Updated 2022 PLAYERS Championship Odds: Jon Rahm Headlines Board, Followed By Collin Morikawa, Justin Thomas

2022 PLAYERS Championship Odds

Odds via PointsBet.

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The world's best golfers are en route to TPC Sawgrass for golf's fifth major and the largest purse of the PGA TOUR season so far.

A whopping 48 of the top 50 players in the world (as of the Official World Golf Rankings entering the Arnold Palmer Invitational) are set for THE PLAYERS Championship this week. Not surprisingly, Jon Rahm is atop the opening odds board with defending champion Justin Thomas right behind him.

Scottie Scheffler, who has won twice in his last three PGA TOUR starts, was available at 28-1 on Sunday night right before the conclusion of his victory at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. The 25-year-old, regardless of where he ends up at the end of the night, will no doubt attract a lot of attention from bettors this week.

Past Winners

The winner of THE PLAYERS is usually in the mid-teens under par. Thomas won last year at 14-under. Before that, it was McIlroy at 16-under in 2019 and Webb Simpson at 18-under the year before. Simpson’s total was the lowest number since Fred Couples put up the same score in 1996.

Usually, one of golf’s best ends up victorious at TPC Sawgrass. Looking back at past winners, some of golf’s most recognizable names are on the list, from Tiger Woods to Phil Mickelson.

Over the past 10 years, winners include Matt Kuchar, Woods, Martin Kaymer, Rickie Fowler, Jason Day and Si Woo Kim, in addition to the aforementioned Simpson, McIlroy and Thomas. Kim had the highest score at 10-under, and everyone else got to at least 12-under.

The Course

Approach play has historically been the most important piece of play at THE PLAYERS. There are water hazards and trees on most every hole, which means precision is hugely important. Sawgrass is rightfully known as a “second shot” golf course.

Sawgrass isn’t a very long course, but because of the hazards making sure the ball is in the right part of the fairway is crucial. Setting yourself up for success off the tee will go a long way in making sure players are able to thrive on approach, especially at Sawgrass.

Every par 5 is also relatively reasonable. Three of the four at Sawgrass are listed at less than 540 yards, which means they will be very important to take advantage of.

First Click Pick

Shane McNichol: Hideki Matsuyama (+2500)

THE PLAYERS aspires to be golf's biggest event outside the majors, backed up by the biggest regular-season payout on the PGA TOUR and a $3.6 million check to the winning golfer.

My early pick to take home that prize is a player who has played well in recent months and historically at this venue.

Hideki Mastuyama checks both boxes. He has not missed a cut since August 2021 and has two wins and two more top 10s in the 2021-22 FedEx Cup season. Best of all, his putting, which can be spotty at best, has been strong. Matsuyama has gained strokes on the green in three of his last four starts and ranks 33rd on TOUR on make percentage inside ten feet. The way he stripes his irons, that's notable.

Matsuyama has also played well at TPC Sawgrass. In seven official starts, he has five finishes inside the top 25. That also discounts his work at the 2020 PLAYERS, when he gained almost nine strokes on the field with a dazzling 63, before the event was shut down by the pandemic.

After that chance to win was taken away, Hideki deserves a look this week.

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