2026 The Players Championship Picks & Predictions: Best PGA Bets
The PGA Tour continues its Florida swing at the iconic TPC Sawgrass Stadium Course for The Players Championship. Located in Ponte Vedra Beach in Jacksonville, 123 golfers will compete for a $4.5 million winning payout in a $25 million purse, with a 36-hole cut line enforced.
Despite not being featured as either a Signature Event or a major, The Players Championship is one of the most competitive and popular tournaments on the PGA Tour schedule. Rory McIlroy is the defending champion, however, he’s dealing with back spasms that could spoil the return.
Scottie Scheffler will attempt to bounce back after a pedestrian T24 finish at Bay Hill. The World No. 1 golfer is seeking his third outright win at TPC Sawgrass since 2023. Other short betting favorites at The Players Championship include Collin Morikawa (+1800), 2017 champion, Si Woo Kim (+2200), Ludvig Åberg (+2200), and Tommy Fleetwood at +2700 odds.
My 2026 Arnold Palmer Invitational Picks & Predictions: Best PGA Bets failed to return profit at 1-2. However, our lone winner was a+125 wager on Min Woo Lee to log a Top 20 finish. The Aussie played well enough for a T6 finish at Bay Hill. Scottie Scheffler’s down week led to us losing a Top 5 finishing position ticket at -125 odds, while Tommy Fleetwood’s poor play never gave us a chance to cash his Top 10 wager at +180 odds.
I’ve found three best bets ahead of Thursday’s opening round at The Players Championship. Follow me on X at Matt_MacKay_ for more free bets and PGA Tour analysis throughout the 2026 PGA Tour season.
(Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook)
Top 20 Finishing Position
Collin Morikawa is playing with confidence following his win at Pebble Beach. The seven-time PGA Tour winner returns to TPC Sawgrass, where he carded a T10 finish in 2025.
In 2026, Morikawa ranks highly in multiple key metrics. These include eighth in total strokes gained, fifth in SG: Approach, and seventh for total driving. Morikawa is 22nd in proximity, which has led to the California native sitting 22nd in ar 4 scoring, ninth in overall scoring average, and 11th in birdie average.
Even Morikawa’s putting has improved. He’s 57th in putting average, which makes him even more attractive to bet in the Top 20 Finishing Position market.
With three straight top 10 finishes this season, plus two top 20 finishes in the last three outings at TPC Sawgrass, target Morikawa to record another top 20 finish at The Players Championship this week.
Pick: Collin Morikawa (-120)
Top 20 Finishing Position
Russell Henley is set to make his 14th start at The Players Championship this week. The 36-year-old is off to a hot start in 2026, recording a top 20 finish in four of five events, including a T6 at Bay Hill on Sunday.
Henley has wound up outside the top 20 at TPC Sawgrass in two straight appearances. However, he’s playing too well to fade at plus odds in the Top 20 Finishing Position betting market this week.
In 2026, Henley ranks 14th in total strokes gained. He’s 24th in SG: Putting, eighth in driving accuracy, seventh in scrambling, and 46th in SG: Approach.
Sits top-20 or higher in putting average, putts per round, and one-putt percentage. The flat stick is a huge weapon for Henley, who ranks eighth in scoring average, 13th on par 4s, and 15th in birdie average, logging 4.72 per round.
It’s time for Henley to end his top 20 slump at TPC Sawgrass. Bet on one of the PGA Tour’s best tee-to-green players, who also has a hot putter right now, to grab his fifth top 20 finish at +125.
Pick: Russell Henley (+125)
Top 20 Finishing Position
Jake Knapp’s withdrawal from the Arnold Palmer Invitational has provided unexpected rest for the power hitter. Now, Knapp will aim to replicate his T12 finish at TPC Sawgrass last season, which would extend his top 20 streak to six consecutive events in 2026.
Notable metrics for Knapp include fourth in SG: Putting and second in overall strokes gained. He’s seventh in driving distance and 32nd in SG: Approach. Knapp is eighth in scrambling, 44th in proximity, and leads the PGA Tour in scoring average (67.70) this season.
Driving inaccuracy is the lone weakness. Missing to the left is costly at TPC Sawgrass, so we’ll see how Knapp manages to navigate tee-to-green this week.
In two outings at The Players Championship, Knapp has gone T45-T12. Based on his strong start in 2026, let’s place one final wager on Knapp in the Top 20 Finishing Position market, which is available at a lucrative +220 odds price.
Pick: Jake Knapp (+220)