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.