The Players Championship Betting: Upset Looming?
TPC Sawgrass Hosts the ‘Fifth Major’
The Players Championship Betting markets have been released and it’s Jon Rahm and Rory McIlroy at the top.
In terms of upcoming golf tournaments, they don’t get much bigger than The Players, which is the unofficial fifth major.
While we expect Rahm and McIlroy to get close, there is good value with The Players Championship Betting odds with some upset chances.
To the Max
Max Homa has attracted a significant amount of money, causing his odds to shorten from +4000 to +2000.
The American golfer has been having a great year, having won the Farmers Insurance Open and finishing closely in other tournaments. Despite being a six-time winner on the PGA Tour, Homa has yet to perform well in major tournaments. However, he has a good chance of winning The Players Championship this week, which is why The Players Championship Betting market is taking interest in him.
Homa fits the bill of the type of player who often wins this tournament, such as Sergio Garcia, Cameron Smith, and Rickie Fowler. Although +2000 is a little short of value, Homa should not be left off the ticket.
McIlroy Nearing Overdue Win
McIlroy won the 2019 Players Championship, and his history of winning this tournament is a significant advantage. The Northern Irishman came close to winning the Arnold Palmer Classic last week, which shows that he is currently playing well.
“If I look back on today the one thing I’ll rue is the tee shot on 14,” McIlroy said after his round. “I birdied 13 and got on to 14 tee and I honestly thought I was still like one or two behind the lead. As I was walking to the 14th green, I looked behind me at the scoreboard, and I was leading by one. And if I had known that, I wouldn’t have tried to play the shot that I played on 14, which was unfortunate.”
Despite not winning a PGA Tour since the CJ Cup in October, McIlroy has been close to victory. He is the second favorite with golf odds this week at +850, which is a fair price for someone who is playing well enough to win. However, he needs to shoot a better opening round and start well on Thursday.
Thomas Knocking on the Door
Justin Thomas, the 2021 Players champion, is a 15-time PGA Tour winner, but he has not won since the 2022 PGA Championship.
He shot +2 on Sunday at Bay Hill after being in contention, and he is currently not happy with his swing. However, he is a player with two majors on his record, and it would be a mistake to count him out.
Thomas is on the third line of The Players Championship Betting at +1800, which means that sportsbooks are respecting his chances.
Thomas used to be very vocal before getting into trouble for saying something on the mic, but his fire and passion needs to come out at TPC Sawgrass. If it does, the +1800 will be a value price for one of the best players in the world.
Upset-Bound Theegala
Sahith Theegala is a former top amateur who has won on the PGA Tour this season. Although his win came in a pairs event, he has played well since. He finished T14 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and T6 at the Genesis Invitational.
Theegala is the type of player who could win The Players Championship, and his odds have firmed in from a much bigger opening quote to +6500.
If he maintains his current form, Theegala will be good enough to figure in the finish at Sawgrass.
We would watch his odds throughout the week. He could attract some attention, so climb on board if you see some movement.
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