Rankings

2024 PLAYERS Championship Power Rankings

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March 13, 2024

Rory McIlroy Wins 2022 FedEx Cup TOUR Championship — Rory McIlroy plays his shot from the 13th tee as Scottie Scheffler looks on during the final round of the TOUR Championship at East Lake GC on Aug 28, 2022 in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by Sam Greenwood via Getty Images)

The PGA Tour’s flagship tournament gets underway this week at the TPC Sawgrass Stadium course. The tour’s best golfers will all be on hand at the iconic Pete Dye-designed track. But only one can take home the coveted PLAYERS trophy (and $4.5 million first-place check).

PGA Tour No. 1 Scottie Scheffler will defend his 2023 PLAYERS title. He will be joined by recent tournament winners Rory McIlroy and Justin Thomas.

Who is best equipped to take the much-coveted title? The following is our top 10:

10. Shane Lowry

Shane Lowry plays his tee shot from the 16th hole during the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard at the Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge on March 7, 2024, in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Brian Spurlock for Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The 2019 Open champ enters off a two straight top-5 finishes, including a solo third at last week’s Arnold Palmer… In eight career starts at TPC Sawgrass, Lowry owns three top-20 finishes, including a top-10 in 2021… The Irishman ranks in the top 10 on tour in strokes gained: total and approach the green.

Odds: 50-1
World Rank: 37th
Field Rank: 34th
Last Six: 3, 4, 60, 25, MC, 18
Best at Sawgrass: 8th (2021)

9. Hideki Matsuyama

Hideki Matsuyama TPC Sawgrass PLAYERS Championship — Hideki Matsuyama during the second round of THE PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass Stadium on May 12, 2017, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. (Photo by Chris Condon / PGA TOUR via Getty Images)

The 2021 Masters champion has been a consistently goof performer at Sawgrass. He has finished T22 or better in six of his eight career starts, with three top-10s including a solo fifth last year… The world No. 17 won the Genesis last month, and followed it up with a T12 at Bay Hill… His putting has been hit-or-miss, but that’s nothing unusual for him.

Odds: 30-1
World Rank: 17th
Field Rank: 16th
Last Six: 12, 1, 22, MC, 13, 30
Best at Sawgrass: 5th (2023)

8. Collin Morikawa

Collin Morikawa TPC Sawgrass PLAYERS Championship — Collin Morikawa on the 17th green as Dustin Johnson looks on during the second round of THE PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass Stadium on Mar 12, 2021, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. (Photo by Stan Badz / PGA TOUR via Getty Images)

What do we make of Morikawa? Rocketing out of the gate with two majors in his first two full seasons on tour, Morikawa was a constant presence near the top of the world rankings up until the early part of 2022. That’s no longer the case… The Cal product went two full seasons (2022 and 2023) without a PGA Tour win… He finally broke through with a victory in Japan during the fall series… Started the 2024 season with a T5 at Kapalua but has since done very little… In three starts at the PLAYERS, Morikawa has one top-20 finish (T13 last season).

Odds: 30-1
World Rank: 15th
Field Rank: 14th
Last Six: MC, 19, 14, MC, 5, 7
Best at Sawgrass: T13 (2023)

7. Wyndham Clark

Wyndham Clark Leads Arnold Palmer Bay Hill — Wyndham Clark plays his shot from the 16th tee during the second round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard at Bay Hill Club and Lodge on March 8, 2024 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Keyur Khamar for PGA TOUR via Getty Images)

Wyndham Clark enters off a solo second at Bay Hill… The reigning U.S. Open champ picked up his third career win last month at Pebble Beach… The Colorado native has made four starts at the PLAYERS, with a T27 his best finish… However, with three wins in less than a year, including a major, Clark is no longer the player who teed it up at Sawgrass last March (ranked No. 109). He’s now the world No. 5 and considered elite.

Odds: 35-1
World Rank: 5th
Field Rank: 4th
Last Six: 2, MC, 41, 1, 39, 29
Best at Sawgrass: T27 (2023)

6. Viktor Hovland

Viktor Hovland TPC Sawgrass PLAYERS Championship — Viktor Hovland lines up a putt on the 17th green during the first round of The PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass Stadium on Mar 12, 2020 in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann via Getty Images)

The 26-year-old Norwegian ended the 2023 season as the hottest golfer on the planet. In 2024, however, it’s been a different story. The world No. 4 has cooled off dramatically in his four starts to the new season, posting finishes of T22, T58, T19 and T36… In three career starts at Sawgrass, Hovland owns two top 10s, including a T3 last year.

Odds: 22-1
World Rank: 4th
Field Rank: 3rd
Last Six: 36, 19, 58, 22, 10, 2
Best at Sawgrass: T3 (2023)

5. Will Zalatoris

Will Zalatoris Bay Hill Arnold Palmer Invitational — Will Zalatoris plays his tee shot on the 16th hole during the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard at the Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge on March 9, 2024, in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Brian Spurlock for Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The injury-prone star is on the comeback trail again… Enters Sawgrass off two consecutive top-5s (T4 Bay Hill, T2 Riviera) in elite events… In three career starts at the PLAYERS, Zalatoris has finishes of 21st, T26, and 73rd… The talented Texan remains stuck at one career win… Sits in the top 10 on tour in strokes gained: total, tee to green and approach.

Odds: 28-1
World Rank: 29th
Field Rank: 27th
Last Six: 4, 2, 13, 34, MC, 20
Best at Sawgrass: 21st (2021)

4. Xander Schauffele

Xander Schauffele Wins 2022 Genesis Scottish Open — Xander Schauffele on the 16th green during Day 4 of the Genesis Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club on July 10, 2022 in North Berwick, Scotland. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox via Getty Images)

The reigning Olympic Gold medalist has been his usual solid self in 2024, recording four top-10s in six starts… Schauffele currently has a tour-leading made-cut streak of 38. His last missed-cut was two years ago at the 2022 Masters… The PLAYERS has the kind of major-like field where Schauffele typically thrives, but history says it’s more of a crap shoot. In five career starts at Sawgrass, the southern California native has three missed-cuts alongside a runner-up and top-20… Statistically, he sits in the top 10 in strokes gained: total.

Odds: 20-1
World Rank: 6th
Field Rank: 5th
Last Six: 25, 4, 54, 9, 3, 10
Best at Sawgrass: T2 (2018)

3. Justin Thomas

Justin Thomas Wins The PLAYERS Championship — Justin Thomas plays a shot on the 16th hole during the final round of The PLAYERS Championship on The Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass on Mar 14, 2021 in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

After a horrific slump in 2023, Thomas seems close to being back to his old self… In in his last nine worldwide starts, going back to Greensboro last summer, JT has posted eight finishes inside the top 12… He was in contention last week at Bay Hill but fell apart on Sunday down the stretch to fall from solo third to T12… Despite it all, Thomas remains one of the world’s top 10 (most talented) golfers and seems due… Ranks 2nd on tour in birdies (5.18) and 5th in scoring (68.59)… Won here in 2021 and finished T3 in 2016.

Odds: 20-1
World Rank: 24th
Field Rank: 22nd
Last Six: 12, MC, 12, 6, 3, 3
Best at Sawgrass: 1st (2021)

2. Rory McIlroy

Rory McIlroy Wins The PLAYERS Championship — Rory McIlroy and caddie Harry Diamond celebrate after finishing on the 18th green during the final round of The PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass on Mar 17, 2019 in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL. Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

The Northern Irishman started the year on the European Tour, recording a win and T2 finish in Dubai… In his four starts on the PGA Tour, though, he’s yet to post a top-20 finish (T21, T21, T24, T66)… The 34-year-old has been the epitome of “boom or bust” at the PLAYERS, winning the 2019 edition and once finishing in the top 12 four years in a row, but also owns six missed cuts in 13 attempts, including two in the last three editions… His four most recent starts at Sawgrass: 1st, MC, T33, MC… McIlroy leads the tour in strokes gained: off the tee and total driving.

Odds: 14-1
World Rank: 2nd
Field Rank: 2nd
Last Six: 21, 21, 24, 66, 1, 2
Best at Sawgrass: 1st (2019)

1. Scottie Scheffler

Scottie Scheffler Wins The 2023 Players Championship — Scottie Scheffler celebrates with caddie Ted Scott after winning THE PLAYERS Championship on the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass on Mar 12, 2023 in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. (Photo by Logan Bowles for the PGA TOUR via Getty Images)

The world No. 1 will enter off a win at Bay Hill… The Texan seeks to become the first player in history to go back-to-back at Sawgrass… In seven starts on the 2024 season, Scheffler owns six top-10 finishes, including three in the top 5… Further, in the four Signature Events of 2024, Scheffler has finished T5, T10, T6, and 1st… He’s had mixed results in his three career starts at Sawgrass: MC, T55 and 1st… Scheffler leads the PGA Tour in strokes gained: total and tee to green.

Odds: 6-1
World Rank: 1st
Field Rank: 1st
Last Six: 1, 10, 3, 6, 17, 5
Best at Sawgrass: 1st (2023)

Next Five: Patrick Cantlay, Jordan Spieth, Ludvig Aberg, Sam Burns, Max Homa

Joel Cook contributed to this report.