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The Players Championship: Examining Potential Champions in 2022

By Josh Chandler

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FLORIDA - MARCH 07: A general view of the 17th hole during practice a round prior to THE PLAYERS Championship at the TPC Sawgrass Stadium course on March 07, 2022 in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FLORIDA - MARCH 07: A general view of the 17th hole during practice a round prior to THE PLAYERS Championship at the TPC Sawgrass Stadium course on March 07, 2022 in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images) /
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Players Championship, The Players Championship, 2022 Players Championship, PGA, TPC Sawgrass
PACIFIC PALISADES, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 16: Dustin Johnson of the United States plays his shot from the fourth tee during the pro-am prior to The Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club on February 16, 2022 in Pacific Palisades, California. (Photo by Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images) /

#9. Dustin Johnson

Case For: When Dustin Johnson’s game is working in harmony he is almost unbeatable, it wasn’t that long ago that the former World number one was putting on the green jacket after winning the 2020 Masters. It is difficult to assess the state of Johnson’s game coming into the Players Championship as he has made just three starts since the calendar turned to 2022.

What we do know though is that DJ has seemingly found his way around TPC Sawgrass in recent years, in his last four starts at the PLAYERS he has recorded a top 20, top 10, and top 5 finish in three of those four starts.

Case Against: Dustin Johnson has made just three starts in 2022 and he missed the cut in his most recent start Riviera several weeks ago. It isn’t exactly the ideal build-up that you would want coming into one of the biggest events on the schedule.

Next. 2022 Players Championship: Top 10 power rankings. dark

Players Championship, PGA, TPC Sawgrass, 2022 Players Championship
PACIFIC PALISADES, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 17: Cameron Smith of Australia walks on the 18th green during the first round of The Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club on February 17, 2022 in Pacific Palisades, California. (Photo by Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images) /

#10. Cameron Smith

Case For: It may seem like a distant memory at this point but it wasn’t that long ago that the talented Cameron Smith outdueled Jon Rahm to win the Sentry Tournament Of Champions at the beginning of the new year. Smith has posted some impressive results at Augusta National already in his career, and now his performances at TPC Sawgrass are beginning to yield some encouraging results as well. Cameron missed his first two cuts at the Players Championship, but since the event was moved to March has made each of his last two cuts here, including when he finished 17th in 2021.

Case Against: Smith has played just four times in 2022, and like a few others before him, he is another who hasn’t played since the Genesis Invitational. Big events not named the Masters haven’t treated the Australian as kindly over the past five years, with 17th at TPC Sawgrass last year being his highest finish.

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