The Players Championship golf betting tips and predictions – Copybet
The PGA Tour's Flagship event, The Players Championship, takes place this week with a stacked field descending upon the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass.
Rory McIlroy won this title for the second time last year, edging out J.J. Spaun in a play-off, but the defending champion's participation is in doubt due to a back problem that forced him to withdraw midway through last week's Arnold Palmer Invitational.
The Players Championship
TPC Sawgrass is one of the stiffest tests on the PGA Tour and the ability to scramble well has proven to be crucial to success in recent years, so it bodes well that Jake Knapp is eighth in scrambling this season.
The American, who is fourth in strokes gained putting and second in strokes gained total, has been one of the most consistent players on tour this season with his worst finish coming in the opening event of 2026 when tied-11th at the Sony Open in Hawaii.
Knapp, who shared 12th position at the Players last year, has registered one top-five and three top-10 results in his next four starts, and he looks to have every chance of landing this title for the first time.
The Players Championship
Another player who boasts a superb short game is Scotland's Robert MacIntyre, who is fourth in scrambling and second in putts per round on the US circuit.
Having failed to fire in efforts at the American Express and Pebble Beach, the 29-year-old has started to show signs of life in recent weeks with a top-20 at the Genesis Invitational, followed by a tied-24th finish at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
There have been plenty of positives to take from the Scot's last two showings and he will be hoping to keep building at the Players, an event he notched a top-10 result in last year.
A third PGA Tour title may be out of grasp for MacIntyre this week, but a top-20 finish is something he looks capable of achieving.
The Players Championship
Englishman Tommy Fleetwood has shown some solid form in recent weeks, notably finishing tied-fourth at Pebble Beach and tied-seventh at the Genesis, and he looks capable of making a fast start at the Players.
The 35-year-old has had eight cracks at the PGA Tour's Flagship event and he has been leading the way after the opening 18 holes once, while he was also tied second on another occasion.
There is an argument to be made that Fleetwood could claim the spoils this week, but his first-round scoring average at this event is a solid 70.25 and he can make another strong start at the very least.