Puttering Around: Players Championship Preview

 Many consider the Players the “5th Major.” While I understand why one might proclaim such a thing given that the Players Championship has the highest purse of any event (currently holding my hands to stop them from making a joke about elevated handbags), let’s just think through this using common sense. There exists a tournament called the Waste Management Open. Not naming that the 5th major would be a hate crime against awesomeness. For now, the Players Championship will have to settle for 6th major. Despite not being one of the top five tournaments of the year, a stacked field still enters the event. Let’s see who will stand out above a pack stronger than Aaron Donald:


Lee Westwood to Make The Cut (-110)


Over the 20-21 season, Westwood has made 2/3s of his cuts, allowing me to believe he’ll keep churning out solid performances after last week’s second place finish.


Dustin Johnson Top 10 (+125)


You can call me an idiot for dozens of reasons, including but not limited to telling my kindergarten teacher that my (white) father was Japanese since he studied Japanese politics, but one of those causes shall not be selecting the World #1 to do well at the alleged 5th major, with + odds.


Tyrrell Hatton Top 20 (+140)


Hatton is a Top 10 golfer in the OWGR who had a few unlucky putts last week - consider yourself lucky to have these odds on him.


Corey Conners Top Canadian (+125)


Conners placed third last week, and the RBC Canadian Open was scratched from the schedule, so you must trust me when I tell you that if there’s one thing you NEVER want to see, it’s a red-hot, angry Canadian golfer, from my extended experience in such situations


Sungjae Im Top Asian (+225)


Im shows up for the big events, with a T2 at the Masters and Top 25s at the Tour Championship and US Open, although I would watch out for Si Woo Kim (5-1), who won the Players a few short years ago


Jordan Spieth To Miss The Cut (+120)


I HATE being THAT GUY to ruin everyone’s fun (scratch that - I love being that dude), and I’m enjoying Spieth’s renaissance as much as anybody, but he appears due for a big time letdown.


Collin Morikawa to win Tournament Group B, over Webb Simpson, Xander Schauffle, Justin Thomas, and Patrick Cantlay (+350)


*Turns on Magic Johnson mode


Since his victory at the PGA Championship at TPC Harding Park, Collin Morikawa has been red-hot, recently winning the WGC Workday Championship, while Simpson, Schauffle, Thomas, and Cantlay have been inconsistent recently!


Bryson DeChambeau Over Jon Rahm (+105)


I don’t think Bryson can put together back-to-back wins, but I’ll take + odds against Rahm, who hasn’t placed in the Top 4 since the outcry of protests in Belarus and Tanzania (I totally didn’t just look up stuff that happened in late October-early November 2020, not sure what you’re talking about)


Adam Scott Over Will Zalatoris (+115)


I understand Zalatoris’ appeal as one of the up-and-comers, but Scott’s experience both in the Pawnee, IN Parks and Rec department and at major tournaments (although this isn’t one of the top 5 majors) gives me more confidence in him, knowing how to handle these crucial events


Max Homa Over Sergio Garcia (+115)


Homa is winning tournaments and playing consistently stellar golf, with 7 of his last 8 starts ending in Top 25 finishes, while Garcia has two times as many missed cuts as Top 20 finishes in the 2020-21 season, but you pick which of those qualities is more attractive - only a hot take artist such as myself would gravitate towards a concept as disgusting as consistency


Louis Oosthuizen To Win (75-1)


The Oost-Wagon is leaving the station, and I invite all to hop on while they can

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