The Players Championship Odds, Predictions & Best Bets 2023

• The Players Championship from Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, tees off Thursday, March 9th
• Jon Rahm is the +850 favorite over Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler
• Below, see the Players Championship odds to win, plus picks and the best-value bets

After Kurt Kitayama won the Arnold Palmer Invitational, he and the worlds best head to TPC Sawgrass for the PGA Tour’s crown jewel, the Players Championship. Kitayama held off a slew of major champions to take his first title, defeating the likes of Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler and Jordan Spieth. The Players is considered the ‘fifth major’ with its quirky golf course, where the winner will earn a cool $4.5 million. The famed island green par-3, 17th hole awaits any errant tee shots, where plenty of balls find the water annually.

Cameron Smith won the event last year, but he won’t be teeing it up now that he’s playing for the LIV golf series. There was also a potential for Tiger Woods to compete, but he opted not to enter the event. The previous two champions before Smith were Justin Thomas and McIlroy.

2023 Players Championship Odds

Jon Rahm, who has three victories in six tour starts in 2023, is the betting favorite at +850. He led after the first round at Bay Hill, before slumping to a surprising T-39 result. He’s followed by 2019 winner Rory McIlroy, and Scottie Scheffler. Kitayama, who won the Arnold Palmer Invitational, is +9000.

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Odds as of March 6th at DraftKings Sportsbook.

Patrick Cantlay In Fine Form

Patrick Cantlay has shown up in a big way the last couple of weeks after a so-so start to the 2023. He was third at the Genesis Invitational, gaining 13 shots tee-to-green on his competitors. Then he followed that up by going T-4th at Bay Hill, where he picked up ten strokes in that same category. In those two starts, he’s put together impressive ‘strokes gained’ stats.

Patrick Cantlay’s Strokes Gained Stats In Last Eight Rounds

There will have to be a bit of a leap of faith with Cantlay, with respect to him missing his last three cuts at TPC Sawgrass. That can partly be blamed on being in the awful draw, weather wise, last year. Earlier in his career though, he had a pair of top-25’s at this venue, so it hasn’t all been bad here. His odds sit at +1800, which is longer odds than the top-three players on the board.

Past Five Players Championship Winners

The 2020 edition was canceled after one round due to COVID-19.

2023 Players Championship Picks and Value Bets

1. Viktor Hovland (+2500): Viktor Hovland played in the final group on Sunday at Bay Hill, where he right in the thick of it until the final couple of holes. The tourney ended up being his ninth top-25 result in his last ten worldwide starts. Last year, the Norwegian star was T-9th at the Players, gaining a whopping 11.5 shots versus the field tee-to-green.
2. Jason Day (+3000): The 2016 champion of the Players Championship has been quietly playing solid golf for the last few months, with four straight top-10’s. In the last 24 rounds, he’s second in putting and third in total strokes gained. He’s posted four career top-10’s at this event. Also, in his last 24 spins around TPC Sawgrass, he’s seventh in total strokes gained.
3. Sahith Theegala (+6500): Sahith Theegala has followed up an outstanding rookie campaign with another solid season, where he’s had five top-10’s. In the last eight rounds, he’s sixth in total strokes gained. In Theegala’s last four events, all against elite fields, he’s posted three top-20’s (T-4th, T-6th, T-14th), making him an intriguing option in the top 5/10/20 markets this week.