2021 PLAYERS Championship: Staff Picks to win at Sawgrass

It’s been a year since it all happened. Since life and sports made a big change. For golf, the PLAYERS is where it started.

Let’s try and keep it light, and remember that golf is a joyous thing (for the most part, here’s looking at you three-putts and Patrick Reed), something that we can either watch or play with enjoyment.

As we approach the 2021 event, we hope for health, a positive change, and another great week of golf. HEY! Maybe Hideki Matsuyama can pick right back up where he left off.

Here are the staff picks to win the 2021 PLAYERS Championship.

Collin Morikawa

Josh Mullenix – TPC Sawgrass is a ball striker’s golf course and there might not be anyone striking the ball right now like Morikawa. He’s top 15 on tour in driving accuracy, top five in greens-in-regulation, and third in strokes gained: tee-to-green. We’re officially in the “if he putts well, he’ll contend” phase with Morikawa and he found something with the saw grip at the WGC-Workday (where he finished 10th in SG: putting).

Sawgrass isn’t going to overpower anyone with its length at just 7,200 yards, so I’ll go with the guy who was so precise for 72 holes at The Concession. Just a side note, players who don’t have wins on TOUR typically don’t win at Sawgrass. Morikawa already has a WGC and a major under his belt.

Kasey Kuhrts

Webb Simpson

Hans Geevers

Tony Finau

Richie Randolph – This will be the week he finally breaks through…

Dustin Johnson

Mike Randleman – In an excerpt from his weekly power rankings…

“He’s already a winner in 2021 at the European Tour’s Saudi International. In four starts this calendar year, he’s also got a T-11th at the Tournament of Champions (which he did no prep for) and a T8th at the Genesis Invitational.”

Kathy Bissell

DJ Cadden

Viktor Hovland

Michael Ellis – For the 2021 season, Hovland ranks 5th in strokes gained off-the-tee and 8th in strokes gained tee-to-green. Those numbers will serve him well this week at TPC Sawgrass, where finding the fairway is at a premium. Hovland currently ranks 3rd in the FedEx Cup standings, he will jump to 1st with a win this week.

Jon Rahm

West Valentine – The Players is the unofficial 5th Major for a reason. It’s an iconic course with one of the best fields in golf. I don’t expect a longshot to win. It’s too tough and the pressure is too great. That’s why I’m going with Jon Rahm. He has the game and competitive fire to do well at a place that make a lot of guys bow to the spotlight.

Chris O’Day – After the blow-up with his caddie years ago at this very event, Rahm is still fiery, but seems to have reigned it in a reasonable amount, turning it from over the top to competitiveness that drives him to win. Give me Rahmbo this week.

Justin Thomas

Josh Chandler – In an excerpt from his piece on the PLAYERS this week…

“TPC Sawgrass is very much a second shot course and Thomas is one of if not the best in the World with his Irons and he has shown that he can compete here in recent years with a 3rd in 2016 and an 11th in 2018, he has also made the cut in each start, something that not many can say about this place.”

Rory McIlroy

Tim Letcher – He’s actually the defending champion, although that title came two years ago. Look for McIlroy to build on his recent momentum and win at TPC Sawgrass again.

Jordan Spieth

Joey McCusker – He has already made a comeback by contending again at tournaments and it would only be fitting for him to win here at THE PLAYERS. He doesn’t have the best course history here over the past few years, but Jordan Spieth is not the same golfer as he was a few years ago either. Him winning this week is a gut feeling that I have had for the past few weeks about this tournament.

Bill Felber – I’m so fully on board with Jordan Spieth that I’m picking him this week at the Players. His iron and approach games are back, and I believe he has also gotten past the mental aspects that were probably dogging him the past couple of seasons.

Best of luck to everyone this week at the PLAYERS.