PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — The PGA Tour lastly acquired what it wished on the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill this previous week — a loaded leaderboard and acquainted winner.
Scottie Scheffler received for the primary time in practically a 12 months, capturing the API for the second time in three years for a 5-stroke victory. It was the most important victory at Bay Hill Membership & Lodge since Tiger Woods in 2012.
Now, Scheffler will attempt to defend his title on the fiftieth Gamers Championship, the circuit’s signature occasion.
Rival LIV Golf League gamers aren’t the one ones who will not be teeing it up at TPC Sawgrass this week. Woods, an 82-time winner on the PGA Tour, is additionally skipping the “fifth main” for undisclosed causes.
Whereas Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth, Xander Schauffele and others might be competing for the richest purse on the PGA Tour, the 144-player discipline consists of many not-so-familiar names, as LIV Golf League reduce into the PGA Tour’s depth this 12 months.
This is a have a look at who can win the PGA Tour’s signature occasion, these below the radar and the gamers who simply hope to stay round for the weekend.
Bounce to a bit:
Guys who can win | If all the things goes proper
Lengthy pictures | Miracles occur | Completely satisfied to make the reduce
Tier I: The blokes who can win
Listed here are the respectable contenders to win the Gamers. They’ve the video games, guts and nerves to deal with 4 pressure-packed rounds.
Scottie Scheffler
It was solely a matter of time earlier than Scheffler figured issues out on the greens to return to the winner’s circle. He made every of his final 23 putts from inside 15 toes to tug away for a dominant victory on the Arnold Palmer Invitational. This week, he’ll attempt to do what no different golfer has finished: efficiently defend his Gamers Championship title. The most effective end by a defending champion is a tie for fifth.
Viktor Hovland
The reigning FedEx Cup champion has struggled to get issues going this season, however his expertise makes him harmful every week. Hovland had top-10 finishes in every of his previous two begins on the Gamers, together with a tie for third final 12 months.
Justin Thomas
JT’s well-documented struggles appear to be within the rearview mirror — he had 4 top-12 finishes in his first 5 begins this season. In keeping with Knowledge Golf, Thomas is second — solely to Scheffler — in true pictures gained (+2.36) over the previous six months heading into the API. The 2021 Gamers Championship winner appears near accumulating a trophy once more.
Will Zalatoris
Zalatoris is ramping issues up once more after recovering from again surgical procedure in April that sidelined him for the remainder of the 2023 season. He tied for second on the Genesis Invitational in February and for fourth on the API, an indication that his world-class ball hanging is again.
Max Homa
Homa tied for sixth on the Gamers final season, his finest profession end on the occasion. He was 8 below over the past 36 holes.
Rory McIlroy
Since profitable the 2019 Gamers Championship, McIlroy has completed thirty third and missed two cuts. Final 12 months, he doomed himself with a 4-over 76 on Thursday, his worst opening spherical because the 2021 Masters.
Patrick Cantlay
Cantlay completed nineteenth on the Gamers final season after lacking three straight cuts within the occasion. It is previous time for him to start out exhibiting up constantly at majors, together with the so-called fifth one.
Collin Morikawa
Morikawa posted a 7-under 65 within the first spherical at TPC Sawgrass final 12 months, however then managed solely even par over the past 54 holes. He tied for thirteenth at 7 below, his finest end in three begins.
Xander Schauffele
The Olympic gold medal winner hasn’t received in additional than 19 months, however he is enjoying nice golf. He tied for second in his first Gamers begin in 2018, however hasn’t finished a lot there since.
Hideki Matsuyama
The 2021 Masters champion gave the impression to be wholesome once more, as evidenced by his victory in opposition to a loaded discipline on the Genesis, however then again ache flared up once more earlier than the API (he nonetheless tied for twelfth). He was fifth on the Gamers final 12 months after posting 67-68 on the weekend.
Jordan Spieth
Like Schauffele, Spieth had early success at TPC Sawgrass, tying for fourth in his debut in 2014. He had 5 missed cuts and two finishes exterior the highest 40 earlier than tying for nineteenth final 12 months.
Ludvig Åberg
There was one first-time winner because the Gamers moved to TPC Sawgrass in 1982: New Zealand’s Craig Perks in 2002. Åberg is gifted sufficient to do it. The Swede was sixth within the 2018 Junior Gamers Championship.
Tommy Fleetwood
The Englishman continues to be looking for his first victory on American soil. It would not be all that shocking to see it occur at TPC Sawgrass, the place he has two top-10s in seven begins.
Jason Day
The Australian has been enjoying strong golf and has carried out nicely at TPC Sawgrass, profitable in 2016 and accumulating three different prime 10s. He is without doubt one of the tour’s higher gamers on troublesome programs and putts nicely on Bermuda greens.
Tier II: If all the things goes proper
Listed here are the sleeper candidates to win the Gamers. This tier features a few earlier main champions and a handful of gamers who might be making their first begins at TPC Sawgrass.
Keegan Bradley
Bradley had a pleasant run going at TPC Sawgrass till he missed the reduce final 12 months. He made a quadruple-bogey 8 on the par-4 18th gap, his ninth gap, to assist ship him dwelling.
Min Woo Lee
The Australian performed within the ultimate group with Scheffler on Sunday final 12 months. He carded a 4-over 76 and tied for sixth. He tied for second on the Cognizant Basic earlier this month.
Brian Harman
After a strong begin to the season in Hawaii, Harman struggled a bit on the West Coast earlier than bouncing again to tie for twelfth on the API. He has three top-10s at TPC Sawgrass, and he needs to be extra snug placing on greens within the Southeast.
Cameron Younger
It is past shocking that the 26-year-old hasn’t but received on the PGA Tour. He has piled up six runner-up finishes and 4 top-10s in majors.
Matt Fitzpatrick
The 2022 U.S. Open winner’s outcomes at TPC Sawgrass have been a combined bag, which is shocking as a result of the course appears to suit his recreation. He tied for ninth in 2021, adopted by back-to-back missed cuts. He hit solely 4 of 14 fairways within the first spherical final 12 months.
Wyndham Clark
The reigning U.S. Open winner’s efficiency on the Gamers was forgettable till he completed twenty seventh final 12 months. He was disqualified for signing an incorrect scorecard in 2019 after which had back-to-back missed cuts. He is one of many longest hitters off the tee on tour, however his lack of accuracy would possibly harm him this week.
Sam Burns
There is no query Burns is without doubt one of the finest golfers on this planet, however he is nonetheless on the lookout for a breakthrough in an enormous occasion. His finest end on the Gamers was a tie for twenty sixth in 2022, when he performed a lot better than his end.
Tom Hoge
Hoge had two top-10 finishes in opposition to elite fields in signature occasions in February, the AT&T Pebble Seaside Professional-Am and the Genesis Invitational. He’ll have loads of confidence after setting a Stadium Course document with a 10-under 62 within the third spherical final 12 months, which helped him tie for third.
Sungjae Im
The South Korean’s type wasn’t nice till he tied for 18th on the API. He found out TPC Sawgrass final 12 months, tying for sixth at 8 below. He carded an 8-under 64 within the third spherical.
Shane Lowry
Lowry has lived each Irishman’s dream by profitable a Claret Jug and Ryder Cup. He opened the Gamers final 12 months with a 5-over 77 however was 8 strokes higher within the second spherical and 9 within the third.
Matthieu Pavon
The 31-year-old grew to become the primary golfer from France since 1907 to win on the PGA Tour when he defeated Nicolai Hojgaard by 1 stroke on the Farmers Insurance coverage Open. He’s second on the PGA Tour in strokes gained: whole and is sixth in placing.
Tom Kim
Kim’s leads to 2024 have not been nice, however he is already received thrice on tour at 21. He tied for 51st in his Gamers Championship debut final season.
Nick Taylor
Taylor has received twice on tour since June, claiming the RBC Canadian Open and WM Phoenix Open. He is a part of the surging group of golfers from the Nice White North who will attempt to pry the Presidents Cup away from the U.S. in Montreal in September.
Chris Kirk
His observe document at TPC Sawgrass is not nice after a tie for twelfth in 2017. He beat a loaded discipline to choose up his sixth PGA Tour victory on the Sentry in January.
Adam Scott
The 43-year-old appears to have lots left within the tank with top-20 finishes in every of his first three begins in 2024. It is the twentieth anniversary of his 2004 victory, when on the time, he grew to become the youngest Gamers Championship winner at 23.
Tony Finau
“Massive Tone” had three top-20 finishes in his first six begins this season, together with a tie for sixth on the Farmers Insurance coverage Open. After exhibiting some enchancment on the greens final season, his placing is a legal responsibility once more.
Adam Hadwin
Hadwin collected three top-15s in his first six begins, together with a tie for fourth on the Genesis Invitational. He has a reasonably strong three-year run on the Gamers, too. We might anticipate nothing much less from a golfer born in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan.
Sahith Theegala
The 26-year-old is oozing with expertise and has already completed ninth on the Masters and picked up his first PGA Tour victory on the Fortinet Championship in September. He may be a bit of too wild off the tee, nevertheless, to contend on the Gamers.
Justin Rose
Rose, 43, continues to be discovering his type this season. Final 12 months, he received the AT&T Pebble Seaside Professional-Am after which missed back-to-back cuts earlier than tying for sixth on the Gamers.
Sepp Straka
The 2-time PGA Tour winner tied for ninth on the Gamers in 2022. He is one among 9 former College of Georgia golfers within the discipline.
Tier III: The lengthy pictures
Every thing must fall completely into place over 72 holes in 4 days for somebody from this tier to win.
Jake Knapp
Will or not it’s Knapp time in Ponte Vedra Seaside? The previous UCLA star picked up his first PGA Tour victory on the Mexico Open on Feb. 25 and has two different top-five finishes.
Eric Cole
The previous mini-tour legend does not appear overwhelmed by any stage. He had top-15 finishes in every of his first three begins in opposition to elite fields this season. He tied for twenty seventh in his Gamers Championship debut final season.
Nicolai Hojgaard
Hojgaard, a three-time winner on the DP World Tour, might be making his Gamers Championship debut.
Austin Eckroat
After claiming his first PGA Tour win on the Cognizant Basic, Eckroat will make his Gamers Championship debut.
Si Woo Kim
In 2017, Kim grew to become the youngest participant to win the Gamers Championship with a bogey-free, 3-under 69 within the ultimate spherical. At 21, he was the youngest participant on tour on the time.
Erik van Rooyen
The previous Minnesota star will are available in sizzling after tying for eighth within the Mexico Open and for second on the Cognizant Basic. He tied for thirteenth in his solely begin on the Gamers in 2022.
Denny McCarthy
McCarthy makes cuts and putts, which is an efficient option to make a residing on the PGA Tour. He is probably the greatest putters on this planet and goes to choose up his first tour victory in some unspecified time in the future.
Corey Conners
Considered probably the greatest iron gamers on tour, Conners’ flat stick has been the issue currently. He completed seventh within the 2021 Gamers Championship.
Rickie Fowler
After his resurgence in 2023, Fowler has struggled mightily. The 2015 Gamers Championship winner has already used three drivers in competitors and ranks 164th in strokes gained: off the tee (-.485).
Harris English
English has labored his manner again into the highest 50 on this planet after hip surgical procedure, however he does not appear to be a fan of TPC Sawgrass. He final made a reduce there in 2013.
Lucas Glover
It has been a so-so begin to 2024 for Glover, particularly in comparison with his epic heater on the finish of the 2023 season, when he received back-to-back tournaments. He tied for sixth at TPC Sawgrass in 2017 however hasn’t finished a lot since.
Russell Henley
Henley does not hit it very far off the tee, however he does not miss many fairways and retains the ball in play. He had back-to-back top-20 finishes on the Gamers.
Keith Mitchell
He tied for thirteenth on the Gamers two years in the past and stacked up 4 top-25 finishes in his first seven begins this season. Sadly, it is going to be a bit of heat for cashmere in Ponte Vedra Seaside.
J.T. Poston
The 2-time tour winner has a pair of missed cuts and ties for twenty second on the Gamers.
Cam Davis
Davis had missed 5 straight cuts earlier than tying for sixth at 8 below on the Gamers final 12 months. He had missed the reduce in his earlier two begins at TPC Sawgrass.
Ryan Fox
A four-time winner on the DP World Tour, Fox tied for twenty seventh in his first Gamers Championship begin in 2023.
Justin Suh
The previous world No. 1 novice has been scuffling currently, however he had three rounds below par to tie for sixth on the Gamers in 2023.
Adam Svensson
The Canadian was the second-round chief after posting 68-67 within the first two rounds in his Gamers Championship debut. He tied for thirteenth at 7 below.
Brendon Todd
A 3-time winner on tour, Todd tied for twenty seventh final 12 months, his finest end at TPC Sawgrass.
Christiaan Bezuidenhout
The South African made the reduce in each begins on the Gamers. He was tied for fourth coming into the ultimate spherical in 2023 and carded a 2-over 74 to tie for thirteenth.
Akshay Bhatia
Nonetheless solely 22, Bhatia might be making his Gamers debut. He received the Barracuda Championship in July.
Kurt Kitayama
Final 12 months, Kitayama received on a troublesome course on the 2023 Arnold Palmer Invitational and tied for fourth on the PGA Championship.
Billy Horschel
The hometown favourite is exhibiting indicators of placing his recreation again collectively after struggling for a lot of 2022-23.
Robert MacIntyre
MacIntyre, from Scotland, has missed three cuts and made three on the PGA Tour this season. He tied for sixth on the Mexico Open.
Tier IV: Hey, miracles occur
These golfers most likely aren’t going to win the Gamers, however they will all dream about doing it.
Gary Woodland
Woodland’s comeback from mind surgical procedure in September has been inspiring. He is nonetheless working his manner again to contending.
Grayson Murray
McIlroy informed Murray to play higher as an alternative of complaining. Murray did, choosing up his second PGA Tour victory on the Sony Open in January.
Nick Dunlap
After turning into the primary novice to win on the PGA Tour in 33 years on the American Categorical on Jan. 21, Dunlap continues to be discovering his manner on tour.
Aaron Rai
The Englishman tied for nineteenth in his Gamers Championship debut final 12 months. He’s third on tour in driving accuracy, hitting 77% of the fairways.
Brandon Wu
The previous Stanford golfer hasn’t finished a lot but on the PGA Tour. TPC Sawgrass appears to suit his eye — he tied for nineteenth at 6 below final 12 months.
Joel Dahmen
The “Full Swing” star’s finest end on the Gamers got here in his debut in 2019, when he tied for twelfth.
Webb Simpson
The 2018 Gamers Championship winner does not have his fastball anymore, lacking the reduce in his final three begins within the occasion.
Steve Stricker
The 57-year-old dominated the PGA Tour Champions circuit final 12 months, profitable six occasions. He final made the reduce on the Gamers when he tied for twenty third in 2018.
Vincent Norrman
Normann, who received the Barbasol Championship and Irish Open final 12 months, was dubbed the “Sweet Man” as a result of he labored in a sweets store in Sweden as a child.
Andrew Novak
The previous Wofford golfer has put collectively a string of three straight top-10 finishes on tour.
Tier V: Completely satisfied to make the reduce
They don’t seem to be anticipated to be among the many contenders and might be happy to be round on the weekend.
Aaron Baddeley
Baddeley’s fourth PGA Tour victory got here in 2016. He leads the PGA Tour in strokes gained: placing (1.273) and has made 93% of his putts from inside 10 toes.
Michael Kim
Homa is not the one former Cal-Berkeley golfer who’s entertaining on X. Kim will not trash your swing, however he gives a very good perception of life on tour.
Ryan Moore
It has been tough sledding currently for the five-time PGA Tour winner. Moore has missed the reduce in 5 of six begins in 2024.
Carl Yuan
Yuan jumped from 126th to one hundred and twenty fifth within the FedEx Cup standings when Jon Rahm left for LIV Golf, guaranteeing him full standing on the PGA Tour for 2024. Yuan tied for fourth on the Sony Open in Hawaii.
#Gamers #Rating #favorites #contenders #hopefuls