When will the tag, the “unofficial” Fifth Major, the Players Championship, become an “official” Major? After all, it’s the best field in golf, just as good as any Major. The course is epic, TPC Sawgrass, especially the “island green” on 17 hole. Most of golf’s greatest players have counted it among their trophies.
Major or not, the Players Championship is one of the most important stops on the PGA tour, and every golfer who enters it wants to win. But the competition is fierce. The best golfers in the world seem to up their game at the Players. Just look at the last three years. Scottie Scheffler won twice in 2023 and 2024, and last year, Rory McIlroy won for his second Players trophy. So it’s no surprise that those two are at the top of the odds market for the 2026 version.
Sawgrass Scenery
The course is immaculate—and difficult. It is 149 acres of what was once a swamp filled with thousands of trees, alligators, and bobcats. Designed by renowned golf course architect Pete Dye, it is consistently ranked as one of the country’s nicest public golf courses, with greens fees ranging from $550-$750 per round depending on the season.
TPC Sawgrass is golf’s first-ever stadium course, using the land’s elevation changes to build vertical stands, enabling fans to see several holes (and different shots) without walking more than 100 yards at a time. For golfers, each hole was then built in the opposite direction to balance out the potential influence of wind. And, most importantly, Dye made the final few holes the most challenging.
The 17th hole is one of the most famous holes in golf. More than 1,000 golf balls have been hit into the water during the Players Championship since the PGA Tour started using tracking data in 2003, and broadcast partners typically place a dozen dedicated cameras around the 17th hole during the tournament.
Fan Favorites
With Scheffler and McIlroy winning the last three, the top favorites are always in play. So let’s consider who has been hot over the last few weeks.
At BetMGM and BetRivers, Scheffler is +450. McIlroy is +1400. McIlroy would be higher, but he withdrew from last week’s Arnold Palmer tournament at Bay Hill with back spasms and will miss a practice round at Sawgrass as it gets treated. Scheffler has had a slow start to the year, although he won the American Express event. And “slow” for Scheffler in 2026 is five starts, five made cuts, and five top 25s. Not too shabby. He roared back at both the WM tournament in Phoenix and the AT&T at Pebble Beach, so he’s close.
The next four top contenders are Xander Schauffele (+3000), Collin Morikawa (+1600), Tommy Fleetwood (+2700), and Ludvig Aberg (+2200)
Lovely Longshots
We all love the longshots, but for the Players, they are even longer shots because of the proclivity for highly ranked golfers to win the tournament. But here are a few suggestions.
- Tom Hoge (+3500 for Top 5)
Hoge has two top-3 finishes in his last three starts at TPC Sawgrass, making him one of the better value picks. The computer model from SportsLine flagged him as a strong inclusion in golf parlays and longshot prop bets. cbssports.com
- Hideki Matsuyama (+2500)
He’s often undervalued at this event despite elite tee-to-green stats and past consistency. And he’s been playing great golf recently, despite giving up the lead at the WM Open in Phoenix on the last hole.
- J.J. Spaun (+8000)
Runner-up to Rory McIlroy last year after a playoff. At 80-to-1, he offers solid value given his strong course history and solid ball-striking form heading in.
- Sepp Straka (+4,500)
Strong approach play and solid form recently, making him a sneaky contender if the leaders struggle.
Different Approach
Betting on one player to win can often be frustrating when he falls out of contention early in the tournament, or even worse, misses the cut. Sometimes you can get some good value betting on the cut line. For example, McIlroy, the defending champion with back problems, is expected to make the cut. But you get +500 odds that he won’t. You might also like Patrick Cantlay at +400. He missed the cut last week at Bay Hill, and his putting is atrocious lately. And, Brooks Koepka (+350) has just rejoined the PGA Tour after several years on the LIV Tour, but has yet to regain his form.
How about the Top 5, Top 10, Top 20 bets? A bit more interesting than the outright winner, but of course, the odds are lower. Top 5 for Scheffler is +175. Collin Morakawa is +320, and Ludvig Åberg is +400.
Top 10 values, start with former champion Si Woo Kim at +300. Or go for the longshot in Max Homa at +800.
Better yet, gang together four or five golfers with the best value, and you’ve got an intriguing Sunday at the Players.
Most of the odds in this feature are from BetMGM, but shop around! The odds to win the Players Championship can vary dramatically, and you may be able to find better odds at sportsbooks like Caesars Sportsbook, BetRivers, Circa, or STN in Nevada.
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