THE PLAYERS 2024 Tournament 

Get ready for the 50th edition of THE PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass in Florida, and it's a big deal. This time, the top 144 golfers on the PGA TOUR are hitting the course, making it an even more exciting showdown than the last Signature Event. 

 

 

 

Since 1974, THE PLAYERS has been like the unofficial "fifth major tournament," and with 42 different winners in 49 editions, it's always been a wild ride. Now, in 2024, we're wondering if a fresh face will claim the title. 

Scottie Scheffler, hot off his five-shot victory at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, could make history by scoring back-to-back wins. But joining the elite club of repeat champions won't be easy, with only six golfers, including legends like Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods, having done it before. Let the games begin!

TPC Sawgrass Course Breakdown

TPC Sawgrass, crafted by Pete Dye in '81 with an assist from Alice for that cool 17th island green, is a tricky stadium course. Small greens and water everywhere make it a challenge, kind of connecting with courses like Colonial, Sedgefield, and Harbour Town. 

The par 72 setup has tough par 4s, risk-reward par 5s, and some tricky par 3s. The 18th hole? That one's a real doozy, needing a pinpoint drive over water. Fairways are forgiving, but you gotta be smart about where you land. Recent champs showed that you don't have to crush it off the tee – good iron play and scrambling do the trick. 

Sawgrass history says greens in regulation are below average, and scrambling is tougher. Winners lately gained over 6.0 strokes on approach, shouting out the importance of getting close and hitting those greens. 

Since moving to March, scoring's stayed kinda chill. Even though big names usually win, there's room for underdogs. In DFS, snagging undervalued, in-form players who might shine on this unique course is the key to striking gold in big daily fantasy GPPs.

THE PLAYERS Field for 2024

THE PLAYERS is usually like the fifth major, bringing in a top-notch crowd, but this year, it's missing big names like Jon Rahm, Cam Smith, Bryson DeChambeau, and Sergio Garcia. Newcomers Jake Knapp, Austin Eckroat, and Nick Dunlap scored some wins, but without the regular heavyweights, the vibe's a bit off. 

Still, Ponte Vedra Beach has some big names like Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler, and hotshots Viktor Hovland, Justin Thomas, Patrick Cantlay, Xander Schauffele, and Max Homa. Everyone's crossing their fingers for Tiger Woods to show, especially since TPC Sawgrass suits him. Sadly, he's a no-show, and we might have to wait until The Masters to catch him again. 

The player lineup includes past champs like Scheffler, Thomas, McIlroy, Webb Simpson, Si Woo Kim, Jason Day, Matt Kuchar, and Adam Scott. Only Tiger Woods and Davis Love III managed to snag wins at THE PLAYERS twice in the last 30 years, proving how unpredictable this event can be.

 

 

 

PGA Stats to Know Ahead of 2024 THE PLAYERS

Top SG: Off The Tee Targets

  • Rory McIlory - 1st on Tour
  • Keith Mitchell - 4th on Tour
  • Rafael Campos - 6th on Tour
  • Scottie Scheffler - 7th on Tour
  • Xander Schauffele - 8th on Tour

Top SG: Approach Targets

  • S.H. Kim - 3rd on Tour
  • Hideki Matsuyama - 4th on Tour
  • Andrew Novak - 6th on Tour
  • Jordan Spieth - 7th on Tour
  • Scottie Scheffler - 8th on Tour

Top SG: Tee-To-Green Targets

  • Scottie Scheffler - 1st on Tour
  • Tony Finau - 2nd on Tour
  • Xander Schauffele - 3rd on Tour
  • Andrew Novak - 4th on Tour
  • Keith Mitchell - 5th on Tour

Top SG: Around The Green Targets

  • Sam Burns - 1st on Tour
  • Kurt Kitayama - 2nd on Tour
  • Jordan Spieth - 6th on Tour
  • Denny McCarthy - 12th on Tour
  • Xander Schauffele - 13th on Tour

Best Course History

  • Justin Thomas - 1st, 3rd & 11th (8 of 8 Cuts)
  • Rory McIlory - 1st, 3 Top 10s, & 1 Top 15 (7 of last 10 Cuts)
  • Hideki Matsuyama - 3 Top 10s & 1 Top 20 (6 of 8 Cuts)
  • Viktor Hovland - 1 Top 5 & 1 Top 10 (2 of 3 Cuts)
  • Jason Day - 1st, 3 Top 10s, 2 Top 20s (8 of last 11 Cuts)

My Best Bets (10-19 Overall, -2.30 Units)

  • Max Homa: Top 20 (+125)
  • Will Zalatoris: Top 20 (+150)
  • Corey Conners: Top 30 (+130)
  • Doug Ghim: Top 30 (+190)
  • Erik Van Rooyen: Top 30 (+225)

One & Done Play

  • Justin Thomas

 

 

 

PGA DFS Picks: THE PLAYERS

Top-Price Core Plays

Scottie Scheffler ($12,800)

The champ's rolling into TPC Sawgrass after snagging his first win this year, and he's not playing around. His putter was on fire at Bay Hill Club & Lodge over the weekend, leaving the Signature Event competition in the dust with a five-shot lead. But here's the catch – nobody's ever defended their title at TPC Sawgrass, and only one past winner cracked the top 10 in their defense. 

This ex-Masters champ is priced at a hefty $12,800 on DraftKings, towering $1,200 over Rory McIlroy. Sounds like a lot, but remember, we've got a budget-friendly floor at $5,000. It's doable, and Scheffler's got such a good shot at another top-five finish that it's almost worth the gamble. Just keep in mind, picking him could shake up your whole roster game. The guy's a golfing machine, plain and simple. So, are you in for Scheffler this week or not? That's the big question.

Justin Thomas ($10,600)

If you're not paying up for Scheffler, my next option to win this tournament would be Justin Thomas. He's a solid choice, especially with so many tempting options in the low sixes and $5,000 range. Thomas can play well as a second man alongside Scheffler or as the main guy if you're up for taking a bold stance. The guy won the Players Championship in 2021 and just came in 12th at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, gaining strokes in all the important categories. 

He knows the course, has a killer approach game, and handles the greens like a pro. Thomas is the only high-priced golfer I'm into this week, mainly because, aside from a blip at Genesis, he's been killing it this year. Plus, he's technically never missed a cut – his only slip-up was an MDF (made cut, did not finish) way back in 2017.

Will Zalatoris ($9,900)

Will Zalatoris is bouncing back strong from his back surgery last year, surprising everyone with killer performances. He nailed top-5 finishes at Riviera and Bay Hill in some seriously tough contests. In the last two outings, he's been killing it, gaining 8.8 strokes on approach and 5.0 off the tee. 

Sure, putting is still a bit of a struggle, but TPC Sawgrass, the next stop, might just play to his strengths. You don't have to be a putting superstar to do well there. Zalatoris fits the bill for recent winners, and he's got a decent track record at TPC Sawgrass – 21st in his debut in 2021 and 26th in 2022, with no missed cuts in three trips.

 

 

 

Mid-Price Core Plays

Shane Lowry ($9,100)

Shane Lowry's been rocking it in Florida lately, no doubt about it. Okay, so he lost the lead in the last two weeks, finishing T4 at Cognizant and snagging a solo third against Scottie Scheffler at Bay Hill. But let's give the big guy some credit—he gained a whopping 7.2 and 6.2 strokes in ball striking in those two outings. 

Now, he's heading back to Sawgrass, where he's had some decent runs with T8, T13, and T35 in the past three years. Yeah, his bogey-avoidance ranking isn't stellar at 139th, but Sawgrass demands a lot, and you can't shine in every department. He's not exactly a bargain this week, but seriously, why wouldn't you put your money on him with the way he's been playing?

Corey Conners ($8,300)

Conners is like a perfect match for TPC Sawgrass. He's got this killer combo of being crazy accurate off the tee and ace at approach shots, which fits like a glove with the Pete Dye design. Now, the guy's weak spot has always been the short game and putting, but surprise, he's been killing it on those overseeded Bermuda greens. This season hasn't been his absolute best, no top 10s in seven starts, but he's on the upswing. 

Just check out his T18 at the API last week, where he bagged 6.04 strokes on approach. That's three weeks in a row now that he's acing it with his irons, if that's your thing. Conners has a decent track record at TPC Sawgrass, making the cut three out of four times, including a cool T7 in 2021. Trust me, in the $8,000 range, he's my top pick for the slate.

Brian Harman ($7,900)

Harman really shut up the doubters at the Open Championship, proving he can hang tough with the best in the world. It's kind of surprising to see his price tag so low for a guy who's had so much success on this golf course. As the current Champion Golfer of the Year, he's scored three top-10 finishes at TPC Sawgrass and made the cut seven out of the last eight years. 

Harman's coming off a solid 12th place at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, where he gained over five strokes on approach. Plus, he hasn't missed a cut in 2024. With one of the best short games in the field, Harman's a no-brainer pick in strong events whenever he's on point with his approach. I really think he's got a shot at winning this week; he can be surprisingly top-notch when he's in the groove.

 

 

 

Value-Price Core Plays

Erik Van Rooyen ($7,300)

Van Rooyen's on fire after his solid T25 showing at Bay Hill last week. He's been killing it lately with nine top-25 finishes in his last 11 PGA TOUR gigs, including a win, a second-place, and a T8. In the last 36 rounds in this stacked field, he's holding his own at 10th in Total Strokes Gained and ninth in SG: Ball-Striking—consistent and strong. 

Sure, he's only played THE PLAYERS once, but it was a good run, finishing T13 in 2022 and gaining loads of strokes with his killer ball striking. At 34, he's in his prime, and his game reflects it. Van Rooyen's one of the hottest golfers globally right now. Considering his recent form, killer stats, and decent track record, the $7,300 price tag this week seems like a steal.

Doug Ghim ($6,800)

Doug Ghim is hitting the links like a champ right now, earning himself the nickname "Ghim Reaper." He's been on a tear, landing T16 or better in his last four outings. Not to brag, but he's rocking the seventh spot in SG: Tee-to-Green and eighth in SG: Ball Striking during this streak. Yeah, his putting game might need some TLC, but his accuracy off the tee and killer iron play more than compensate. 

Plus, he's got a good vibe going on at the Stadium Course, pulling off a T29, T6, and even a MC in three PLAYERS starts. At just $6,800, Ghim looks like a steal. Golf can be a wild ride, but with his recent game and track record at this course, I'm rolling the dice on Ghim. Fingers crossed his hot streak keeps sizzling!

Mark Hubbard ($5,800)

Just missed out on playing at Bay Hill last week, but he's been killing it with 6 out of 6 cuts made this season. His last five rounds here were all at par or better. Right now, he's sitting at 60th in Strokes Gained: Total. 

When it comes to Strokes Gained: Approach, he's 76th on TOUR, putting up an average of 0.136. And check this out, he's the boss with a Greens in Regulation mark. So, yeah, Hubbard's a pretty solid dark horse pick. Oh, and he finished 35th in his latest round at THE PLAYERS Championship in 2023.

 

 

 

Player Pool

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