As the weather heats up, apparently so does the PGA Tour. Following an exhilarating tournament last week at Bay Hill, the momentum on the Tour is soaring going into the unofficial 5th Major. From established stars littering the leaderboard to newcomers opening eyes and turning heads with their play, the excitement for the 2024 Players Championship is at an all-time high.
Primarily due to the rapid rise of legalized sports betting, a new audience is emerging in the golf landscape. With 38 states now allowing sports betting, including my home state of North Carolina opening up on Monday, sportsbooks are expecting an influx of bets placed on the Players Championship.
With the number of props and betting options for different finishes, Golf has become one most profitable and user-friendly sports to place wagers. Here’s a look into who has a realistic chance of winning the PGA Tour’s signature event, the dark-horses who have an outside shot and those who are just happy to be there.
N8’s Great 8 Picks
The most profitable picks and props for a thrilling weekend of Golf.
The Favorites
These players are the legitimate contenders to make it to Sunday. They have the skill and experience to play four days of Tournament level golf.
Scottie Scheffler
For the better part of a year, Scottie Scheffler has put up historic stats in every aspect of his golf game with the glaring exception of his putting. Following his victory last week at Bay Hill, Scottie has left no doubt that he has turned the corner. With his new mallet-style putter, he had a career-long streak of nine consecutive one-putts and made every putt inside 15 feet. This week he’ll be taking a shot at the history books: attempting to successfully defend his Players Championship title from last year. The oddsmakers clearly favor the red-hot Scheffler this week, leading the field by a large margin at +500 to win outright.
Win Outright +500 / Top 10 Finish -140
Justin Thomas
JT’s golf journey has been well documented by the latest season of the Netflix documentary Full Swing. After struggling last year and barely making the US Ryder Cup team by the grace of team captain Zach Johnson, JT has seemingly turned the corner this season on the Tour. Trailing only Scheffler in true shots gained (+2.36) it’s clear JT is playing some of the best golf of his life.
Win Outright +2500 / Top 10 Finish +260
Rory McIlroy
Since winning the Players Championship in 2019, Rory hasn't found the level of success expected from a major winner. 2 missed cuts and a 33rd place finish are not indicative of the talent one would come to expect from the Irish superstar. Is this weekend when Rory turns the corner on an otherwise pedestrian season? With the talent Rory possesses, he can never be counted out in a big-time tournament.
Win Outright +1200 / Top 10 Finish +160
Xander Schauffele
It’s been nearly 19 months since Xander has found himself in the winner's circle. However, to start the season, Xander has played some of the best golf on Tour. With a 2nd place finish in 2018, he has the experience at Sawgrass and the high level of current play to make a run.
Win Outright +2000 / Top 10 Finish +210
Will Zalatoris
Following his back surgery in 2023, it was hard to predict how the former up-and-coming star would bounce back. Well those questions have been answered in a short time with a 2nd place finish at the Genesis Invitational and a 4th place finish last week at the API. The elite ball striking is back coupled with above average putting making Will a hot pick to win this weekend.
Win Outright +3300 / Top 10 Finish +320
Viktor Hovland
The reigning FedEx Cup champion has struggled mightily this season on Tour. However with two top 10 finishes under his belt and with the talent Viktor possesses, one can never count the Norwegian golfer out.
Win Outright +2200 / Top Ten Finish +250
Hideki Matsuyama
The 2021 Masters Champion has been playing resurgent golf to start the 2024 Tour season. Before injuries affected his play on Sunday last week, Matsuyama was tied for a share of the lead. It remains to be seen if lingering back issues will hold him back this weekend but the experience and high level of current play is there.
Win Outright +4000 / Top Ten Finish +360
Sahith Theegala
One of the brightest young stars on tour, Sahith has made a name for himself with impressive finishes in some big moments. The question will be does Sahith have the mental fortitude to close it out on Sunday. He certainly has the talent to win and seems to be a situation of when not if he breaks through. Win Outright +8000/ Top Ten Finish +600
