"If (insert name here) could putt, they'd be a scratch golfer!"
How many times have you heard statements like that at your golf club over the years?
Now imagine what it's been like for Scottie Scheffler over the past 12 months or so, considering the fact that his ball-striking and iron play has been at peak-Tiger levels, yet it hasn't translated into victories because his putting has been so poor.
Prior to last week's Arnold Palmer Invitational, the American ranked first on Tour for strokes gained tee to green, approach the green, GIR % and birdie average, yet was 144th in putting.
Then he decided to switch to the TaylorMade Spider Tour X mallet, and walked away from Bay Hill with his seventh PGA Tour title in a dominant five-stroke victory.
One swallow doesn't make a summer, but if Scheffler really has found something on the greens then the rest of the golfing world really could be in trouble, and the World Number One will be lifting plenty of trophies this year.
Scheffler was probably already going to be the favourite heading into the 50th edition of The Players Championship, the PGA Tour's flagship event, this week. Those odds have shortened again this week and he finds himself at almost a third of the price of Rory McIlroy who is second favourite.
So is it defending champion Scheffler's to lose this week? We've taken a look at some of the most likely candidates to spoil Scottie's party:
Justin Thomas
After an uncharacteristically poor 2023 season, JT's performances have been much-improved this year after working hard on his game during the autumn and winter months.
Despite one hiccup at the Genesis Invitational, Thomas has top 12 finishes in 7 of his last 8 starts and is in the top ten for Strokes Gained: Tee to Green this season.
He has also made eight appearances at The Players and made the cut every single time, including a win back in 2021.
Rory McIlroy
Many would argue that McIlroy is still the best golfer in the world when he is playing at his very best, and perhaps the sight of Scheffler stretching his lead at the top of the World Rankings will be the motivation that he needs this week.
McIlroy has had a relatively quiet start to the PGA Tour season despite winning his opening event on the DP World Tour in January, but the good news is that he is playing more golf than ever in 2024 which will surely mean his game is nice and sharp.
He's also a previous winner of The Players back in 2019, so he knows he can win around TPC Sawgrass, and often plays well when he's got a point to prove...
Viktor Hovland
Whilst Hovland hasn't quite been at his best this season so far, he's still clearly one of the best players in the game and it seems like only a matter of time before he wins one of the game's biggest tournaments, having been crowned as FedEx Cup champion in 2023.
Since missing the cut at The Players in his first start, Hovland has since finished T9 and T3 at TPC Sawgrass so the course clearly suits his precise game, and going in under the radar may be to his advantage this week in Florida.
Will Zalatoris
Zalatoris has had to rebuild his golf swing after undergoing back surgery in early 2023 which saw him miss most of last season, and he already looks back to his best after finishing T2 and T4 at the Genesis Invitational and Arnold Palmer Invitational in his last two starts.
The American's ball-striking has always been among the best in the game, but one of the keys to his improved performance has been his putting. Like Scheffler this has been an achilles heel for Zalatoris, but the broomstick putter looks to have given him a more consistent method and he ranked 22nd in the field for putting at Bay Hill, and 15th at Riviera.
Hideki Matsuyama
Matsuyama's win at Riviera was his first since 2022 and took him back into the Top 20 in the World Rankings, and he followed that up with a solid T12 finish at Bay Hill last week too.
Ball-striking and approach play is Matsuyama's strength, which probably explains why his record has been so good at Sawgrass over the years with 3 top 10s and six top 25s, and he finished fifth last year with after recovering from an opening round of 74.
Max Homa
Max Homa's game has gone from strength to strength over the past four or five years, and he is now considered as one of the best players in the world even if he does tend to win most of his events in his native California.
The American won twice in 2023, at Torrey Pines and then in South Africa on the DP World Tour, and now sits comfortably inside the top 10 in the World Rankings.
He's not been in great form so far this year, but has still managed to finish T13 at Torrey Pines, T16 at the Genesis and played well for a T8 last week at Bay Hill. In his last two visits to TPC Sawgrass he's finished T13 and T6 - could he pick up the biggest win of his career this week?
Tom Hoge
This one may appear a little left-field, but hear us out. Hoge ranks sixth in Strokes Gained: Total at The Players since 2019 and is in good form, with top 20 finishes in four of his last five starts.
The American also leads the PGA Tour in Strokes Gained: Approach the Green this year which proves that his iron play has been the main reason for this purple patch, which will serve him well at TPC Sawgrass which rewards precise play more than out-and-out distance. He also finished T3 at The Players last year, and at 66/1 he could be great value for an each way bet.
How To Watch The Players Championship
If you're in the UK and eager to catch all the action from TPC Sawgrass, here's your guide on how to watch this week:
Sky Sports Golf:
In the UK, Sky Sports Golf is the primary broadcaster for The Players Championship. They offer extensive coverage, including live broadcasts, highlights, analysis, and interviews. To access Sky Sports Golf, you'll need a subscription to the Sky Sports package. If you're already a Sky customer, you can easily add Sky Sports to your existing package.
Sky Sports Golf will have nearly 60 hours of live coverage during tournament week, with live coverage beginning from 11.30am on Thursday, as well as bonus coverage on the red button for featured and marquee groups as well as a special featured holes feed.
Now TV:
For those without a Sky subscription, Now TV provides a convenient alternative. Now TV offers day, week, or month passes for Sky Sports, allowing you to stream the Players Championship and other golf tournaments live on various devices, including smartphones, tablets, laptops, and smart TVs.
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