PGA First Look: The PLAYERS Championship

by Derek Farnsworth (Notorious) Last Updated 2016-05-14 03:36:59

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The PGA First Look is complete with sortable odds, salaries, Official World Golf Rankings, and course history.

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Welcome to the fifth major in golf. While The Players Championship doesn’t technically count as a major, it is the next best thing. This is the most stacked field that you will see outside of the four majors and the WGC events. This is always a fun event to watch because it is always filled with drama. Water lurks all over the course and you can quickly go from being in the lead to giving up a few shots in an instant. The most famous hole at the TPC Sawgrass is the island par three 17th. The shot itself isn’t all that difficult, but if you are just slightly off, you will find yourself in the water hazard. In fact, over the last ten years at this event, there have been nearly 500 balls hit into the water.

The TPC Sawgrass is obviously a lot more than just one hole, though. It is a Par 72 that stretches just over 7,200 yards. This course is a Pete Dye design that gives the golfers a little bit of everything. There are dog legs left and dog legs right and plenty of slopes that can make even good shots turn into bad ones. You are going to have to get a little lucky here in order to find yourself near the top of the leaderboard.

The main thing to keep in mind this week is to target golfers that don’t spray their drives off the tee. And by stray, I mean miss the fairway by 15-20 yards. Driving accuracy will be important, but most of these holes will have golfers hitting less than driver off the tee. That means that the bombers will likely be clubbing down, which should improve their driving accuracy overall. The accuracy guys do fare well here, but that doesn’t mean that the bombers can’t win (Rickie Fowler). The main statistic that I will be factoring in this week is greens in regulation. You absolutely need to hit greens in order to 1. avoid the hazards and 2. give yourself opportunities to score. With such a loaded field, there are going to be a lot of notable names missing the cut. My best advice is to take six course manager types that you feel confident in making the cut.

Key Statistics

1) Strokes Gained Tee to Green
2) Strokes Gained Putting
3) Greens in Regulation
4) Driving Accuracy
5) Par Breakers

Fantasy Notes

Cut Rule: Top 70 and ties move on after the second round.

Recent Winners of this Event: Rickie Fowler (2015), Martin Kaymer (2014), Tiger Woods (2013), Matt Kuchar (2012), K.J. Choi (2011)

Weather: Another week of good weather should be in store for the PGA Tour. It is expected to be sunny all four days with winds reaching up to 12 MPH during the afternoons. As always, make sure to check the forums on Wednesday for Kevin Roth’s weather report each week.

Salaries, Odds, and Course History (2011-2015)

Golfer	Salary	S-Rank	Odds	O-Rank	+ / –	OWGR	Cuts	2015	2014	2013	2012	2011
Rory McIlroy	$11,700	1	8	1	0	3	3/6	8	6	8	107	500
Jordan Spieth	$11,400	2	10	2	0	2	1/2	103	4	500	500	500
Jason Day	$11,100	3	11	3	0	1	2/5	126	500	19	73	6
Rickie Fowler	$10,600	4	17	4	0	5	3/6	1	77	78	2	75
Justin Rose	$10,300	5	24	5	0	10	4/8	76	4	89	51	45
Dustin Johnson	$10,200	6	25	6	0	8	5/6	69	59	500	500	57
Adam Scott	$10,000	7	27	8	-1	7	6/8	38	38	19	15	112
Sergio Garcia	$9,900	8	27	9	-1	15	8/8	2	3	8	56	12
Hideki Matsuyama	$9,700	9	26	7	2	14	2/2	17	23	500	500	500
Henrik Stenson	$9,500	10	29	10	0	6	6/8	17	34	5	15	138
Bubba Watson	$9,300	11	36	11	0	4	5/7	42	48	37	500	45
Phil Mickelson	$9,100	12	39	13	-1	17	5/8	119	83	78	25	33
Danny Willett	$8,900	13	37	12	1	9	0/1	90	500	500	500	500
Patrick Reed	$8,700	14	46	15	-1	12	1/2	24	137	500	500	500
Branden Grace	$8,600	15	42	14	1	11	2/2	42	500	48	500	500
Louis Oosthuizen	$8,400	16	56	17	-1	13	2/5	69	135	19	73	102
Zach Johnson	$8,300	17	56	18	-1	18	7/8	13	26	19	2	12
Billy Horschel	$8,200	18	54	16	2	46	2/3	13	26	98	500	500
Matt Kuchar	$8,100	19	62	19	0	30	6/8	76	17	48	1	54
Brandt Snedeker	$8,100	19	65	20	-1	16	2/7	103	48	8	115	102
Daniel Berger	$8,000	21	67	21	0	45	0/1	76	500	500	500	500
Jimmy Walker	$8,000	21	78	29	-8	28	4/6	90	6	15	35	90
Paul Casey	$7,900	23	69	23	0	23	1/4	500	500	500	500	90
Charley Hoffman	$7,900	23	67	21	2	32	6/8	30	38	37	115	26
Kevin Na	$7,800	25	74	27	-2	26	5/7	6	38	500	7	75
Chris Kirk	$7,800	25	71	24	1	50	4/5	13	13	55	51	123
Kevin Kisner	$7,700	27	79	30	-3	22	1/1	2	500	500	500	500
Brooks Koepka	$7,700	27	73	25	2	20	0/1	76	500	500	500	500
Russell Knox	$7,600	29	78	28	1	31	2/2	17	34	500	500	500
Kevin Chappell	$7,600	29	89	32	-3	64	3/5	119	26	68	127	69
Bill Haas	$7,500	31	92	34	-3	27	4/8	4	26	108	25	90
Danny Lee	$7,500	31	95	37	-6	37	0/1	90	500	500	500	500
J.B. Holmes	$7,400	33	73	26	7	19	4/7	51	121	500	127	6
Byeong-Hun An	$7,400	33	88	31	2	24	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Marc Leishman	$7,300	35	92	33	2	35	4/6	24	23	8	45	142
Patton Kizzire	$7,300	35	113	42	-7	54	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Justin Thomas	$7,200	37	93	35	2	38	1/1	24	500	500	500	500
Martin Kaymer	$7,200	37	98	38	-1	59	7/7	56	1	43	15	19
Rafa Cabrera Bello	$7,100	39	112	40	-1	29	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Russell Henley	$7,100	39	130	49	-10	85	2/3	24	17	78	500	500
David Lingmerth	$7,000	41	94	36	5	48	1/2	500	112	2	500	500
Brendan Steele	$7,000	41	123	45	-4	79	1/5	76	26	78	122	129
Jamie Lovemark	$7,000	41	109	39	2	78	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Gary Woodland	$7,000	41	120	43	-2	77	1/4	134	11	500	115	90
Jim Furyk	$6,900	45	129	47	-2	25	6/8	56	2	78	25	102
Ryan Palmer	$6,900	45	129	47	-2	75	2/7	119	59	5	73	90
Graham DeLaet	$6,900	45	138	51	-6	126	3/4	56	94	26	70	500
Luke Donald	$6,900	45	112	40	5	71	7/8	134	38	19	6	4
Smylie Kaufman	$6,800	49	148	57	-8	51	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
John Senden	$6,800	49	149	58	-9	99	4/8	8	26	43	73	134
Andy Sullivan	$6,800	49	142	54	-5	33	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Tony Finau	$6,800	49	143	56	-7	81	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Jason Dufner	$6,700	53	123	45	8	67	5/7	90	48	62	68	6
Charles Howell III	$6,700	53	123	44	9	87	2/8	56	83	66	73	102
Emiliano Grillo	$6,700	53	137	50	3	40	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Francesco Molinari	$6,700	53	138	52	1	86	2/5	500	6	89	73	90
Ryan Moore	$6,600	57	140	53	4	47	6/8	76	26	115	46	33
Matthew Fitzpatrick	$6,600	57	142	54	3	41	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Soren Kjeldsen	$6,600	57	157	60	-3	39	0/1	500	500	500	500	500
Daniel Summerhays	$6,600	57	158	61	-4	105	2/3	134	23	26	500	500
Bernd Wiesberger	$6,500	61	156	59	2	44	0/1	76	500	500	500	500
Harris English	$6,500	61	168	63	-2	73	2/4	90	112	33	64	500
Graeme McDowell	$6,500	61	172	65	-4	76	5/7	56	62	89	73	33
Jason Kokrak	$6,500	61	178	68	-7	95	0/3	76	128	78	500	500
Kiradech Aphibarnrat	$6,500	61	188	71	-10	42	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Ian Poulter	$6,500	61	176	67	-6	70	6/8	30	65	89	25	57
William McGirt	$6,400	67	195	75	-8	100	1/3	113	137	43	500	500
Chez Reavie	$6,400	67	198	79	-12	96	1/2	500	500	500	94	500
Shane Lowry	$6,400	67	167	62	5	36	0/1	103	500	500	500	500
James Hahn	$6,400	67	178	68	-1	55	2/3	30	94	62	500	500
Martin Laird	$6,400	67	193	72	-5	199	4/6	500	94	5	2	69
Harold Varner III	$6,400	67	193	72	-5	188	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Ben Martin	$6,300	73	170	64	9	110	1/1	4	500	500	500	500
Scott Piercy	$6,300	73	172	65	8	53	1/5	103	500	98	94	500
Kevin Streelman	$6,300	73	181	70	3	116	3/7	119	112	2	51	19
Webb Simpson	$6,300	73	197	78	-5	90	3/7	66	112	15	86	69
Patrick Rodgers	$6,300	73	195	75	-2	141	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Jhonattan Vegas	$6,300	73	193	72	1	222	2/3	42	500	500	7	141
Keegan Bradley	$6,200	79	222	86	-7	114	2/5	76	83	98	35	72
K.J. Choi	$6,200	79	195	75	4	111	6/8	42	13	48	122	1
Bryce Molder	$6,200	79	208	82	-3	138	3/6	63	112	108	40	33
Will Wilcox	$6,200	79	247	90	-11	134	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Sean O’Hair	$6,200	79	200	80	-1	113	3/7	132	500	43	86	19
David Hearn	$6,100	84	213	85	-1	140	4/4	42	6	26	68	500
Robert Streb	$6,100	84	208	82	2	58	1/1	30	500	500	500	500
Colt Knost	$6,100	84	247	90	-6	184	0/1	500	500	500	137	500
Freddie Jacobson	$6,100	84	208	82	2	108	7/8	42	64	48	115	64
Cameron Tringale	$6,100	84	247	90	-6	102	2/4	56	107	78	72	500
Brian Harman	$6,100	84	232	87	-3	130	2/4	8	94	135	51	500
Kyle Reifers	$6,100	84	288	103	-19	157	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Chesson Hadley	$6,100	84	202	81	3	221	1/2	24	83	500	500	500
Boo Weekley	$6,100	84	303	110	-26	152	3/6	90	112	48	500	90
Spencer Levin	$6,000	93	270	95	-2	243	3/4	76	500	500	15	12
John Huh	$6,000	93	270	95	-2	195	3/4	103	72	68	23	500
Fabian Gomez	$6,000	93	243	89	4	60	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
George McNeill	$6,000	93	268	94	-1	179	4/7	17	13	132	64	500
Padraig Harrington	$6,000	93	287	102	-9	137	3/7	42	500	75	73	134
Zac Blair	$6,000	93	297	108	-15	151	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Ernie Els	$6,000	93	320	114	-21	229	4/8	66	72	89	107	75
Chad Collins	$6,000	93	357	119	-26	268	0/2	500	500	500	500	112
Johnson Wagner	$5,900	101	275	98	3	194	3/6	500	83	129	35	123
Retief Goosen	$5,900	101	238	88	13	163	4/6	129	48	500	114	61
Alex Cejka	$5,900	101	327	116	-15	149	3/5	74	500	500	500	129
Jonas Blixt	$5,900	101	270	95	6	131	2/3	140	75	77	500	500
Hunter Mahan	$5,900	101	293	104	-3	120	4/7	103	131	19	115	6
Troy Merritt	$5,900	101	293	104	-3	91	3/3	72	500	500	500	61
Morgan Hoffmann	$5,900	101	307	111	-10	172	1/2	76	17	500	500	500
Nick Taylor	$5,900	101	323	115	-14	274	1/1	73	500	500	500	500
Chris Stroud	$5,800	109	282	101	8	167	5/6	42	80	33	94	12
Si Woo Kim	$5,800	109	293	104	5	146	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Jason Gore	$5,800	109	373	122	-13	176	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Greg Owen	$5,800	109	513	136	-27	186	0/2	500	500	142	500	500
Camilo Villegas	$5,800	109	333	117	-8	225	2/7	132	94	500	86	75
Bernhard Langer	$5,800	109	357	119	-10	672	1/2	90	500	500	500	500
Mark Wilson	$5,800	109	487	134	-25	420	2/7	500	137	108	122	75
Jason Bohn	$5,700	116	333	117	-1	83	5/7	76	94	55	500	61
Matt Jones	$5,700	116	263	93	23	74	2/5	129	17	98	500	19
Scott Brown	$5,700	116	277	99	17	144	2/3	30	62	108	500	500
Adam Hadwin	$5,700	116	277	99	17	192	0/1	119	500	500	500	500
Jerry Kelly	$5,700	116	302	109	7	173	5/8	17	94	37	132	64
Brian Stuard	$5,700	116	293	104	12	143	1/3	134	17	98	500	500
Ricky Barnes	$5,700	116	307	111	5	224	2/5	90	500	72	46	112
Chad Campbell	$5,600	123	310	113	10	203	3/6	500	500	43	94	26
Vaughn Taylor	$5,600	123	377	123	0	103	0/4	500	500	500	500	123
Hudson Swafford	$5,600	123	413	126	-3	263	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Shawn Stefani	$5,600	123	397	124	-1	259	0/2	103	121	500	500	500
Jon Curran	$5,600	123	483	133	-10	218	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Erik Compton	$5,600	123	480	132	-9	374	2/3	30	34	125	500	500
Carlos Ortiz	$5,600	123	567	139	-16	352	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Ken Duke	$5,600	123	607	140	-17	495	1/5	500	94	98	94	500
Jim Herman	$5,500	131	357	119	12	72	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Brendon de Jonge	$5,500	131	460	127	4	227	4/6	63	70	15	15	138
Vijay Singh	$5,500	131	460	127	4	235	2/7	63	500	78	94	102
Steve Wheatcroft	$5,500	131	400	125	6	344	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
J.J. Henry	$5,500	131	723	143	-12	273	4/7	500	48	89	40	102
Matt Every	$5,500	131	640	141	-10	197	2/4	42	137	26	122	500
Andres Gonzales	$5,500	131	700	142	-11	468	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Davis Love III	$5,400	138	460	127	11	160	4/6	500	500	48	86	12
Scott Pinckney	$5,400	138	477	131	7	260	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Jeff Overton	$5,400	138	467	130	8	366	5/8	90	82	26	94	26
Brendon Todd	$5,400	138	537	137	1	168	1/1	51	500	500	500	500
Peter Malnati	$5,400	138	500	135	3	166	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Carl Pettersson	$5,400	138	563	138	0	279	4/5	500	83	68	10	33
Steven Bowditch	$5,300	144	723	143	1	109	1/2	103	48	500	500	500

Color Coding
Course history in BLUE indicates a top ten finish.
Course history in GREEN indicates a top 25 finish.
Course history in YELLOW indicates a made cut with a finish outside of the top 25.
Course history in RED indicates a missed cut.

Legend