Players sleepers to watch, odds to win at TPC Sawgrass
Can Rickie Fowler find his TPC Sawgrass magic once more?
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The 2023 Players Championship kicks off on Thursday at TPC Sawgrass. Here’s how you can watch it and first-round tee times. Below, we asked some of our staffers to pick their Players Championship sleeper to watch. You can find their picks to win here.
Players Championship sleepers to watch
Jack Hirsh, assistant editor: Rickie Fowler. Who says no? The 2015 Players champion is playing his best golf of the decade, having finished co-runner-up at the Zozo early in the season and has two other top 10s and a T11 at the Farmers. He’s back in the top 100 of the OWGR. His results are mixed at TPC Sawgrass with the win and second-place finish being his only top 10s, but with his swing changes improving every week, his ball-striking could just be rounding into form enough to get him back in the winner’s circle.
Ryan Barath, equipment editor: Jason Day. After a number of years living in almost complete obscurity on the PGA Tour and dealing with injury and swing changes, Jason has quietly moved his way back into the the top 50 — currently sitting at 43rd in the world, up from 112th at the end of 2022. Beyond three events dating back to September, he has not finished outside of the top 20 in a PGA Tour event.
Jessica Marksbury, senior editor: Shane Lowry. He was T14 at the Genesis, T5 at the Honda. He has a reputation as a grinder and plays well on tough courses. And after a 67th-place finish at Bay Hill last week, I think he’s prime to give Sawgrass a good run.
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Josh Sens, senior writer: Justin Suh. Suh has been a stud at every level and already looks comfortable early in his rookie year on Tour. He got himself into the hunt a couple of weeks ago at the Honda and he held up well at an exceptionally tough Bay Hill. A proven talent with young nerves and a syrupy swing? At 150-1, I’ll plunk down some coin.
Josh Berhow, managing editor: Corey Conners. Another guy who has been consistent this year. He’s played this only three times but has finished 7th and 26th to go with one 41st-place finish, which came in his debut in 2019. He’ll need to play better on and around the greens, but he’s got too much game to only have one PGA Tour win.
Alan Bastable, executive editor: Matt Kuchar. Kuch — a former Players champion — has been playing sneaky-well this season with two top 10s (Sony Open, Genesis) in five starts. For a guy who’s had as much success as he’s had at Sawgrass — six top-20 finishes — you’d be wise to toss a few bucks on him at 190-1.
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