

Jon Rahm, 8 1/2/1 or 17/2

Rory, 8 1/2/1 or 17/2

Scottie Scheffler, 10/1

Patrick Cantlay, 19/1

Max Homa, 19/1

Justin Thomas, 19/1

Xander Schauffele, 25/1

Viktor Hovland, 27/1

Tony Finau, 28/1

Collin Morikawa, 28/1

Will Zalatoris, 32/1

Jordan Spieth, 32/1

Can’t believe I’m saying this, but if he could only putt. Focused on his long game too much. Needs to get back to work on his short game and putting if he wants to start winning again.

Matt Fitzpatrick, 34/1

Tyrrell Hatton, 34/1

Cameron Young, 36/1

Jason Day, 36/1

Sungjae Im, 37/1

Shane Lowry, 48/1

Keegan Bradley, 50/1

Rickie Fowler, 50/1

Chris Kirk, 75/1

Hideki Matsuyama, 85/1

Kurt Kitayama, 90/1

The 30 year old from Chico, California put on a masterful performance holding off the biggest names in the game to win the Arnie Invitational last weekend and capture the $3.6 million first place check that comes along with the coveted title. Everybody wants to win the Arnie.

Tommy Fleetwood, 85/1

Justin Rose, 100/1

Harris English 100/1.

What a field. This is going to be an epic Players with all the big names competing for this illustrious “Fifth Major” championship on tour. Greens are Bermuda Tiff Eagle and will be stamping at 13 or faster this week.

Winner

I’m not going to take the favorites, Rahm, McIlory, Scheffler, JT, Homa, Cantlay, but I’ll go a little off the grid and pick the 36 year old from Woodstock, Vermont by way of St. John’s University in Queens, New Yawk City. He finished tied for 10th last week at the Arnie shooting a final round 67 and finished 5th at the Players last year shooting 72, 71, 67, 67 to finish -9, 4 shots back of Smith’s winning score of 13 under. He won the Zozo Championship in Japan back in October. He’s the 2011 PGA Championship champion played at the Atlanta Athletic Club. He’s found a resurgence in his game. Give me,

Keegan Bradley

Sleeper

Kurt Kitayama

I like him to play well again this week.

Bridgestone Arena in Nashville is the site for the electric SEC Basketball Tournament this week/weekend with 14 teams competing for the tournament championship and the automatic qualifying bid to the NCAA Tournament next week.

Should be a fascinating event like it always is. Alabama, Kentucky, Texas A&M, Auburn, Florida Tennessee and maybe Arkansas are in, though Arkansas has really been sliding lately. Mississippi State and Vanderbilt are clearly on the bubble and need to win a couple, at least in Vanderbilt’s case, to earn a spot into the 68 team NCAA field next week.

This is also about winning a coveted championship. Which team will cut down the nets Sunday around 2:15-2:30 PM CT?

Here are White’s World’s predictions for this year’s compelling edition.

First Round, Today

No. 13 Ole Miss (3-15, 11-20) vs. No. 12 South Carolina (4-14, 11-20)

6 PM CT

SEC Network

Ole Miss by 7

Like the Rebs, but like it close. Both teams are scrappy, so I’m looking for a battle that comes down to the last seconds.

Ole Miss 74, South Carolina 71

No.14 LSU (2-16, 13-18) vs. No. 11 Georgia (6-12, 16-15)

approximately 8:30 PM CT provided no OT in first game

SEC Network

LSU by 3

I like the Bengal Tigers. CJ Williams is one of the best players in the country people may not be familiar with. He’s 6’9” 250 and can knock down shots inside, protect the rim, rebound and knock down trifectas.

LSU 75, Georgia 70

Thursday

No.9 Mississippi State (8-10, 20-11) vs. No.8 Florida (9-9, 16-15)

12 PM CT

SEC Network

Give me Bullies to move on to the quarters.

MS. State 70, Florida 65

No.13 Ole Miss vs No.5 Tennessee (11-7, 22-9)

2:30 PM CT approximately

SEC Network

The 17th ranked Vols are without stellar point guard Zakai Zeigler, who suffered a knee injury a week ago and is lost for the rest of the season. But the Vols still have a lot of good players, so I like them here.

Tennessee 75, Ole Miss 65

No. 10 Arkansas (8-10, 19-12) vs. No.7 Auburn (10-8, 20-11)

6 PM CT

SEC Network

Auburn gets the job done and advances. It’ll still be a barnburner. Should be riveting.

Auburn 81, Arkansas 78

No. 6 Vanderbilt (11-7, 18-13) vs. No. 14 LSU

8:30 PM CT

SEC Network

The Dores have to have it and I like them to survive a strong effort from the Bengal Tigers, which defeated them on the Bayou a couple of weeks ago. Jerry Stackhouse was selected co-SEC coach of the year along with Buzz Williams of Texas A&M. Stack was highly deserving of that award. His team won its last 8 of 9 after an embarrassing 40 point loss in Tuscaloosa. He kept the team together and now they’re on the cusp of making the NCAA Tournament. Have to have it here though.

Vanderbilt 74, LSU 73

Friday

No.9 Mississippi State vs. No. 1 Alabama (16-2, 26-5)

12 PM CT

ESPN

The No.4 Crimson Tide (AP Poll) looks to overcome all the controversy from this season, despite it being a highly successful one on the court. The controversial and polarizing Brandon Miller will be under the microscope in Nashville. Alabama handled his situation poorly. It was above Nate Oats’ level of expertise. Alabama President Stuart R. Bell should have suspended Miller for the pat down introduction move before the Arkansas game two weeks ago. No consequences for Miller, so we’ll see how he handles it going forward. Hope this entitlement doesn’t cost him in the future when he’s really trying to make a living and he makes another tragic mistake.

Alabama 80, Mississippi State 70

No. 5 Tennessee vs. No.4 Missouri (11-7, 23-8)

2:30 PM CT

ESPN

What a job first year coach Dennis Gates has done at Missouri. I like them to advance. They are ranked 25th in the country now.

Missouri 75, Tennessee 71

No.7 Auburn vs. No.2 Texas A&M (15-3, 23-8)

6 PM CT

SEC Network

No. 18 A&M has defeated Auburn twice this season already, so I’ll take the Tigers in the third time around in a major scuffle.

Auburn 75, A&M 73

No.6 Vanderbilt vs No.3 Kentucky (12-6, 21-10)

8:30 PM CT

SEC Network

This is an upset pick, but the Dores defeated the No.23 Wildcats in Lexington a week ago, even though stellar big man and defensive player of the year Liam Robbins was lost for that game and the season 4 minutes into that game. Robbins suffered a broken bone in his lower leg. I like Jordan Wright, Tyrin Lawrence, Ezra Manjon and the Dores to do it again. They punch their ticket to the NCAA Tournament.

Vanderbilt 87, Kentucky 86, OT

Saturday, Semifinals

Alabama vs. Missouri

12 PM CT

ESPN

I’ll take the Crimson Tide in another major confrontation.

Alabama 75, Missouri 74

Auburn vs. Vanderbilt

2:30 PM CT

ESPN

I like a blockbuster here. I’ll take the Tigers due to their rebounding advantage with Robbins out for the year. Vanderbilt stays in it with their prolific 3 point shooting and almost pulls it off.

Auburn 88, Vanderbilt 86, OT

Championship Sunday

Alabama vs. Auburn

12 PM CT

ESPN

The Iron Bowl? Episode 3. The Crimson Tide has won twice over the Tigers this season, but I like a blockbuster as well here. I’ll take the Crimson Tide in an epic.

Alabama 94, Auburn 92, OT

MVP of the Tournament, Brandon Miller. He seems to be impervious to pressure and controversy.