The Players Championship 2025 Preview, Picks & Analysis

The strongest field of the year to date gathers at TPC Sawgrass for The Players Championship - a reminder that The Masters is just around the corner.

This has long been regarded by some as golf’s fifth major. For the record, that is something I have never subscribed to. Yes, it is a big tournament played on a golf course that always serves up more than its fair share of drama. But a major? Never! The winner will collect a cool $4.5m, together with a bucketload of world ranking points, Ryder Cup points and FedEx Cup points.

The field of 144 reads like a who’s who of golf. World number one Scottie Scheffler will be defending his title and will face challenges from the likes of Xander Schauffele, Rory McIlroy, Ludvig Aberg, Collin Morikawa, Viktor Hovland, Wyndham Clark, Hideki Matsuyama - you get the picture.

There is also going to be a really strong European presence, looking to continue their early-season domination in a Ryder Cup year. We have already seen McIlroy, Aberg, Sepp Straka and Thomas Detry pick up titles, with Shane Lowry and Aaron Rai also going close. And it would definitely be one in the eye for the Americans if a European was to win their flagship event.

(Image Credit: Kevin Diss Photography)

Twelve months ago, Scheffler overcame a neck injury and record five-shot deficit in the final round to become the first man to defend The Players Championship. The world number one, who had treatment on his neck during round two, shot an eight-under 64 to win the 50th staging of the PGA Tour's flagship tournament.

He won by one shot on 20 under from fellow Americans Brian Harman, Wyndham Clark and Xander Schauffele. All three missed putts to force a play-off in a phenomenal finish in Florida. 

Harman was first to the 18th but he pushed a 17-foot birdie putt wide as he closed with a 68 at Sawgrass. Schauffele, who led overnight and for much of the final round, failed with his 60-footer as he posted a 70, while US Open champion Clark's 17-footer horseshoed around the hole and left him signing for a 69. 

Asked what it was like to become the first player to win successive Players titles, Scheffler said: "It's pretty special. It's something you don't get the opportunity to do very often. It's tough enough to win one."

The only man to win it three times is Jack Nicklaus and that is the exalted company Scheffler will be looking to join this week. Can he do it? Of course he can. 

Will he do it? I don’t believe he will.

It is difficult to be critical of the world number one but he has displayed some frailties since returning from a hand injury. He finished tied ninth at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, tied 25th at the Phoenix Open and although he was tied third at the Genesis his third round of 76 was incredibly scrappy. And he looked out of sorts at Bay Hill too. He drove the ball brilliantly throughout his stellar 2024 but has been rather more wayward thus far in 2025. And he has not putted particularly well.

Collin Morikawa will be smarting from his defeat at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and I expect him to be there or thereabouts once again this week.

He is a six-time winner on the PGA Tour. After winning The Open in 2021 he struggled somewhat and had to wait until the Zozo Championship in 2023 for his next victory. Since then there have a host of near-misses but he is very nearly back to his absolute best. This will be his fifth start of 2025. He finished second at the Sentry and tied 17th at both the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and the Genesis before losing out to Russell Henley by a single shot at Bay Hill.

Look out, too, for Ludvig Aberg. He already has one win to his name this season. Sawgrass is a course that rewards patience - and there is no more patient golfer on the PGA Tour than the Swede.

I also have a feeling that Russell Henley will continue the form he showed at Bay Hill and may once again be the man to keep an eye on this week. He is one of the most underrated players on the PGA Tour but is ranked 7th in the world for a reason. He made a good run at the recent Cognizant, where he ended the week tied sixth. He was also tied fifth at Pebble Beach and tied 10th at the Sony Open.

Tournament Winners:

The tournament was won in 2015 by Rickie Fowler, in 2016 by Jason Day, in 2017 by Si Woo Kim, in 2018 by Webb Simpson, in 2019 by Rory McIlroy, in 2021 by Justin Thomas, in 2022 by Cameron Smith and in 2023 and 2024 by Scottie Scheffler. It was abandoned after one round in 2020 because of the global pandemic.

The Course:

The Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass was designed by Pete Dye. It is a par 72 and measures 7,245 yards. The iconic 17th, a par three measuring 137 yards, is one of the most iconic holes in golf. Completely surrounded by water, it claims an estimated 100,000 golf balls every year. The 16th is a par five with water running down the right - it is a hole where eagles can be scored, but a wayward approach could just as easily result in a double-bogey, or worse. And the 18th is a fearsome par four with water on the left.

Form Guide:

Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler will head to Sawgrass as tournament favourites. McIlroy won here in 2019 and if he drives the ball well he is likely to contend, while Scheffler is looking to create a piece of history by winning for the third year on the trot. 

Prize Money:

The total prize fund is $25m, with the winner collecting $4.5m and 750 FedEx Cup points - the same number awarded to major winners.

How to Watch:

Thursday, March 13, Friday, March 14, Sky Sports Golf, 11.30am; Saturday, March 15, Sky Sports Golf, midday; Sunday, March 16, Sky Sports Golf, 11.30am.

To Win:

Russell Henley. On cloud nine

Each Way:

Scottie Scheffler. Looking to create some history 

Each Way:

Rory McIlroy. Has made a great start to 2025

Five to Follow:

Russell Henley. A proper shotmaker

Scottie Scheffler. Needs to raise his game

Rory McIlroy. Hard to ignore

Hideki Matsuyama. Back to his very best

Shane Lowry. Glorious short game

Five Outsiders to Watch:

Daniel Berger. On the way back

Laurie Canter. Can he make the step up in class?

Ryo Hisatsune. Gifted Japanese star

Justin Rose. Still full of self-belief

Victor Perez. Elegant Frenchman