The Players Championship 2025 Tips: Ludvig to dominate again

After Russell Henley’s dramatic chip-in eagle at Bay Hill helped him overhaul Collin Morikawa to record the biggest win of his career in last week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational, the PGA Tour now heads towards the northeastern point of Florida to Ponte Vedra Beach. Where we’ll welcome an excellent field for the most famous regular event of the season – THE PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass.

As always, here are our golf tipster Jamie Worsley's The Players Championship 2025 tips, as well as his usual comprehensive preview featuring six players priced from 16/1 all the way out to 100/1.

TOURNAMENT HISTORY

First played in 1974, THE PLAYERS Championship is the PGA Tour’s flagship event and attracting a strong, international field, it has often been described as the game’s fifth major. It has been held in all but one year (2020 due to covid) since its debut and has exclusively taken place here at the iconic TPC Sawgrass since 1982.

Jack Nicklaus is the most successful player in the event’s history, though his three victories – which came in 1974,1976 and 1978 – all took place in the pre-TPC Sawgrass era.

We’ve seen six players record two wins at the tournament, all doing so at TPC Sawgrass: Fred Couples (1984, 1996), Steve Elkington (1991, 1997), Hal Sutton (1983, 2000), Davis Love III (1992, 2003), Tiger Woods (2001, 2013) and Scottie Scheffler (2023, 2024).

Last five winners:

• 2024 – Winner: Scottie Scheffler (-20)

Runners-up: Xander Schauffele, Wyndham Clark, Brian Harman (-19)

• 2023 – Winner: Scottie Scheffler (-17)

Runner-up: Tyrrell Hatton (-12)

• 2022 – Winner: Cameron Smith (-13)

Runner-up: Anirban Lahiri (-12)

• 2021 – Winner: Justin Thomas (-14)

Runner-up: Lee Westwood (-13)

• 2019 – Winner: Rory McIlroy (-16)

Runner-up: Jim Furyk (-15)

Scottie Scheffler added his name to that list of multiple PLAYERS Championship winners last year in spectacular fashion, firing a superb eight-under 64 to make up a five-shot deficit in the final round.

It was a win that saw him become the first ever player to successfully defend the title and he returns looking to put his name alongside Nicklaus as only the second player to record three wins.

THE COURSE

The Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass was designed by Pete Dye and opened for play in 1980, from when it has become one of the most exciting and memorable venues on the calendar.

It has been tinkered with several times since – including a more extensive renovation in 2016 – and there have been further small changes prior to this year’s renewal, with new tees added to holes #2 and #11, and the course has been lengthened by 77 yards.

That means that this par 72 will play to 7352yds this week, possessing 4x par 3s (141-236yds), 10x par 4s (365-485yds) and 4x par 5s (537-601yds).

Last year was only the second time in the history of TPC Sawgrass hosting the event that the winning score got into the -20s. That being said, that was in generally calm, scorable conditions. This is still a course with very fine margins, where seemingly good and numerous birdie chances can be turned into a bogey if only a fraction out; the average winning score of -14.8 over the last 10 renewals very much signals the firm but fair challenge that awaits at Ponte Vedra Beach.

TPC Sawgrass is a pristine and strategic golf course packed full of character. Most holes are framed by a mixture of towering pine, oak and palm trees, alongside sandy waste areas and striking manmade mounds. Whilst water is a constant threat, in-play on 12 holes and plays a huge part in the notoriously dangerous but exciting finish.

The largely doglegging fairways are average in width overall, starting off reasonably narrow on the front nine before getting more generous as the round advances. There are 92 bunkers in total around the property, many of which come into play strategically aside the short grass and with the rough grown out further to a lengthy four inches, the necessity of finding these fairways should become even more pertinent.

The small, undulating and fast bermudagrass-based greens are overseeded with poa trivialis. They’re often shallow/narrow in shape, which makes the landing areas on them even smaller and thus difficult to hit, and with several multi-tiered, players will be left with slippery downhill putts if not on point in approach.

They’re littered with false fronts and run-offs, as well a more of that abundant bunkering, and with a combination of tightly-mown chipping areas, penal bunkering and thick rough for protection, getting up and down is no easy feat, with TPC Sawgrass ranking 5^th in scrambling difficult over the last six years.

TPC Sawgrass’ final three

TPC Sawgrass has many memorable holes but none of them stand out as much as the run from 16-18 – one of the most familiar and exciting finishes in the world.

Each of these holes prominently features water, beginning with the 537yd par 5 16^th. Though reachable for most in the field, players will need to position their ball smarty off the tee to attack, with trees to the left and thick rough to the right of this right-to-left moving hole. Water runs right up the side of the layup area, as well as the long, sloping green, which is packed with movement on and around the surface.

After navigating that final par 5, players then make their way to the most famous hole on the property – the 141yd par 3 17^th and its water-encircled island green. This wide and severely sloping putting surface is exposed to the wind, and surrounded by an unsympathetic, raucous crowd that creates an amphitheatre-like atmosphere, there is nowhere to hide for those who miscue into the water.

The event finishes out with the 462-yard par 4 18^th – a demanding and nervy closing hole with water up the left-hand side from start to finish. It requires a drive directly over water into a relatively narrow and sweeping right-to-left doglegging fairway. Taking the tighter line to the left is a risk but leaves players with a much shorter approach into the green.

Meanwhile, the seemingly safer option to the right will leave players in the pinestraw and within the trees if they take it too far, which could mean that an unenviable chip-out sideways towards the water is their only option.

THE WEATHER

There is some rain forecast for the start of the week, though that is forecast to disappear long before the event begins, with warm, bright and clear conditions on the cards from Thursday-Sunday.

With little wind on show for the first two rounds, players should be able to score well in benign conditions. However, that is predicted to change over the weekend, with winds of 14-17mph accompanied by gusts of around 34mph having the potential to make things very tricky.

KEY STATS

• SG: Approach/Greens-in-Regulation/Proximity from 125-175yds

High-class iron play into the small, speedy and well-defended greens is a must at TPC Sawgrass. Especially with the wedges and mid-irons, with approaches from 125-175yds accounting for around/over a third of approach distances in recent years.

Scottie Scheffler has been strong with his irons for each victory, ranking 7^th in approach last year and 4^th in 2023, whilst he’s also ranked 3^rd and 1^st in greens-in-regulation in each of those respective years.

He’s been followed by a host of quality approach performances near the top of those leaderboards. Runner-up in 2024, Brian Harman ranked 1^st in approach and in GIR, while Tyrrell Hatton ranked 3^rd in approach and 6^th in GIR when finishing 2^nd to Scottie in 2023.

In addition, each of the three previous winners to Scheffler ranked favorably with their irons. Cam Smith ranked 5^th in approach when taking the title in 2022; Justin Thomas ranked 5^th in 2021; and in 2019, Rory McIlroy ranked 6^th in approach and 3^rd in GIR.

• SG: Off-the-Tee and/or Driving Accuracy

This is a course that requires precision throughout, not only in approach but with the driver.

Scottie Scheffler has been excellent off-the-tee for both of those wins. He ranked 1^st off-the-tee and in driving accuracy last year and was 5^th OTT and 18^th in driving accuracy in 2023.

Justin Thomas produced a strong driving display to win in 2021, ranking 10^th OTT; Rory McIlroy powered his way around the course in 2019, ranking 2^nd OTT; Webb Simpson relied on his driving accuracy in 2018, ranking 2^nd; and Si Woo Kim ranked 2^nd OTT when taking the title in 2017.

• SG: Around-the-Greens

TPC Sawgrass showcases one of the most demanding short-game tests on tour and with those strong winds forecast for the weekend likely to result in many missed greens, players will need to be sharp around the greens.

Scheffler has ranked high in SG: around-the-greens for both wins, ranking 6^th last year and 4^th in 2023.

Indeed, each winner since 2016 has ranked inside the top 30 in this area, with 2017 winner Si Woo Kim and 2018 champion Webb Simpson ranking inside the top five.

• SG: Putting (poa trivialis overseed/bermudagrass base)

These bermudagrass-based greens overseeded with poa trivialis are a common occurrence on tour, seen at events such as the Phoenix Open, Valspar Championship, Houston Open, Texas Open, RBC Heritage and at Quail Hollow in the Wells Fargo Championship.

Therefore, anybody who has shown an ability to consistently putt said surfaces will be of interest this week.

CORRELATING EVENTS

RBC Heritage (Harbour Town Golf Links)

Harbour Town is as good a place to start as any when looking for PLAYERS Championship comps. This strategic, tree-lined course is another Pete Dye design with small poa trivialis overseeded greens. It requires a similarly precise ball-striking performance to overcome and requires players to hit many approaches from 125-175yds.

Notable correlating form:

Scottie Scheffler:

PLAYERS (1^st, 1^st) / Heritage (1^st)

Webb Simpson:

PLAYERS (1^st) / Heritage (1^st)

Matt Kuchar:

PLAYERS (1^st) / Heritage (1^st)

Si Woo Kim:

PLAYERS (1^st) / Heritage (2^nd)

Jim Furyk:

PLAYERS (2^nd, 2^nd) / Heritage (1^st, 1^st)

Stephen Ames:

PLAYERS (1^st, 5^th) / Heritage (6^th, 7^th)

Kevin Kisner:

PLAYERS (2^nd, 4^th) / Heritage (2^nd)

Kevin Streelman:

PLAYERS (2^nd) / Heritage (3^rd, 6^th, 7^th)

Wyndham Clark:

PLAYERS (2^nd) / Heritage (3^rd)

Colt Knost:

PLAYERS (3^rd) / Heritage (3^rd)

Ben Martin:

PLAYERS (4^th) / Heritage (3^rd)

Bo Van Pelt:

PLAYERS (4^th) / Heritage (3^rd)

Kevin Na:

PLAYERS (3^rd, 6^th, 7^th) / Heritage (4^th, 4^th, 8^th)

Matt Fitzpatrick:

PLAYERS (5^th, 9^th) / Heritage (1^st)

Brian Davis:

PLAYERS (5^th) / Heritage (2^nd)

Harold Varner III:

PLAYERS (6^th, 7^th) / Heritage (2^nd, 3^rd)

Travelers Championship (TPC River Highlands)

TPC River Highlands is another Pete Dye design that whilst more generous off-the-tee, is penal if you start missing fairways. The wedges and mid-irons are vital to attack the small speedy greens, with approaches between 125-175yds far outweighing other distances, and with lots of risk/reward par 4s and 5s, as well as par 3s protected by water, it mirrors many aspects of play at TPC Sawgrass.

Notable correlating form:

Scottie Scheffler:

PLAYERS (1^st, 1^st) / Travelers (1^st)

KJ Choi:

PLAYERS (1^st) / Travelers (2^nd)

Tim Clark:

PLAYERS (1^st) / Travelers (4^th)

Webb Simpson:

PLAYERS (1^st) / Travelers (5^th)

Xander Schauffele:

PLAYERS (2^nd, 2^nd) / Travelers (1^st)

Kevin Streelman:

PLAYERS (2^nd) / Travelers (1^st, 2^nd)

Paul Goydos:

PLAYERS (2^nd, 3^rd) / Travelers (2^nd)

Ben Curtis:

PLAYERS (2^nd) / Travelers (4^th, 4^th)

Kevin Kisner:

PLAYERS (2^nd, 4^th) / Travelers (5^th, 6^th)

Brian Harman:

PLAYERS (2^nd, 3^rd) / Travelers (2^nd, 3^rd, 5^th, 6^th)

Paul Casey:

PLAYERS (3^rd, 5^th) / Travelers (2^nd, 2^nd)

Tom Hoge:

PLAYERS (3^rd) / Travelers (3^rd)

Brian Davis:

PLAYERS (5^th) / Travelers (4^th)

Heath Slocum:

PLAYERS (4^th) / Travelers (4^th)

Wyndham Championship (Sedgefield Country Club)

Sedgefield Country Club is another tree-lined venue that has always suited strategically-minded players. Its fast bermudagrass greens serve up a similarly-demanding short-game test to TPC Sawgrass and again, it’s a course where approaches between 125-175yds matter most.

Notable correlating form:

Webb Simpson:

PLAYERS (1^st) / Wyndham (1^st, 2^nd, 2^nd)

Si Woo Kim:

PLAYERS (1^st) / Wyndham (1^st, 2^nd)

Henrik Stenson:

PLAYERS (1^st) / Wyndham (1^st)

Tim Clark:

PLAYERS (1^st) / Wyndham (2^nd)

Kevin Kisner:

PLAYERS (2^nd, 4^th) / Wyndham (1^st, 3^rd)

Charl Schwartzel:

PLAYERS (2^nd) / Wyndham (3^rd)

Martin Laird:

PLAYERS (2^nd, 5^th) / Wyndham (4^th)

Kevin Streelman:

PLAYERS (2^nd) / Wyndham (6^th, 7^th)

Lucas Glover:

PLAYERS (3^rd, 6^th) / Wyndham (1^st)

Kevin Na:

PLAYERS (3^rd, 6^th, 7^th) / Wyndham (2^nd, 4^th)

Brian Harman:

PLAYERS (2^nd, 3^rd) / Wyndham (3^rd, 6^th)

FedEx St Jude Championship (TPC Southwind)

TPC Southwind is a strategic, tree-lined course that provides a comparable ball-striking test to what we see at TPC Sawgrass. This is particularly prevalent into the small bermudagrass greens, into which approaches from 125-175yds are highly common.

Notable correlating form:

Justin Thomas:

PLAYERS (1^st) / St Jude (1^st)

Webb Simpson:

PLAYERS (1^st) / St Jude (2^nd, 3^rd)

Xander Schauffele:

PLAYERS (2^nd, 2^nd) / St Jude (2^nd)

Charl Schwartzel:

PLAYERS (2^nd) / St Jude (2^nd)

Brian Harman:

PLAYERS (2^nd, 3^rd) / St Jude (3^rd, 6^th)

Kevin Chappell:

PLAYERS (2^nd) / St Jude (4^th)

Lucas Glover:

PLAYERS (3^rd, 6^th) / St Jude (1^st, 3^rd)

Viktor Hovland:

PLAYERS (3^rd) / St Jude (2^nd)

Rafa Cabrera-Bello:

PLAYERS (4^th) / St Jude (4^th)

Tommy Fleetwood:

PLAYERS (5^th, 7^th) / St Jude (3^rd, 4^th)

Matt Fitzpatrick:

PLAYERS (5^th, 9^th) / St Jude (4^th, 5^th, 6^th)

Sony Open (Waialae Country Club)

Waialae Country Club provides a driving test akin to TPC Sawgrass, has comparable demands on the bermudagrass greens and requires a high percentage of approaches from 125-175yds. All of which lead to the Sony Open possessing as much comp form with THE PLAYERS Championship as any other course.

Notable correlating form:

Cameron Smith:

PLAYERS (1^st) / Sony (1^st)

Si Woo Kim:

PLAYERS (1^st) / Sony (1^st)

Justin Thomas:

PLAYERS (1^st) / Sony (1^st)

Matt Kuchar:

PLAYERS (1^st) / Sony (1^st)

KJ Choi:

PLAYERS (1^st) / Sony (1^st)

Tim Clark:

PLAYERS (1^st) / Sony (2^nd, 2^nd)

Webb Simpson:

PLAYERS (1^st) / Sony (3^rd, 4^th, 4^th)

Jimmy Walker:

PLAYERS (2^nd) / Sony (1^st, 1^st)

Paul Goydos:

PLAYERS (2^nd, 3^rd) / Sony (1^st)

Kevin Na:

PLAYERS (3^rd, 6^th, 7^th) / Sony (1^st)

Robert Allenby:

PLAYERS (2^nd) / Sony (2^nd)

Tom Hoge:

PLAYERS (3^rd) / Sony (3^rd)

Kevin Kisner:

PLAYERS (2^nd, 4^th) / Sony (3^rd, 4^th, 4^th)

Charles Schwab Challenge (Colonial Country Club)

With its tight, tree-lined fairways and small, quick greens, the strategic ball-striking challenge offered up at Colonial CC is closely matched to the Stadium Course. Along with the frequency of approaches from 125-175yds, it has enabled the two events to develop strong form-ties.

Notable correlating form:

Scottie Scheffler:

PLAYERS (1^st, 1^st) / Colonial (2^nd, 2^nd)

Tim Clark:

PLAYERS (1^st) / Colonial (2^nd, 2^nd)

Matt Kuchar:

PLAYERS (1^st) / Colonial (2^nd)

Webb Simpson:

PLAYERS (1^st) / Colonial (3^rd, 5^th)

Stephen Ames:

PLAYERS (1^st, 5^th) / Colonial (4^th)

Kevin Kisner:

PLAYERS (2^nd, 4^th) / Colonial (1^st)

Ian Poulter:

PLAYERS (2^nd, 2^nd) / Colonial (3^rd, 5^th)

Anirban Lahiri:

PLAYERS (2^nd) / Colonial (6^th)

Kevin Na:

PLAYERS (3^rd, 6^th, 7^th) / Colonial (1^st)

Brian Davis:

PLAYERS (5^th) / Colonial (2^nd)

Ben Crane:

PLAYERS (4^th, 5^th, 6^th) / Colonial (3^rd, 4^th, 5^th)

THE FIELD

THE PLAYERS Championship provides us with one of the best fields in golf, which this year includes each of the world’s top 10 and 48 of the top 50.

Scottie Scheffler is the world #1 and of course this week’s defending champion for the second year running. He is part of an eight-strong list of former winners, alongside Justin Thomas (2021), Rory McIlroy (2019), Si Woo Kim (2017), Jason Day (2016), Rickie Fowler (2015), Matt Kuchar (2012) and Adam Scott (2004).

Among this year’s debutants is the current leading player on the Race to Dubai on the DP World Tour, Laurie Canter, who along with Rasmus Hojgaard get into the field due to their top-50 ranking. In addition, recent first-time PGA Tour winners, Brian Campbell, Joe Highsmith and Karl Vilips will all tee it up for the first time in THE PLAYERS Championship.

The Players Championship 2025 Odds

SELECTIONS

Market leaders: Scottie Scheffler 9/2, Rory McIlroy 17/2, Collin Morikawa 16/1, Xander Schauffele 16/1, Ludvig Aberg 18/1, Justin Thomas 20/1

Scottie Scheffler continues to play well despite not looking like winning so far this year and with his putting woes returning last week, he’s easy enough to look past at 9/2. Meanwhile, although a past winner himself here, Rory McIlroy has a sketchy overall record at TPC Sawgrass, missing two of his last four cuts in the event and is also of little interest this week.

Collin Morikawa appealed at a course that should certainly suit his game, but it’s hard not to be disappointed with his failure to convert at Bay Hill. Instead, it’s Ludvig Aberg that appeals most from the top of the betting and he goes in as the headline selection this week.

3 pts Ludvig Aberg each-way (1/5 8 places) @ 16/1

Aberg made a good start to 2025 in The Sentry, finishing 5^th, but was hindered by illness in his attempts to build on this in the Farmers Insurance Open and Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

However, he put those frustrations to bed on his next start, winning the Genesis Invitational at Torrey Pines and comes into this week after a strong finish in the Arnold Palmer Invitational, as he shot a four-under 68 – the joint-third best round of the day – to finish 22^nd.

The Swede is at his best with the driver, ranking 21^st this season and he was excellent in this regard last week, ranking 2^nd in the field off-the-tee and 8^th in driving accuracy; a level of precision that when combined with his power makes him a dangerous player on a course such as this. He’s also strong with his mid-irons, ranking 21^st from 150-175yds last season and with a competent short game to boot, there’s plenty to give us confidence here.

Aberg finished an encouraging 7^th in the Junior PLAYERS Championship in 2018 and he transferred that affinity with the course to the pro ranks last year, finishing 8^th, where he fired three rounds of 67 and ranked 4^th in the field both in ball-striking and tee-to-green. He also finished 10^th at Harbour Town on his debut last year, which gives us further confidence on this Pete Dye layout.

1 pt Jason Day each-way (1/5 8 places) @ 50/1

Jason Day has been playing great golf at the start of 2025, largely due to some improved approach play. In addition, he’s finally found something on the greens in recent starts and as a past winner of this event, he made plenty of sense this week.

Day has made six appearances this season and recorded two top 10s. The first of these came at The AmEx back in January and he recorded another at Bay Hill last week, looking a long-time challenger in the final round before eventually finishing 8^th.

He was at his strongest on the greens there, ranking 5^th but he again hit his irons well; an area in which he ranks 39^th in approach this season, and has been especially strong between 125-150yds, ranking 9^th.

The Aussie is as sharp as anyone around-the-greens and although not quite as strong with the driver as he once was, the greater accuracy with which he now tees off is no negative around TPC Sawgrass.

Day debuted here in 2010 and has made 14 appearances in total, winning in 2016 and recording further top 10s in 2011, 2018 and 2019. He has added high-class form on Dye designs in the shape of his 2015 PGA Championship win at Whistling Straits, which can only be a plus this week.

1 pt Daniel Berger each-way (1/5 8 places) @ 50/1

Florida’s Daniel Berger has returned to form in 2025 after largely struggling upon his return last year. He’s amassed a positive record at TPC Sawgrass and with all areas of his game firing, he can re-enter the winner’s circle by securing the biggest win of his career.

Berger has made seven starts this season and recorded five top-25 finishes. His best effort came when finishing 2^nd in the Phoenix Open and he comes into this after a 15^th-place finish at Bay Hill, which looks all the more impressive when you consider he sat 58^th of 72 players after a poor 78 in round one.

He’s gaining strokes across his game this season, ranking 13^th tee-to-green and 76^th in putting. The driver and short game have been especially strong, ranking 27^th in both areas. His wedges have looked equally tidy and ranking 18^th in driving accuracy, he’s hitting the ball with the required precision to tackle this venue.

Berger has played here on seven occasions and missed just the one cut, recording bests of 9^th in 2016 and 2021. He has bundles of comp form that strengthens his case, having won twice at TPC Southwind, once at Colonial and he has also hit the top three on other Dye designs: Harbour Town and TPC River Highlands.

1 pt Will Zalatoris each-way (1/5 8 places) @ 70/1

Will Zalatoris hit the ball brilliantly last week at Bay Hill and possessing some handy form at this week’s venue from his first couple of trips, he looks an attractive price to contend in Florida.

Zalatoris hasn’t been talked about a great deal at the start of this year due to a lack of minutes in contention, but he’s been playing eye-catchingly solid golf, recording four finishes of 26^th-or-better in five starts. He arrives here after finishing 22^nd last week, where he was the second-best ball-striker in the field, ranking 4^th off-the-tee, 6^th in greens-in-regulation and 7^th in approach.

The American is gaining strokes right through the game from tee-to-green and has found plenty of fairways, though he’s been particularly strong with his irons. He ranks 16^th in GIR overall and has been excellent with his mid-irons and wedges, ranking 17^th from 150-175yds and 18^th from 125-150yds.

Zalatoris has finished 73^rd and missed the cut on his last two visits to TPC Sawgrass, but he did initially go well at the course, finishing 21^st on debut in 2021 and then 26^th the following year. He’s also a former winner at TPC Southwind, which will serve him well this week.

1 pt Tom Kim each-way (1/5 8 places) @ 70/1

Tom Kim’s precision-based ball-striking game makes him a strong candidate for success in this event. I’m hoping the big-game atmosphere at TPC Sawgrass – one in which he typically thrives – will help him kick-start his season in a big way this week.

Kim finished 2024 in strong form, recording two 2^nd-place finish across his final three starts but has failed to carry that over into this season, recording just one top-40 finish, which came when 7^th at Pebble Beach.

He’s largely hit the ball well, ranking 20^th in total driving and 22^nd in approach, where his wedges have looked great, ranking 13^th from 125-150yds and 17^th from 150-175yds. However, the short game hasn’t quite been there, and he’ll need to find improvement in that regard this week, something that he has proven capable of doing in the past.

Kim was 51^st on his one and only visit here in 2023, doing all of his best work at the end by shooting a 69 in round four. A victory at Sedgefield Country Club and a runner-up finish in the Travelers Championship suggest he’s capable of a much higher finish here, and he looks worth chancing to achieve that this week.

1 pt Justin Rose each-way (1/5 8 places) @ 100/1

Justin Rose has recorded two top-10 finishes across just four starts so far in 2025. Having recorded two of his three best results at TPC Sawgrass across his last four attempts, he still looks open to further improvement at the course despite his experience and I’m taking him to contend in another big event this week.

Rose missed the cut on his first start of the season in the Farmers Insurance Open but immediately followed it with a 3^rd-place finish at Pebble Beach. He again missed the cut at Torrey Pines following that, though bounced back on his latest start, finishing 8^th at Bay Hill.

That was an event in which he putted well, ranking 6^th on the greens, and hit the ball with the required precision to perform here, ranking 4^th in driving accuracy and 8^th in approach. When added to his ranking of 10^th from 150-175yds, there are plenty of reasons for optimism regarding his chances of contending in Florida.

Rose has appeared in THE PLAYERS Championship on 19 occasions, recording a best of 4^th in 2014. However, his second and third-strongest results have come in 2023 and 2019, finishing 6^th and 8^th respectively. This indicates that we may not have quite seen his best yet here and as shown by his runner-up finish in last year’s Open Championship, he still has the class to mix it in this level of event.