2023 Players Championship: Top 10 Power Rankings at TPC Sawgrass

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Players Championship, TPC Sawgrass, Jon Rahm, THE PLAYERS, 2023 PLAYERS Championship

Scottie Scheffler, THE PLAYERS, TPC Sawgrass, Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /

It can sometimes take a few cracks at a Pete Dye course to really get the hang of it.

I think the third time (kind of the fourth time) will be the time for Scheffler at TPC Sawgrass. He missed the cut by one after carding 74-71 in his debut in 2021.

Scheffler stuck around for the weekend last year, but scores of 70-76-68-76 resulted in T-55th. He clearly wasn’t too shook up by the middling performance. Scheffler won his next two starts at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play Championship and the Masters.

Scheffler opened in 4-under 68 in 2020 before the event was canceled.

He can get back to world No. 1 this week with a win or with a high finish and other scenarios playing out. Scheffler is near the top of the heap thanks in part to a repeat win a few weeks ago at the WM Phoenix Open.

The former Texas Longhorn comes to the Players Championship on a streak of eight top-12s dating back to 2022.

Scheffler nearly defended his title last week, taking T-4th at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

Once again, conditions were brutally tough at Bay Hill. Scheffler didn’t appear too displeased to not come out on top on a crowded, star-studded leaderboard.

“Today was a lot of fun,” Scheffler was transcribed by ASAP Sports after a closing 73.

"“Obviously I wish I played a little bit better, but at the end of the day I put up a good fight. I didn’t have my best stuff today. I still gave myself a chance after a few pretty bad mistakes on the front nine.” – Scottie Scheffler"

His scorching run of four wins in the first four months last year was hard to keep up forever, but it was far from a fluke, either, based on this current run of form.

This season, Scheffler leads the PGA Tour in greens in regulation (73.61%), bogey avoidance (9.2%), and bounce-back percentage (36.17%).

He’s sixth in total strokes gained per round (1.97), aided most by sitting second in SG off-the-tee (.963) and second in SG tee-to-green (1.956).

Scheffler is in the top 50 in both driving distance and driving accuracy.

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