TPC Sawgrass is said to be a golf course that does not favour a particular style of golfer, but which player will be the one to impress and claim the PGA Tour’s flagship event?
Scottie Scheffler arrives as the two-time defending champion after becoming the first player to win back-to-back editions of the event, with the world No 1 the pre-tournament favourite to win The Players for a third consecutive year.
Scheffler plays alongside Rory McIlroy and Xander Schauffele – the two immediately below him in the world rankings – over the first two days, while a host of other players are in the running to get their hands on the trophy?
Will Scheffler make more history at The Players? Which of the PGA Tour stars will top the leaderboard at TPC Sawgrass? Ahead of this week’s event, live on Sky Sports Golf, we asked several of our pundits who they are backing for a big week…
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A star winner at TPC Sawgrass?
Scheffler missed the start of the PGA Tour season due to a hand injury, sustained in the kitchen over Christmas, although he has claimed four top-25 finishes – including a share of third at The Genesis Invitational – since his return to action.
He is already the seventh player to win multiple editions of The Players and first since Tiger Woods in 2013, while another victory this week would see him become the first since Jack Nicklaus to win the event three times.
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Scheffler claimed a dramatic victory at the 2024 Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass, becoming the first player to defend the title
“I fully expect Scottie Scheffler to make it three wins in a row,” Sky Sports’ Wayne ‘Radar’ Riley said. “He’s just too good and he’s trending in the right direction over his past few events.”
A victory for Scheffler would see him become the first player since Steve Stricker in 2011 to win the same PGA Tour event three years running, while USA Ryder Cup team-mate Collin Morikawa is another chasing a first win of the season.
Morikawa squandered a final-round lead at the Arnold Palmer Invitational last week, finishing second to Russell Henley, although Sky Sports’ Nick Dougherty expects the two-time major champion to immediately bounce back.
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Highlights from day four of the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill, where Russell Henley snatched an impressive PGA Tour victory
“I think Sawgrass suits great iron players and there’s nobody better than him, in my opinion,” Dougherty said. “He’ll pick himself up and take the form from Bay Hill into this week.”
Åberg to continue European success on PGA Tour?
McIlroy is the only European winner of The Players since Martin Kaymer lifted the trophy in 2014, although the Northern Irishman is one of four European players to have won on the PGA Tour this season.
Ludvig Åberg is inside the world’s top five after his impressive victory at The Genesis Invitational last month, with the Swede a popular pick to become the first two-time winner of the season.
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Highlights from the final round of the Genesis Invitational, where Ludvig Åberg claimed an impressive win
“I think Åberg is going to win,” Sky Sports’ David Howell said. “He is going to learn some lessons from his capitulation during the third round (77) at Bay Hill. He is in great form but made some course-management errors on day three, which I think he will learn from.”
On why he could be the man to beat his week, former major champion Rich Beem added: “The kid is just a stud, he’s unbelievable. He’s half man, half machine!
“He has got the perfect temperament for that golf course for any bad breaks and bad bounces, which are going to happen around TPC Sawgrass. He also has Joe Skovron as his caddie, who has won around there with Rickie Fowler and knows that golf course as good as anybody.”
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A maiden English winner at The Players?
Golfers from 12 different countries have won The Players, including Northern Ireland and Scotland, but no player from England – remarkably – has ever got their hands on the iconic trophy.
World No 10 Tommy Fleetwood is part of a strong English contingent looking to end that run this week, having finished no worse than 22nd in each of his last 13 worldwide starts.
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Will Tommy Fleetwood make history and claim his breakthrough PGA Tour title?
“He has played such good golf and I just feel like he’s due a really good week on the greens,” Dame Laura Davies said. “He was hitting it great at Bay Hill but didn’t make that many putts.
“You feel like his big breakthrough in America is just around the corner. He has won multiple times around the world and obviously the big one would be on the PGA Tour, so why not make it at The Players?!”
Dougherty added: “He [Fleetwood] has been a brilliant iron player this season and is one of the best players out there on the PGA Tour statistically. What a place this would be for Fleetwood to get his first win. He just has to get over the hump psychologically, that’s all.”
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Players and pundits examine why an English player has never won The Players Championship and predict who could be the first
More Thomas success or maybe a surprise champion?
Hideki Matsuyama has top-six finishes in his last two appearances at The Players and Henley arrives off the back of his win at Bay Hill last week, while 2021 champion Justin Thomas and Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley are among the others arriving in form.
“Thomas has three top 10s already this season, including a runner-up finish at The American Express,” Sky Sports’ Andrew Coltart said. “He’s a former winner and he’s almost back to his very best, so I’m looking forward to seeing how he does around TPC Sawgrass.”
Who have the pundits picked?
Pick
Outside pick/dark horse
Rich Beem
Ludvig Åberg
Billy Horschel
Andrew Coltart
Justin Thomas
Austin Eckroat
Dame Laura Davies
Tommy Fleetwood
Adam Scott
David Howell
Ludvig Åberg
Laurie Canter
Wayne ‘Radar’ Riley
Scottie Scheffler
Justin Thomas
Riley added: “He hasn’t won this for a long time, although is another player that appears to be trending in the right direction.”
Who else could impress? The pundits picked out a few surprise packages that could sneak under the radar in a strong field….
Beem: “Billy Horschel has had a rough go of it and missed the cut at Bay Hill, but this is a home game for him and I know that he’s going to rally. He’s going to put every ounce of energy in his body into having a good week.”
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Ahead of the 2025 Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass, we take a look at every televised hole-in-one at the iconic 17th hole – one of the most famous holes on the PGA Tour
Coltart: “Austin Eckroat is already a two-time winner on the PGA Tour and is only in his mid-20s. He’s a talented individual, finished inside the top 50 in the FedExCup standings last year, and I think he could go well.”
Davies: “Adam Scott is a veteran of the tour and is still among the top players in the world. He can turn up at any time and his ball-striking is great, so a lot of it will depend on whether he can hole the putts at the right time.”
Howell: “Laurie Canter has been playing some of the best golf in the world so far in 2025. It’s a big week for him – having earned his way into the field – but I feel like he can have a fantastic one.”
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McIlroy looks back through his ‘rocky history’ with the PGA Tour’s most iconic tournament, The Players Championship
How can I watch The Players on Sky Sports?
Sky Sports is offering extended live coverage of The Players and begins on Thursday from 11.30am, following the action from before the opening tee shot until after the close of play over the first two days, with the action then live from 1pm on both days over the weekend.
The PGA Tour’s main feed, marquee groups, featured groups and featured holes feed will be available all four rounds on Sky Sports+, along with six bonus groups, while you can download the Sky Sports app to get live scores, text commentary and highlights throughout the week.
Who will win The Players? Watch live throughout the week on Sky Sports. Live coverage of the second round begins on Friday at 11.30am. Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOW.
