THE PLAYERS: 2021 Tournament preview and picks
Patrick Cantlay +2200
There are not many golfers that have had a better start to 2021 without a win than Cantlay. Before his withdrawal at the WGC-Workday two weeks ago Cantlay was on a run of 13th, 2nd, 3rd,15th, to start the year. During that span he had gained stokes with his approaches in three consecutive events, he was virtually flawless in every other stats category as well, reflecting where he is at with his game.
Patrick has a superb record on Pete Dye courses and his last visit to a Dye design resulted in a 2nd at the American Express earlier in the year. Cantlay is another that has done well at Muirfield in the past as well including picking up a win at the 2019 Memorial.
The 28-year-old has two top-25 finishes at THE PLAYERS and was also tied for 5th during the opening round last year, the only real question is if he comes out rusty after a couple of weeks off, but after rarely playing multiple events in a row he should be good to go this week.
The fact that THE PLAYERS is an event that has seen a wide variety of winners in the past, including multiple players from around the World is the basis for my next pick this week. Joaquin Niemann +5000 is another one of the Tour’s excellent young talents, and he really has had a very good start to 2021.
Nieman started the year with back-to-back runner-up finishes in both Hawaii events before a made cut at the Genesis and a 28th two weeks ago at the Concession. Like Thomas, the Chilean is another superb Iron player who has had success at the Memorial tournament held at Muirfield Village and at the RBC Heritage as well, both of which are two similar courses. Joaquin was 5th at the RBC last year, and he also has a 6th at Memorial before as well.
Abraham Ancer +8000 and Christiaan Bezuidenhout +8000 are the next additions and both come into this week at the same price. Ancer has a solid track record on Pete Dye tracks with a 5th coming most recently at the American Express and a 2nd at the RBC last year as well. The Oklahoma University product has gained strokes with his Irons in five consecutive events now and he was 12th at THE PLAYERS in 2019.
Bezuidenhout is back on the card this week and not just because he came through for us last time out. The South African was in a share for 2nd at THE PLAYERS last year before the event was canceled and he has done well at similar tracks also with a top 30 finish at both the RBC Heritage and Memorial.
I’ll close with both Si Woo Kim +10000 and Ryan Palmer +12500 this week, Si Woo has not been great recently but is a Pete Dye specialist and former winner of THE PLAYERS, he also won the last time a tournament was held on a Pete Dye track at the American Express earlier this year. Palmer has now made five consecutive cuts, this includes picking up a 2nd and a 4th already this year. Ryan was 2nd at the Memorial last year and he also picked up an 8th at the RBC Heritage in 2020 as well. He has mixed results at THE PLAYERS but I’ll take a chance with him at this number and look to add both of these guy’s in the top 10 and 20 markets as well.
THE PLAYERS CARD
Justin Thomas +1800
Patrick Cantlay +2200
Joaquin Neiman +5000
Abraham Ancer +8000 (+ top 10)
Christiaan Bezuidenhout +8000 (+ top 10)
Si Woo Kim +10000 ( +top 10, top 20)
Ryan Palmer +12500 (+top 10, top 20)