THE PLAYERS Championship: top five TPC Sawgrass sleepers

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Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports /

Jordan Spieth

Official World Golf Ranking: 5

FedEx Cup Ranking: 7

Best PLAYERS Finish: T-4, 2014

It’s pretty rare that you can even somewhat refer to Jordan Spieth as a “sleeper.” Think of this more as a reminder not to get cute with your picks. Spieth has every shot in the bag to translate to TPC Sawgrass, especially with some of the renovations that have been made.

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Sure, Spieth has missed the cut each of the last two years at THE PLAYERS Championship. In 2015 and 2016, the former Texas Longhorn has racked up seven wins and 23 top-tens. So what is it about Sawgrass that took Spieth completely out of contention?

Frankly, not much outside of himself. Since the midway point of the 2014 PLAYERS, Spieth has played just two of his six rounds under par. Of course, during that time, we’ve also seen Spieth blossom into a full blown golf mega-star. He recognizes that, and he’s trying to control it.

"“I love this course and I think it fits my game well,” Spieth told the Florida Times-Union. “I want to think that it’s just been kind of a fluke. I know I can play it really well if I play it smart and I think I’ve just been trying to do a little too much the last couple years.”"

Sleeper status might be a bit of a stretch for Spieth, but this is a tough field. He’s still essentially the best putter on the planet, especially in the clutch. Don’t outsmart yourself here.

Next: Rory McIlroy Signs Huge Deal With TaylorMade

Who are you liking for THE PLAYERS Championship win? Will Sunday’s new champion come from the top of the preliminary lineup or will we all be getting a big surprise? Let’s hear your thoughts on THE PLAYERS’ outcome.

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