THE PLAYERS: 2021 Tournament preview and picks
THE PLAYERS once again takes center stage this week as the PGA returns to the site where golf ceased this time last year.
The PLAYERS Championship, it’s the PGA tour’s flagship event and the unofficial “fifth” major, and after being denied this magnificently unique event in 2020 we get a second crack at it this time around. An event at a course that was designed with fans in mind will host up to 20% of the event’s usual capacity as the presence of spectators at professional sporting events slowly returns.
In terms of drama, we can only hope to have another intense finish come this time next week after the Sunday finish at the Arnold Palmer produced another spectacular conclusion to a PGA event in 2021, something we have not lacked for this year so far. Bryson DeChambeau responded to two disappointing results his last couple of starts out with a bang this week that included everything from monstrous drives that crossed entire lakes to immaculate touch on and around the perilous Bay Hill greens.
Christiaan Bezuidenhout rescued what was a relatively disappointing week by cashing the top 10 and top 20 for us, let’s see if we can’t go one step further this week at one of the season’s most exciting events THE PLAYERS.
THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP AT TPC SAWGRASS
The Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass is one of the most exciting courses on tour and it tests everything from a player’s all-around game to their very nerve all the while providing some of the most deceptive looks on tour in typical Pete Dye fashion. Nowhere is this more of a reality than on one of the most famous holes in all of golf, the incredible island green that makes up the PAR 3 17th.
The Stadium Course was one of the first courses to be designed specifically with spectators in mind and it was the dream of former PGA commissioner Deane Beman to have a permanent and special location for the tournament that is dedicated to its players. His dream was realized with the assistance of famed golfing architect Pete Dye and in 1982 TPC Sawgrass hosted its first PLAYERS Championship.
The PAR 72 design play’s at right around 7,200 yards and it will host the 40th edition of THE PLAYERS at TPC Sawgrass later this week. Rory Mcllroy, who won in 2019, remains the defending champion after last year’s tournament was canceled.
The 154-man field includes most of the World’s biggest golfing stars and 48 of the top 50 ranked players per the Official World Golf Ranking with only Tiger Woods, and Brooks Koepka who withdrew on Sunday evening, not taking part.
Just like the Arnold Palmer Invitational last week, THE PLAYERS is another tournament that has seen a wide variety of champions with five of the last nine winners coming from somewhere outside of the United States.
PAST PLAYERS CHAMPIONS
2019: Rory Mcllroy (-16)
2018: Webb Simpson (-18)
2017: Si Woo Kim (-10)
2016: Jason Day (-15)
2015: Rickie Fowler (-12) After Playoff
2014: Martin Kaymer (-13)
2013: Tiger Woods (-13)
2012: Matt Kuchar (-13)
2011: K.J. Choi (-13) After Playoff
A stacked field will make its way to TPC Sawgrass this week for the 40th edition of THE PLAYERS at the Stadium Course, let’s take a look at who is amongst the favorites to win.