STAR PREVIEW: TPC Players Championship

Golf manages to attract lots of headlines for the four Majors but the TPC Players Championship has established itself as the fifth ‘Major’ and the line-up at Sawgrass sees the biggest and best names in golf fighting it out.

Sawgrass, the venue for this tournament since 1982, is one of the most famous courses in golf and has undergone numerous and significant modifications, especially since the turn of the 20th century. The result is a very unique challenge which is a true all round test of the field.

This has been a great event for outsiders in the past few years. The last five winners are Si Woo Kim (-10), Jason Day (-15), Rickie Fowler (-7, playoff), Martin Kaymer (-13) and Tiger Woods (-13) showing how those who have plenty of experience around this famous course can convert that to a win.

Of the favourites, Jason Day (14/1 with starsports.bet) is already a winner of this and he’s a standout here. Whilst double winners of this tournament are rare and winning back to back is tough, Day can be a trend bucker. Day showed just last week his current form when sealing the Wells Fargo Championship with a final round 69. He mixed six birdies with four bogeys in his final round at Quail Hollow, again demonstrating an excellent show of mental strength.

Emiliano Grillo (60/1 with starsports.bet) was ninth behind Day at Quail Hollow, another good result for an in-form player who has really hit form of late. The Argentinian was 11th last year, a notable result for one so young and had also finished an impressive third at the Houston Open previously in the year. It’s easy to forgive and forget his missed cut at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, a two-man team event.

Branden Grace (75/1 with starsports.bet) was a quiet but eye catching 25th at the Masters and the South African has a good bank of course experience here at Sawgrass for four cuts made in as many appearances. He has a good record on courses designed by Pete Dye (the man who designed Sawgrass) and hasn’t missed a cut since last August. With five top-six finishes in Majors since 2015 and a win at the Heritage in 2016, Grace has plenty of stomach for the big occasion and he also scrambles extremely well so makes enough appeal to get onto the shortlist.

RECOMMENDED BETS (scale of 1-100 points)

BACK JASON DAY 2 points each-way at 14/1 with starsports.bet

BACK EMILIANO GRILLO 1 point each-way at 60/1 with starsports.bet

BACK BRANDEN GRACE 1 point each-way at 75/1 with starsports.bet

PROFIT/LOSS SINCE JAN 1 2017: PROFIT 162.83 points

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