PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – Dustin Johnson, the world’s top-ranked player, has made 10 starts at THE PLAYERS Championship. His best finish is a tie for 12th two years ago. It’s the only PGA TOUR event he’s played 10 times or more without a top-10 finish. “I don’t know – I struggle with everything,â€� Johnson said Wednesday in trying to explain a track record at TPC Sawgrass he calls “frustrating.â€� Justin Rose is the world’s second-ranked player. He’s made 15 PLAYERS starts with just one top-10 finish, a tie for fourth in 2014. Like Johnson, Rose’s results here are a career-low — it’s his most starts in a single TOUR event with so few top 10s. “I’m slightly bemused by why I haven’t done better,â€� Rose said. “… Doesn’t really make a lot of sense.â€� Indeed, it doesn’t – and yet those two aren’t alone. Some of the game’s most notable and successful players have come to TPC Sawgrass and made the kind of noise usually reserved for art galleries and libraries. Bubba Watson has 11 PLAYERS starts without a top 10; no other tournament has shut him out that many times. World No. 3 Brooks Koepka doesn’t have a top-10 in four starts. Combined, those two players have five major victories and 17 overall TOUR wins; each is also a native Floridian, but any “localâ€� knowledge obviously hasn’t translated here. Not that any of that should matter, insisted Koepka. “Course history isn’t what you guys make it up to be, I don’t think,â€� he said. Course history and past results, however, usually provide a starting point for contenders. Yet even the game’s two biggest names have consistently failed to stay in the mix at THE PLAYERS. Tiger Woods is the only player to win this event in both March and May but has just three top 10s in his other 16 starts at THE PLAYERS. In Tiger’s legendary career, he’s never made as many starts at a single event with so few top 10s. Phil Mickelson won THE PLAYERS in 2007 when it first moved to May but hasn’t had a top 10 since then. In 25 career starts, he has just three top 10s. The only other tournament in his career that comes close to matching that level of futility is the BMW Championship, in which he has two top 10s in 21 starts. Of course, that tournament rotates its host course each year. So what does all this tell us? Pretty much what we’ve known all along – that TPC Sawgrass favors no one and diffuses the horses-for-courses theory so prevalent at some other TOUR events. “It’s when Charles Howell goes to the Sony Open, he’s pretty much a stock standard top-10 guy or a win. I don’t know if there’s anyone out there that plays that well at this golf course – and that’s what’s so interesting about it,â€� said Jason Day, whose rollercoaster results at TPC Sawgrass include a win in 2016, two other top 10s and three missed cuts. One big reason why TPC Sawgrass doesn’t favor a particular style? It has avoided becoming a bomber’s paradise. At 7,189 yards, it’s not particularly long, and accuracy is at a premium – especially after THE PLAYERS moved to May with its firmer, faster conditions. Day, for instance, won two years ago basically hitting 2-iron off the tee instead of being able to bomb it. Most of the game’s best players are big hitters but not being able to overpower the Stadium Course has reduced their advantage. “All the notables in the game now are a reflection of what is going on in the game; they’re the bombers, they hit it forever,â€� said David Duval, the 1999 PLAYERS winner who is now a Golf Channel analyst. “That’s not a necessity here. It opens up the field that much more because of that. … there’s no soft spots among the 144 teeing it up. “The reality is that length is always an advantage. It doesn’t matter the golf course you play. But I think also at the same time as I talked about for a number of years about this golf course, a lot of the modern players and in a way seemingly like to bully a golf course into submission with length. This golf course doesn’t not allow that. You have to play the golf course as it was built and designed and you can get around that way.â€� Pete Dye’s course put a premium on precision, where shotmakers such as Fred Funk and Tim Clark can succeed, where the shorter hitters are on somewhat equal turf. “If this was a modern-style golf course where every carry was 300 [yards] and things widened out, it would be frustrating for 40 percent of the field,â€� Rose said. “I don’t think any one of the PGA TOUR players that are here this week is frustrated by this golf course. I think everybody gets here thinking, ‘I’ve got a good chance to win.’ “The best players in the world think they’ve got a better chance to win, which they do, but I think that it’s slightly condensed. I think the top players in the world these days are the guys who are hitting it generally a lot further than most, so you might run into six, seven, eight, nine venues a year where you’re playing against guys who just maybe can’t beat you based on their skill set versus yours. “This golf course allows everybody that chance to win, which is I think appropriate for THE PLAYERS Championship.â€� Adam Scott at TPC Sawgrass in just his third PLAYERS start in 2004 and has three top 10s and three other four other top 20s since then. That makes him one of the few players who can point to at least a modicum of consistency at this event. “I think probably there are certain courses that people love and, I wouldn’t say hate, but just they don’t agree with you,â€� Scott said. “Whether it’s visually or a particular hole or something – I mean, a lot of guys struggle putting at Riviera and I putt well there, which is weird. And this might be a course like that as well, where it’s just difficult to see the right shot, difficult to read the greens. “If you get on a bad run here, this course really can dent your confidence because the severity of penalty is very extreme, and that was part of the design from Pete Dye. You’re on the green, or three inches to the left, you’re in the water. It’s a big difference in a game of inches.â€� Johnson, fresh off his 20th career TOUR win at the World Golf Championships-Mexico Championship, has never played THE PLAYERS in March. But he thinks the schedule switch might play to his strength, with a more receptive course that doesn’t penalize his lengthy shots that run out into trouble. “Playing it how we did, where it was just straight Bermuda – it was always really firm and fast,â€� he said. “It kind of brought the whole into play, but that’s just how it was and how it played and the short Bermuda rough was really difficult to judge. Now the course plays completely different. It’s softer, it’s longer, the rough’s a little bit deeper but it’s still playable. … “It definitely sets up better for me like this.â€� That’s good news for DJ but perhaps bad news for the rest of the field. Don’t worry, though – if we’ve seen anything about TPC Sawgrass, the course will find a way to equalize the field.
It’s nearly impossible to be a consistent contender at TPC Sawgrass
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2nd Round 3 Balls – S. Kodaira / S. Gallacher / N. Colsaerts | |
Type: 2nd Round 3 Balls – Status: OPEN | |
Satoshi Kodaira | +120 |
Nicolas Colsaerts | +180 |
Stephen Gallacher | +250 |
2nd Round 3-Balls – R. Werenski / R. Sloan / C. Young | |
Type: 2nd Round 3-Balls – Status: OPEN | |
Carson Young | +125 |
Richy Werenski | +185 |
Roger Sloan | +230 |
2nd Round 3-Balls – J. Walker / A. Smalley / S. Gutschewski | |
Type: 2nd Round 3-Balls – Status: OPEN | |
Alex Smalley | -140 |
Jimmy Walker | +250 |
Scott Gutschewski | +335 |
2nd Round 3-Balls – G. Higgo / L. Griffin / D. Thompson | |
Type: 2nd Round 3-Balls – Status: OPEN | |
Davis Thompson | +140 |
Garrick Higgo | +185 |
Lanto Griffin | +200 |
2nd Round 3-Balls – J. Vegas / B. Hossler / D. Wu | |
Type: 2nd Round 3-Balls – Status: OPEN | |
Beau Hossler | +130 |
Dylan Wu | +200 |
Jhonattan Vegas | +200 |
2nd Round 3-Balls – S. Kang / D. Lipsky / S. Stevens | |
Type: 2nd Round 3-Balls – Status: OPEN | |
Sam Stevens | +120 |
David Lipsky | +170 |
Sung Kang | +280 |
2nd Round 3-Balls – H. Buckley / J. Suh / H. Hall | |
Type: 2nd Round 3-Balls – Status: OPEN | |
Justin Suh | +150 |
Hayden Buckley | +185 |
Harry Hall | +190 |
2nd Round 3-Balls – S. Power / R. Brehm / J. Dahmen | |
Type: 2nd Round 3-Balls – Status: OPEN | |
Seamus Power | +135 |
Joel Dahmen | +160 |
Ryan Brehm | +250 |
2nd Round 3-Balls – J. Knapp / L. List / A. Schenk | |
Type: 2nd Round 3-Balls – Status: OPEN | |
Adam Schenk | +140 |
Jake Knapp | +185 |
Luke List | +200 |
2nd Round 3-Balls – N. Hardy / J.J. Spaun / B. Snedeker | |
Type: 2nd Round 3-Balls – Status: OPEN | |
J J Spaun | +135 |
Nick Hardy | +135 |
Brandt Snedeker | +290 |
2nd Round 3-Balls – S. Jaeger / N. Dunlap / B. Hun An | |
Type: 2nd Round 3-Balls – Status: OPEN | |
Byeong Hun An | +145 |
Stephan Jaeger | +155 |
Nick Dunlap | +250 |
2nd Round 3-Balls – D. Riley / C. Ramey / Z. Johnson | |
Type: 2nd Round 3-Balls – Status: OPEN | |
Davis Riley | +155 |
Chad Ramey | +165 |
Zach Johnson | +210 |
2nd Round 3-Balls – S.W. Kim / K.H. Lee / A. Scott | |
Type: 2nd Round 3-Balls – Status: OPEN | |
Si Woo Kim | +140 |
Adam Scott | +190 |
K H Lee | +200 |
Insperity Invitational | |
Type: Winner – Status: OPEN | |
Steven Alker | +450 |
Padraig Harrington | +600 |
Stephen Ames | +1200 |
Jerry Kelly | +1400 |
Miguel Angel Jimenez | +1400 |
David Toms | +1600 |
Ernie Els | +1600 |
Alex Cejka | +2000 |
Retief Goosen | +2000 |
KJ Choi | +2200 |
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1st Round 3-Balls – J. Leonard / S. Ames / P. Harrington | |
Type: 1st Round 3-Balls – Status: OPEN | |
Padraig Harrington | +105 |
Stephen Ames | +170 |
Justin Leonard | +330 |
1st Round 3-Balls – S. Alker / R. Goosen / E. Els | |
Type: 1st Round 3-Balls – Status: OPEN | |
Steven Alker | -105 |
Ernie Els | +230 |
Retief Goosen | +260 |
1st Round 3-Balls – M.A. Jimenez / J. Kelly / P. Broadhurst | |
Type: 1st Round 3-Balls – Status: OPEN | |
Jerry Kelly | +160 |
Miguel Angel Jimenez | +160 |
Paul Broadhurst | +220 |
1st Round 3-Balls – V. Singh / K.J. Choi / D. Toms | |
Type: 1st Round 3-Balls – Status: OPEN | |
David Toms | +130 |
K.J. Choi | +170 |
Vijay Singh | +250 |
1st Round 3-Balls – C. Montgomerie / A. Cejka / D. Clarke | |
Type: 1st Round 3-Balls – Status: OPEN | |
Alex Cejka | +120 |
Darren Clarke | +170 |
Colin Montgomerie | +280 |
2nd Round 3-Balls – M. Kim / A. Noren / J. Lower | |
Type: 2nd Round 3-Balls – Status: OPEN | |
Alex Noren | +100 |
Justin Lower | +185 |
Michael Kim | +300 |
2nd Round 3-Balls – K. Chappell / T. Pendrith / K. Yu | |
Type: 2nd Round 3-Balls – Status: OPEN | |
Taylor Pendrith | +120 |
Kevin Yu | +160 |
Kevin Chappell | +300 |
2nd Round 3-Balls – C.T. Pan / M. Trainer / G. Sigg | |
Type: 2nd Round 3-Balls – Status: OPEN | |
Greyson Sigg | +130 |
C T Pan | +140 |
Martin Trainer | +320 |
2nd Round 3-Balls – R. Palmer / P. Kizzire / B. Taylor | |
Type: 2nd Round 3-Balls – Status: OPEN | |
Ryan Palmer | +120 |
Patton Kizzire | +145 |
Ben Taylor | +330 |
2nd Round 3-Balls – B. Garnett / T. Hoge / D. Berger | |
Type: 2nd Round 3-Balls – Status: OPEN | |
Tom Hoge | +110 |
Daniel Berger | +175 |
Brice Garnett | +300 |
2nd Round 3-Balls – M. Wallace / K. Kisner / C. Champ | |
Type: 2nd Round 3-Balls – Status: OPEN | |
Matt Wallace | +115 |
Cameron Champ | +135 |
Kevin Kisner | +400 |
2nd Round 3-Balls – C. Villegas / T. Kim / M. Hughes | |
Type: 2nd Round 3-Balls – Status: OPEN | |
Tom Kim | -105 |
Mackenzie Hughes | +140 |
Camilo Villegas | +500 |
2nd Round 3-Balls – V. Norrman / S. Cink / M. Kuchar | |
Type: 2nd Round 3-Balls – Status: OPEN | |
Matt Kuchar | +150 |
Vincent Norrman | +165 |
Stewart Cink | +220 |
2nd Round 3-Balls – N. Echavarria / C. Reavie / K. Mitchell | |
Type: 2nd Round 3-Balls – Status: OPEN | |
Keith Mitchell | -105 |
Nico Echavarria | +200 |
Chez Reavie | +300 |
2nd Round 3-Balls – M. Hubbard / M. NeSmith / D. Ghim | |
Type: 2nd Round 3-Balls – Status: OPEN | |
Doug Ghim | +145 |
Mark Hubbard | +165 |
Matt NeSmith | +225 |
2nd Round 3-Balls – N. Lashley / A. Baddeley / M. Schmid | |
Type: 2nd Round 3-Balls – Status: OPEN | |
Nate Lashley | +135 |
Matti Schmid | +160 |
Aaron Baddeley | +250 |
2nd Round 3-Balls – J. Hahn / Z. Blair / T. Montgomery | |
Type: 2nd Round 3-Balls – Status: OPEN | |
Taylor Montgomery | +150 |
Zac Blair | +175 |
James Hahn | +200 |
2nd Round 3-Balls – K. Streelman / B. Wu / R. Shelton | |
Type: 2nd Round 3-Balls – Status: OPEN | |
Brandon Wu | +160 |
Robby Shelton | +160 |
Kevin Streelman | +210 |
2nd Round 3-Balls – M. McNealy / J. Bramlett / B. Kohles | |
Type: 2nd Round 3-Balls – Status: OPEN | |
Maverick McNealy | +135 |
Joseph Bramlett | +175 |
Ben Kohles | +225 |
2nd Round 3-Balls – B. Martin / C. Hadley / C. Tarren | |
Type: 2nd Round 3-Balls – Status: OPEN | |
Chesson Hadley | +150 |
Ben Martin | +165 |
Callum Tarren | +215 |
2nd Round 3-Balls – R. MacIntyre / T. Crowe / P. Fishburn | |
Type: 2nd Round 3-Balls – Status: OPEN | |
Robert MacIntyre | +130 |
Patrick Fishburn | +190 |
Trace Crowe | +220 |
2nd Round 3-Balls – Z. Dou / C. Gotterup / R. Pereda | |
Type: 2nd Round 3-Balls – Status: OPEN | |
Chris Gotterup | +120 |
Zecheng Dou | +160 |
Raul Pereda | +275 |
2nd Round 3-Balls – J. Bridgeman / B. Hale / M. McGreevy | |
Type: 2nd Round 3-Balls – Status: OPEN | |
Jacob Bridgeman | +105 |
Max McGreevy | +145 |
Blaine Hale Jr | +400 |
2nd Round 3-Balls – J. Stanger / M. Meissner / R. McCormick | |
Type: 2nd Round 3-Balls – Status: OPEN | |
Jimmy Stanger | +150 |
Mac Meissner | +160 |
Ryan McCormick | +225 |
2nd Round 3-Balls – T. Olesen / W. Furr / P. Kuest | |
Type: 2nd Round 3-Balls – Status: OPEN | |
Thorbjorn Olesen | +140 |
Peter Kuest | +160 |
Wilson Furr | +240 |
2nd Round 3-Balls – A. Smotherman / S. Valimaki / B. Hopfinger | |
Type: 2nd Round 3-Balls – Status: OPEN | |
Sami Valimaki | +145 |
Austin Smotherman | +160 |
Brad Hopfinger | +225 |
Scottie Scheffler Specials | |
Type: Scottie Scheffler Specials – Status: OPEN | |
Win Any Remaining Signature Event | -200 |
PGA Championship (Top 10 Finish) & US Open (Top 10 Finish) | +115 |
PGA Championship (Top 10 Finish) & The Open (Top 10 Finish) | +125 |
US Open (Top 10 Finish) & The Open (Top 10 Finish) | +135 |
All Remaining Signature Events – Top 10 Finish | +200 |
PGA Championship (Top 5 Finish) & The Open (Top 5 Finish) | +200 |
US Open (Top 5 Finish) & The Open (Top 5 Finish) | +210 |
PGA Championship (Top 10 Finish) & US Open (Top 10 Finish) & The Open (Top 10 Finish) | +240 |
PGA Championship (Top 5 Finish) & US Open (Top 5 Finish) | +280 |
Win 2 Remaining Signature Events | +450 |
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PGA Championship 2024 | |
Type: Winner – Status: OPEN | |
Scottie Scheffler | +350 |
Jon Rahm | +1200 |
Rory McIlroy | +1200 |
Ludvig Aberg | +1600 |
Brooks Koepka | +2000 |
Xander Schauffele | +2000 |
Bryson DeChambeau | +2500 |
Collin Morikawa | +2500 |
Max Homa | +2500 |
Patrick Cantlay | +2500 |
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Requests | |
Type: Requests – Status: OPEN | |
Rory McIlroy – RBC Canadian Open Winner | +1000 |
Miles Russell – Win a Major before 30th birthday | +3500 |
Scottie Scheffler & Nelly Korda – Win All Remaining 2024 Majors | +50000 |
US Open 2024 | |
Type: Winner – Status: OPEN | |
Scottie Scheffler | +350 |
Jon Rahm | +1200 |
Rory McIlroy | +1200 |
Ludvig Aberg | +1600 |
Collin Morikawa | +2000 |
Viktor Hovland | +2000 |
Brooks Koepka | +2500 |
Cameron Smith | +2500 |
Patrick Cantlay | +2500 |
Xander Schauffele | +2500 |
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The Open Championship 2024 | |
Type: Winner – Status: OPEN | |
Scottie Scheffler | +500 |
Jon Rahm | +1000 |
Rory McIlroy | +1000 |
Viktor Hovland | +1100 |
Brooks Koepka | +2000 |
Cameron Smith | +2000 |
Cameron Young | +2000 |
Collin Morikawa | +2000 |
Ludvig Aberg | +2000 |
Jordan Spieth | +2500 |
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Requests | |
Type: Requests – Status: OPEN | |
The Open Championship – Alex Noren – Top 20 Finish | +200 |
Solheim Cup 2024 | |
Type: Winner – Status: OPEN | |
USA | -140 |
Europe | +135 |
Tie | +1200 |
Ryder Cup 2025 | |
Type: Winner – Status: OPEN | |
USA | -135 |
Europe | +135 |
Tie | +1000 |