The PGA Tour’s flagship event, THE PLAYERS Championship, returns to TPC Sawgrass for its 52nd edition from March 12-15, 2026. Often dubbed the “fifth major,” this tournament boasts a $25 million purse—the largest on Tour—and attracts the strongest field in golf, with 123 players vying for the $4.5 million winner’s share. Rory McIlroy enters as the defending champion after a playoff victory over J.J. Spaun in 2025, while Scottie Scheffler aims to become the first three-time winner at TPC Sawgrass. The Stadium Course’s demanding layout, iconic island-green 17th hole, and potential weather challenges set the stage for high drama in Ponte Vedra Beach.
Venue Location
TPC Sawgrass – THE PLAYERS Stadium Course
110 Championship Way, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32082, USA
This Pete Dye-designed par-72 layout measures 7,275 yards and is renowned for its strategic demands, water hazards on 17 holes, and the infamous par-3 17th island green. Owned by the PGA Tour since 1980, it’s been the permanent host since 1982, emphasizing precision over power with tight fairways, small greens, and high variance—every hole offers at least an 8% birdie rate but also an 8% bogey-or-worse risk.
Tee Time is scheduled for
- Round 1: Thursday, March 12 – First tee times at 7:40 a.m. ET
- Round 2: Friday, March 13 – Tee times starting around 7:40 a.m. ET
- Round 3: Saturday, March 14 – Tee times TBD based on cut
- Round 4: Sunday, March 15 – Tee times TBD
Broadcast: NBC, Golf Channel, Peacock (coverage begins at 1 p.m. ET Thursday/Friday, 2 p.m. ET Saturday/Sunday). Gates open at 7:30 a.m. daily, with practice rounds on March 10-11.
Weather Conditions
The forecast for Ponte Vedra Beach indicates variable conditions that could impact play, with warmth early giving way to potential rain and cooler temps. Winds may gust up to 24 mph on Friday, affecting approach shots and the exposed 17th hole. Expect possible delays on Thursday and Sunday.
| Day | High/Low (°F) | Conditions | Wind (mph) | Rain Chance |
| Thursday, March 12 (Round 1) | 84/61 | Showers late, overcast | 7, gusts to 15 | 64% |
| Friday, March 13 (Round 2) | 68/59 | Isolated thunderstorms, cloudy | 7-18, gusts to 24 | 53% |
| Saturday, March 14 (Round 3) | 72/56 | Morning clouds, partly sunny | 13 | 0% |
| Sunday, March 15 (Round 4) | 79/60 | Isolated thunderstorms late, afternoon clouds | 8 | 66% |
Course Conditions
TPC Sawgrass is expected to play firm and fast, with lush, green conditions following recent overseeding. The Bermuda greens will run at 12-13 feet on the Stimpmeter, emphasizing approach accuracy and short-game prowess. Rough is penal at 3-4 inches, and water hazards lurk on nearly every hole. The course rating is 76.4 with a slope of 155 under tournament setup, typically yielding a scoring average around 72.4—making it one of the Tour’s tougher tests. Recent aerification (post-2025 event) ensures pristine play, but wind and rain could soften fairways mid-week.
Key
Player Matchups
With a stacked field including all top-50 OWGR players, key battles highlight elite ball-strikers versus course specialists. Focus on strokes gained: approach (key stat at Sawgrass) and scrambling.
| Matchup | Player 1 (Recent Form) | Player 2 (Recent Form) | Key Insight |
| World No. 1 Battle | Scottie Scheffler (Win at AmEx, T5 at Genesis, T24 at API; SG:APP +0.25/rd) | Rory McIlroy (T2 Genesis, WD API back injury; Defending champ, 2x winner) | Scheffler’s consistency vs. McIlroy’s power; both multi-time winners here, but injury concerns for Rory. |
| Iron Play Duel | Collin Morikawa (T10 2025 PLAYERS, T7 Riviera, 3 straight T7 or better) | Si Woo Kim (2017 winner, 2 top-10s since; Fire form in 2026, top SG:APP) | Morikawa’s tee-to-green edge (top-10 SG:APP) vs. Kim’s course history and hot streak. |
| Rising Stars | Ludvig Åberg (Improving: T3 API, 4 straight better finishes) | Akshay Bhatia (3 top-7 in last 4, T3 2025 PLAYERS, API playoff win) | Åberg’s momentum vs. Bhatia’s Florida form; both longshots with upside. |
| Veterans Clash | Justin Thomas (2021 winner, post-surgery return; 79-79 API) | Xander Schauffele (T7 Riviera, improving; MC Farmers but strong since) | Thomas’ course affinity vs. Schauffele’s reliability; both seeking rebound. |
| Course Horses | Tommy Fleetwood (T5 2019, 4 straight cuts; T2 early 2026) | Shane Lowry (54/1 odds; Solid Florida history) | Fleetwood’s consistency vs. Lowry’s scrambling; value in mid-tier. |
Tournament History
Since 1974, THE PLAYERS has crowned 42 unique winners, with Jack Nicklaus holding the record at three victories (1974, 1976, 1978). Five players have won twice at TPC Sawgrass: Fred Couples, Steve Elkington, Hal Sutton, Davis Love III, and Tiger Woods. Recent back-to-back feats include Scheffler (2023-24) and McIlroy (2019, 2025). The event moved to Sawgrass in 1982 after stints at Atlanta CC, Sawgrass CC, Colonial CC, and Inverrary CC. Lowest score: Greg Norman’s 24-under 264 (1994). Most playoffs: 8 (last in 2025).
| Year | Winner | Score | Margin | Course |
| 2025 | Rory McIlroy | -12 | Playoff | TPC Sawgrass |
| 2024 | Scottie Scheffler | -20 | 1 | TPC Sawgrass |
| 2023 | Scottie Scheffler | -17 | 5 | TPC Sawgrass |
| 2022 | Cameron Smith | -13 | 1 | TPC Sawgrass |
| 2021 | Justin Thomas | -14 | 1 | TPC Sawgrass |
| 2020 | Canceled (COVID-19) | – | – | TPC Sawgrass |
| 2019 | Rory McIlroy | -16 | 1 | TPC Sawgrass |
| … (earlier) | Jack Nicklaus (1974) | -16 | 2 | Atlanta CC |
Recent Player Forms
The field features hot hands like Bhatia (API winner) and Knapp (recent top finishes), but veterans dominate. SG: Total and APP are key; 30% of models weight 2026 form heavily.
| Player | Recent Results | Key Stats/Notes |
| Scottie Scheffler | Win (AmEx), T5 (Genesis), T24 (API) | Top in SG: Total; Seeking 3rd straight; Iron play down from +1.32 to +0.25/rd. |
| Rory McIlroy | T2 (Genesis), WD (API back) | Defending, 2x winner; Back issue monitor; Strong Florida history. |
| Collin Morikawa | T10 (2025 PLAYERS), T7 (Riviera), T5 (Bay Hill) | Top-10 SG: Tee-to-Green/APP; 3 straight T7+. |
| Si Woo Kim | Strong 2026 (2 top-10s); 2017 winner | Top SG:APP; Fire form, but mixed recent Sawgrass. |
| Ludvig Åberg | T3 (API), Improving finishes | Rounding into form; Longshot value. |
| Akshay Bhatia | API playoff win, 3 top-7 last 4 | T3 2025; Momentum in Florida. |
| Tommy Fleetwood | 2 top-10 early 2026, T5 2019 | 4 straight cuts; Bay Hill struggle. |
| Xander Schauffele | T7 (Riviera), Improving | Post-MC Farmers rebound. |
| Justin Thomas | 79-79 (API) | 2021 winner; Post-surgery rust. |
| Brooks Koepka | T9 (Cognizant) | Best 2026 finish; T11 best at PLAYERS. |
Betting Trends
Favorites have won 3 straight (Scheffler x2, McIlroy), but longshots like Åberg (+3000+) offer value. Trends: 60% of winners since 2010 ranked top-10 SG:APP pre-event; emphasis on 2026 form (winners averaged under 70 at Sawgrass). Over/under 72.5 scoring average hits over in windy years. BTTS-like props (top-10 finishes) favor ball-strikers.
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Wednesday, March 11, 2026
