THE PLAYERS Championship: 5 bold predictions

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Rickie Fowler putts on the 18th green during the 2016 Players Championship golf tournament at TPC Sawgrass – Stadium Course. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports /

5th Bold Prediction: The winning game at the 2017 PLAYERS will come from the SG: putting stat. Watch out for Rickie Fowler, Marc Leishman, and Alex Noren.

By the season’s stats, the five longest players off the tee in THE PLAYERS field are Dustin Johnson (315.2 yards), Luke List (311.2 yards), Andre Loupe (311.1 yards), Brooks Koepka (308.1 yards), and Justin Thomas (306.5 yards). Is that going to give them an advantage over the field?

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Johnson, who currently tops the OWGR and FedEx Cup ranks, might claim that advantage, but Luke List, who’s down around 117th in the OWGR, and Andre Loupe, who ranks 283rd, would seem to challenge whatever advantage distance off the tee might offer. List and Loupe are still looking for their first pro win.

Brooks Koepka, who’s inside the top 20 in the OWGR and FedEx Cup rankings, and who’s having a solid season, may want to credit distance off the tee for some of that success, as may Justin Thomas, whose early-season romp has positioned him to challenge Dustin Johnson for the top of the rankings. But Koepka and Thomas, like DJ, have more than a pretty tee shot in their bags.

Don’t look for the long-hitters to take control of TPC Sawgrass. This course demands precision with wedges and a well-tuned flat stick.

Next: THE PLAYERS top-10 power rankings

Join our conversation about THE PLAYERS. Who are you liking for the win? Which holes at TPC Sawgrass most excite you?

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