How to bet The Players Championship: Best bets, DFS tips and more - ESPN

TPC Sawgrass is unlike anything else on the PGA Tour calendar. It rewards a complete precision player, the one who can execute a specific shot shape to a specific target under sustained pressure for 72 holes.

The Stadium Course is an iron player's paradise and a bomber's nightmare, with tight tree-line fairways, small firm greens that are nearly impossible to hold from the wrong angle, and water lurking on 17 of 18 holes waiting to punish the slightest miscalculation.

The statistical profile that excels here is fairly consistent — elite iron player followed by driving accuracy, bermuda putting and bogey avoidance. Distance matters but only when paired with accuracy.

The forecasted conditions this week amplify those demands. Thursday opens with winds, rain, and a potential storm in the afternoon, creating a significant split between morning and afternoon starts that could shape the entire tournament.

History shows that early Thursday starters gain a meaningful edge at Sawgrass, accessing smoother greens and calmer conditions before the course firms up and the wind strengthens. This week that advantage is magnified with afternoon starters walking directly into worsening conditions.

By Friday, the wind shifts, and Sunday brings high probability of rain with afternoon gusts, making Saturday stand alone as the one clean scoring window of the week. With that in mind, the Thursday morning start times are not just an advantage but potentially the most decisive non-golf factor the entire weekend.

Here are players to bet on and play in daily fantasy.

Odds by DraftKings Sportsbook (with ties) and subject to change.

Play daily fantasy golf at DraftKings.

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