The Players Championship 2026 staff picks to win, sleep to watch

The Players Championship begins Thursday at TPC Sawgrassand — surprise, surprise — two-time Players Champion Scottie Scheffler is the betting favorite.

When is the last time Scheffler it wasn’t the odds-on favorite? This takes some digging, as the world number 1 has dominated the rankings for the past two years. But at the 2023 BMW Championship, Rory McIlroy beat Scheffler by a hair, with +750 odds to win, compared to Scheffler’s +800.

As it happens, those two men have won the last three editions of The Players – Scheffler in 2023 and 2024, and McIlroy last year, when he beat JJ Spaw in a playoff – and again occupy the top two spots in the odds table.

Scheffler is listed at +450 to win, McIlroy at +1600 to win and Collin Morikawa rounds out the top three at +1800 odds to win.

Scheffler will play alongside Tommy Fleetwood and Justin Thomas in Rounds 1 and 2; McIlroy will play Xander Schauffele and Hideki Matsuyama; and Morikawa will star with Ludvig Aberg and Si Woo Kim.

The Players Championship offers the richest purse of the year, totaling $25 million, with $4.5 million going to the winner. Check out our staff picks to win and sleep below, and here’s how you can check out the tournament this week.

Players Championship 2026 Betting Odds, Favorites (Top 10)

Scottie Scheffler (+450)
Rory McIlroy (+1600)
Collin Morikawa (+1800)
Ludvig Aberg (+2200)
Si Woo Kim (+2200)
Russell Henley (+2800)
Tommy Fleetwood (+2800)
Xander Schauffele (+3000)
Cameron Young (+3250)
Hideki Matsuyama (+3250)
Matt Fitzpatrick (+3250)

*See full odds here

Players Championship 2026 picks to win

Josh Berhow, managing editor: Collin Morikawa (+1800). The win at Pebble was huge and he hasn’t slowed down, with two top-10 finishes since then. He hasn’t shot worse than 70 in his last three tournaments. He tied for 10th here last year, his best finish at TPC Sagwrass. Things are trending in the right direction.

Josh Schrock, associate news editor: Ludvig Aberg (+3,000). Aberg has shaken off his WD-CUT start to the season and finally looked like himself last week at Bay Hill. He placed fifth in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee and third in SG: Approach. It feels like he’s going for another big win after his breakthrough at Genesis last year.

Jessica Marksbury, Senior Editor: Scottie Scheffler (+450). I’m picking low-hanging fruit here with Scottie, I know. But who am I not to choose it? Even his B-game has kept him in the top 25 in his last two tournaments, and on a ball-striking course like TPC Sawgrass, where he has two wins and a T20 in his last three appearances, I have no doubt he will contend again.

Zephyr Melton, Game Improvement Editor: Scottie Scheffler (+450). It’s hard to pick against the best player in the world – especially at the biggest events. I love Scottie breaking out of his funk and winning the players over again.

Josh Sens, senior writer: Cameron Young (+3200). Young’s tight but cigar-free record on the big stages is no secret. Not even his talent. We all know it’s only a matter of time, and with the good form he showed last week at Bay Hill, the time seems right.

Jack Hirsh, equipment editor: Tommy Fleetwood (+2800). What has Tommy-Lad done in his three home state starts this season? T4, T7, 49th. While the rough week at Bay Hill may be cause for concern, I’d rather see it as creating more value for a golfer than what is custom-made to win at TPC Sawgrass (pun intended). Fleetwood is one of the most accurate drivers on the planet and that always plays well here.

Alan Bastable, executive editor: Ludvig Aberg (+3000). I’m with Schrock. After Aberg’s largely sleepy second half of 2025, it was easy to overlook. (Don’t look now, but Patrick Reed has caught Aberg in the world standings.) But the Swede has been on trend in his last three starts, most recently at Bay Hill last week where he finished third. On his home course, Aberg is poised for another big week.

2026 sleeper championship players to watch

Josh Berhow, managing editor: Chris Gotterup (+5,000). He hardly sleeps, but when he’s listed in these odds, you better believe he’s getting it. He is coming off a tough Sunday at Bay Hill, but his win at another TPC course (the WM Phoenix Open) was just a month ago.

Josh Schrock, associate news editor: Rickie Fowler (+5,500). With the nagging shoulder problem that plagued him last year fully recovered, Fowler has played consistently good golf to start the year. He has gone T18-T18-T19-T28-T9 in his first five starts. He led halfway through Pebble Beach before letting things slip away on the weekend. Tied for 17th in strikeouts so far this season and has put the pitcher to work again. Good memories here from his win in 2015. I know +5500 isn’t exactly “sleeper” territory, but there’s no one else below that that interests me.

Jessica Marksbury, Senior Editor: Jake Knapp (+5000). Knapp has had a great start to the year, finishing in the top 11 in his first five events. The fact that he pulled out of the API – a signature event – with illness perhaps shows how seriously he is taking his performance this week. He has only played TPC Sawgrass twice, but was T12 last year. Given all these stats, +5000 looks like a real bargain.

Zephyr Melton, Game Improvement Editor: Pierceson Coody (+9000). Coody has been a consistent underdog this year, finishing in the top 20 in five of seven starts. He has flown very much under the radar in 2026. If you are not familiar with him, I would advise you to do so. He will stick around for a while.

Josh Sens, Senior Writer: Corey Connors (+10000). From the tee to the green, Connor is as consistent as he looks, with the kind of ball-striking ability Sawgrass is looking for. He finished T6 in his last appearance at the Players. Just heat up the pesky brush and you never know…

Jack Hirsh, Equipment Editor: Sahith Theegala (+7500). Three top 10’s so far this season and he has played his way back into Signature events and the OWGR Top 100. Sahith Theegala is back and I wouldn’t be surprised if he wins this year.

Alan Bastable, executive editor: Alex Noren (+8000). Yes, another Swede! Like Aberg, Noren has reeled off three strong finishes since Pebble, and his natural fade plays well on a course where pulls and hooks can inflict punishment.

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