The 2021 Players Championship starts Thursday at TPC Sawgrass, Ponte Vedra Beach in Florida. This is where some of the top golfers from the world will be vying for one of the most prestigious titles in the sport.
The coronavirus pandemic caused the cancellation of last year’s tournament. COVID-19 is still a concern. Former Masters winner Danny Willett has withdrawn from the tournament after contracting it. The players are now back at Sawgrass in hopes of crowning a new champion, for the first time since 2019.
The top names in the sport will participate, but Brooks Koepka, a four-time major champion, withdrew due to a knee injury. Who will be victorious?
The top 2021 Players Championship predictions
The Players Championship 2021 will be a huge surprise to the model. Bryson de Chambeau, one the most popular Vegas players, fails and doesn’t even make the top 10. DeChambeau certainly has had some great moments in 2020-21 PGA Tour season. He won the U.S. Open to start the season and took first place at the Arnold Palmer Invitational last weekend.
There have been some frustrating moments between these wins. He missed the Genesis Invitational cut in February, and finished outside of the top 20 at both the WGC-Workday Championships and the 2020 Masters. Although he’s been a great player off the tees, he has had trouble on the greens. He entered this tournament ranked 65th in strokes gained: putting on the PGA Tour. This model shows that the Players Championship 2021 offers far better value.
Surprise! Webb Simpson, a 22-1 longshot, runs strong for the title. Webb Simpson has a better chance of winning it all than his odds suggest, making him a tempting target for those looking to make a big payday.
Simpson is hoping to win his second Players Championship title after lifting the trophy in 2018. Simpson is currently ranked 10th in the world. He has been playing well lately, with 19 of his 20 rounds being par or better. His four top-10 finishes in the last nine events is a testament to his driving accuracy of 71.63 (fourth best on PGA Tour). This should be a great asset on a narrow course with hazards.
Simpson looked poised to compete at last year’s event. His first round score was tied for seventh, before the remainder of the tournament was cancelled. He has the skills to succeed on this difficult course, with a win and three top-16 finishes at TPC Sawgrass. Simpson is a solid value pick for 2021 Players Championship bets.
How to make the 2021 Players Championship Picks
The model also targets four other golfers who have odds of winning the title at 22-1 or greater. This includes a long shot. These underdogs are worth backing. These underdogs are only visible here.
2021 Players Championship odds (via William Hill)
Dustin Johnson 11-1
Rory McIlroy 14-1
Bryson DeChambeau 14-1
Jon Rahm 16-1
Xander Schauffele 20-1
Justin Thomas 20-1
Webb Simpson 22-1
Collin Morikawa 22-1
Patrick Cantlay 22-1
Tony Finau 25-1
Jordan Spieth 25-1
Viktor Hovland 25-1
Tyrrell Hatton 33-1
Tommy Fleetwood 35-1
Scottie Scheffler 35-1
Hideki Matsuyama 35-1
Patrick Reed 35-1
Daniel Berger 35-1
Matthew Fitzpatrick 40-1
Sungjae Im 45-1
Paul Casey 45-1
Jason Day 45-1
Joaquin Niemann 50-1
Cameron Smith 50-1
Louis Oosthuizen 55-1
Adam Scott 55-1
Will Zalatoris 60-1
Christiaan Bezuidenhout 66-1
Jason Kokrak 66-1
Lee Westwood 70-1
Sergio Garcia 70-1
Harris English 70-1
Max Homa 70-1
Billy Horschel 70-1
Abraham Ancer 70-1
Justin Rose 80-1
Corey Conners 80-1
Kevin Na 90-1
Francesco Molinari 90-1
Marc Leishman 100-1
Russell Henley 100-1
Lanto Griffin 100-1
Sam Burns 100-1
Si-Woo Kim 100-1
Carlos Ortiz 100-1
Kevin Kisner 100-1
