The Players Championship 2025: Preview & Betting Tips

The PGA Tour’s flagship event returns this week as The Players Championship 2025 tees off at TPC Sawgrass. Often considered golf’s unofficial fifth major, this tournament boasts one of the strongest fields of the year, with $25 million in prize money up for grabs.

However, there’s a notable absentee- Tiger Woods has been forced to withdraw after rupturing his Achilles tendon, casting doubt over his participation for the rest of the season. Despite his absence, an elite lineup is set to battle it out over the iconic Stadium Course.

🏌️‍♂️ Contenders to Watch

🔥 Rory McIlroy – Course Set Up Perfectly

✅ Form: Won Pebble Beach Pro-Am in February
✅ Power Off The Tee: McIlroy is one of the longest hitters on tour.
✅ Past Success at Sawgrass: Won The Players in 2019

McIlroy heads into the week as one of the betting favourites, and for good reason. His ball-striking and long-game are well suited to TPC Sawgrass, and with 12 of the last 14 Players winners posting a top-4 finish in the three months prior, his recent form makes him a strong contender.

🏆 Scottie Scheffler – Chasing a Historic Three-Peat

✅ Defending Champion: Winner in 2023 & 2024
✅ All Round Game: Ranks 2nd in Strokes Gained Tee to Green.
✅ Consistency: 2 Top-10 finishes in 4 events this season

Scheffler is bidding to become the first player ever to win three consecutive Players Championships, an achievement that would cement his status as one of the greatest players of this generation. While he is still searching for his first win of 2025, his course history and consistent form make him an obvious threat.

🎯 Hideki Matsuyama – Scrambling Master

✅ Short-Game King: Ranks 2nd on Tour in Scrambling (73%)
✅ Recent Form: Won the Sentry Tournament of Champions in January
✅ TPC Sawgrass Specialist: Multiple top-10 finishes at this course

With Sawgrass’ smaller-than-average greens, scrambling will be crucial, and there are not many better around the greens this year than Matsuyama. His ability to save par from difficult positions makes him a serious contender in what could be a challenging, wind-affected week.

🔥 Russell Henley – The In-Form Challenger

✅ Coming Off a Win: Victorious at Arnold Palmer Invitational last week.
✅ Par-3 Scoring Machine: Ranks 5th in Par-3 Scoring on Tour.
✅ Hot Streak: 4 Top-10 finishes in 6 starts this year.

Henley arrives in red-hot form and will be full of confidence after his win at Bay Hill. His accuracy and ability to navigate difficult par-3s could prove decisive on the infamous 17th island green, making him one to watch this week.

⛳ Course Preview & Conditions

Venue: TPC Sawgrass – Hosted since 1982
Par: 72
Distance: 7,256 yards
Notable Holes: The par-5 16th, par-3 17th (Island Green), and par-4 18th create one of the most nerve-wracking finishing stretches in golf.
Weather: Windy conditions expected, adding extra difficulty to approach shots and putting

With water hazards looming on 17 and 18, precision under pressure will be key—the winner on Sunday will have earned it.

📌 Betting Tips – Who to Back at The Players?

🔹 Rory McIlroy– 12.00 – A top contender for a reason, long game suits this track.
🔹 Hideki Matsuyama– 29.00 – Scrambling skills will be crucial in tough conditions.
🔹 Russell Henley– 29.00 – In top form and thrives on par-3s.

This 51st edition of The Players Championship promises drama, upsets, and world-class golf. Can Scheffler make history? Can McIlroy add another Sawgrass win? Let’s find out! ⛳🔥