Pro Golf Now
Fansided

2021 Players Championship: Top 10 power rankings at TPC Sawgrass

By Mike Randleman

May 11, 2017; Ponte Vedra Beach, FL, USA; Tee box marker on the 18th tee during the first round of The Players Championship golf tournament at TPC Sawgrass - Stadium Course. Mandatory Credit: Michael Madrid-USA TODAY Sports
May 11, 2017; Ponte Vedra Beach, FL, USA; Tee box marker on the 18th tee during the first round of The Players Championship golf tournament at TPC Sawgrass - Stadium Course. Mandatory Credit: Michael Madrid-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
10 of 11
Next
Feb 28, 2021; Bradenton, Florida, USA; Collin Morikawa poses with the winnerÕs trophy after the final round of World Golf Championships at The Concession golf tournament at The Concession Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 28, 2021; Bradenton, Florida, USA; Collin Morikawa poses with the winnerÕs trophy after the final round of World Golf Championships at The Concession golf tournament at The Concession Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-USA TODAY Sports /

Collin Morikawa comes into his first Players Championship riding high from winning his fourth career PGA Tour event a couple of weeks back at the WGC-Workday Championship.

He was nails playing with the 54-hole lead, never surrendering it on Sunday, and led by multiple shots nearly the entire way.

As I noted in the intro, course experience is important at TPC Sawgrass.

This will be his first Players Championship after last year’s was canceled. Morikawa shot 68 in round one, hitting 13 of 18 greens.

He also played the Stadium Course in 2013 at the Junior Players Championship. Morikawa finished fifth and shot 67 in round two.

The 24-year-old Californian has the marksmanship with his irons that is so crucial at TPC Sawgrass. Morikawa leads the PGA Tour in strokes gained approach (1.305) and is third tee to green (1.711).

The bugaboo in his game has been the putter, though Morikawa may be turning the corner on the greens. He used a new saw grip at the WGC-Workday that resulted in 10th in SG putting on Bermuda greens like he’ll see this week.

A modicum of consistency on the greens will go a long way to allow him to contend for titles on weeks his ball-striking isn’t A+ (which it often is).

Along with his win, the former Cal Golden Bear in 2021 also picked up a pair of T-7th finishes on the Hawaii swing.

Morikawa’s coming off a week of rest and should be primed to pick up where he left off at TPC Sawgrass.

Home/Golf Power Rankings