THE PLAYERS Live Picks & Best Bets for Round 2

• Five players are tied for top spot after Thursday’s round of The Players Championship
• Two-time Players champs and top-two golfers in the world Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy weren’t as sharp
• See my 2026 Players Championship picks, best value bets, and the odds to win heading into Round 2

The first round of the 2026 Players Championship is nearly in the books, and there’s four players tied following rounds of 5-under, 67. A fifth golfer is Austin Smotherman, who will face a 15-foot putt for birdie tomorrow morning to be the solo first round leader.

The top names heading in pre-event are not among them, with world #1 and two-time champ Scottie Scheffler five behind. Rory McIlroy (+8600), who has also captured the trophy twice and is the defending champ, shot a 2-over, 74, and is seven strokes behind. Collin Morikawa withdrew with a back injury.

The Players Championship odds have been thrown in flux upon the completion of play Thursday. Four golfers were a hole away from completing their round (21 minute rain delay earlier in the day), and they’ll finish up Friday morning before the start of the second round. I’m bullish that four of my five selections are either tied for top spot (Sepp Straka, Sahith Theegala), or two behind (Ludvig Aberg, Xander Schauffele), so it could be an eventual Sunday sweat to make some coin. This article will focus on players you can wager on heading into the second round action.

The Players Championship Odds For Round 2 (2026)

I started my card at the Players with Xander Schauffele, so there’s no reason to deviate from that just yet, since he’s just two behind. His +1850 odds to win outright are longer than the top-eight choices on the board, so you’re getting him at solid value.

The two-time major champ has posted three straight top-25’s, and has been runner-up at this prestigious event twice, in 2018 and 2024. The X-Man was tops in strokes gained: approach on Thursday, gaining a whopping 5.25 shots on the field. He was able to shoot a solid 3-under, 69, despite missing several makeable putts. If he can be even average with the flatstick the final three days, he should definitely be in the mix come Sunday.

Odds as of 8:30 pm ET on Thursday, March 12th, at DraftKings. Check out the full list of DraftKings deposit methods.

Ludvig Aberg Primed For Victory

If you notice a theme with my picks after the first round, it’ll be that I’m not swerving my pre-tournament picks, considering they’re all in the mix (minus my super longshot in Brian Harman, who is eight behind). Ludvig Aberg is coming off a tie for third at Bay Hill last weekend, and was eighth at this event just two years ago.

The Swede, like Schauffle, also posted a 3-under, 69. He was third in SG: off-the-tee, and perfect in scrambling (4-for-4), after hitting 14 greens. He has two victories to his credit, but has also been on two Ryder Cup teams, and contended in his first two career Masters. The Genesis Invitational is his biggest championship to date in 2025, but adding this trophy to his collection would elevate a golfer that’s already destined for stardom.

His odds are still a very digestible +1750, a number I’d be very comfortable wagering on yet again. There’s also plenty of Players Championship longshot bets that could snag the coveted trophy.

Live The Players Championship 2026 Picks & Value Bets Entering Round 2

1. Sepp Straka +1425: Sepp Straka is one of the co-leaders after a bogey-free 5-under, 67. He was a scrambling machine, getting it up-and-down in all seven instances he missed a green. The big Austrian, who is a four-time winner on the PGA Tour, was twelfth in putting Thursday. Just three starts ago he was runner-up at Pebble Beach, and he’s had solid success at TPC Sawgrass, with three top-20s in his last four attempts.
2. Sahith Theegala +1850: Just like Straka, Sahith Theegala is also tied for the low round, marking my fourth player I selected this week. He was second in strokes gained: approach, behind only Schauffele, picking up just under four shots on the field. He’s already put together three top-10s on the campaign, and has put his injury plauged 2025 behind him. At +1850, his odds are longer than the top eight, carrying the same price tag as X-Man.

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