Slated for later this week, the 2024 Players Championship will be held at the iconic TPC Sawgrass venue with some big stakes on the line for the players. Of course, the favorite in this tournament is Scottie Scheffler, the winner of the 2022 Masters and perhaps the hottest player on the Tour. Another excellent player to always keep an eye on is veteran Rory McIlroy who is one of the most decorated golfers of his era and always a threat to take home the crown. Meanwhile, 2020 Olympic gold medalist Xander Schauffele has been playing well as of late and is also in contention to take home the title per some betting sites. Finally, the last athlete to keep an eye on here is Viktor Hovland who finished in second place at last year’s PGA Championship.
For this report, SBS will be going over the latest news and notes coming from the world of the PGA Tour and also some additional notes about wagering on golf.
| Favorites to win the 2024 Players Championship |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scottie Scheffler | +750 | +750 | +750 |
| Rory McIlroy | +1000 | +1000 | +1000 |
| Xander Schauffele | +1200 | +1200 | +1200 |
| Viktor Hovalnd | +1800 | +1800 | +1800 |
One of the most consistently strong players on the PGA Tour, the New Jersey native picked up a handful of wins in 2023, including the Players Championship last year. In addition to his strong performance at the Players (he won by five strokes over Tyrrell Hatton), he was able to notch his second overall victory at the WM Phoenix Open. Moreover, last December he won the Hero World Challenge which is an unofficial event on the PGA Tour with a 20-man field. This was a nice development for Scheffler as he had finished as the runner-up in both of the previous two years at the tournament. Moreover, he also participated as part of the 2023 Ryder Cup team but had some disappointing results, going 0-2-2. Nonetheless, he is regarded as the number-one player in the world and has been ranked as such since March 2022.
Recognized as the No. 2 overall player in the world golf rankings, McIlroy has accrued a ton of different wins throughout his career, including 24 PGA Tour victories which is part of his 38 total professional wins. Last year, he won the Genesis Scottish Open with a one-stroke victory over Robert MacIntyre. Like Scheffler, he participated in the 2023 Ryder Cup as part of the European team but had much better results than his American counterpart. The veteran went 4-1-0 in the competition, including a win in his Sunday singles match against Sam Burns. Winner of the 2022 PGA Tour FedEx Cup (he also won in 2016 and 2019), McIlroy is certainly the most decorated golfer on this list and has an opportunity to really get things going early this year if he can win in Florida.
As noted above, Schauffele won the 2020 Olympic gold medal at the men’s individual golf event of the 2020 Summer Olympics. In addition to his Olympic prowess, the American has won seven times on the PGA Tour since turning professional in 2015. Moreover, his best finishes include being tied for second at the 2018 Open Championship and also the 2019 Masters. As of late though, he won three competitions in 2022. This includes the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, the Travelers Championship, and finally the Genesis Scottish Open later that year.
Another player who is one of the most exciting young stars on the PGA Tour, Hovland won the 2018 U.S. Amateur, catapulting him to number one in the World Amateur Golf Ranking in 2019. Since then, he became the first Norwegian to win on the PGA Tour (2020) and on the European Tour (2021). Moreover, he has since won five times on the Tour, including the 2023 Tour Championship, resulting in his first FedEx Cup. Hovland also was part of the Ryder Cup team last year as part of the European squad, going 3-1-1.
Prediction: In what should be an excellent competition, take the hot hand in Scheffler to win here. While it would be a bit unprecedented to see a repeat champion at this competition, the New Jersey athlete is as steady as they come on the PGA Tour leaderboards.
After you are all dialed in regarding the latest gaming news and notes coming from the PGA Tour, make sure to check out the awesome variety of info available to you only at SBS. Of course, for even more insights on the topic at hand, our golf betting sites guide has you covered with the latest betting markets on the sports and more. Conversely, for those on the go, the best betting apps breakdown is a must-read page. On this page, you can learn more about the perks of mobile betting sites and how you can always stay on top of the action. Finally, if you are interested in some higher stakes wagering, then look no further than the VIP sports betting sites rundown where you can learn more about the perks of this wagering type and if it makes sense for you.
About the Author
As a devout aficionado of sports, Chris Boline has carved a career within the athletic realm. A skilled scribe, he boasts a decade-long portfolio that encompasses coverage of the NBA G League, the Los Angeles Chargers, football and basketball across the country. Beyond his professional pursuits, Chris is deeply invested in his community and dedicates his leisure hours to serving on boards, collaborating with community organizations, and cherishing the company of loved ones. CURRENTLY Business Development and freelance sports writing RESIDES IN Reno, NV EDUCATION University of Nevada BS and MBA EXPERTISE -Sports writing proficiency in: NFL, NBA, UFC, boxing, golf, and some motor sports -Topical news -Promotional and marketing ideas/updates -Business development Summary Chris Boline serves in a business development sales capacity as his day job. He has previously held sales/marketing positions with The Applied Companies (TAC), KTVN 2 News and the NBA G League’s Reno Bighorns, affiliate of the Sacramento Kings. He is a Reno native and is a member of various community boards including the Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, NCET and the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA). Chris graduated from the University of Nevada in 2015 with a bachelors in management and economics and also earned his MBA from Nevada in 2023. More about Chris: Past president of the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA) 2022-23 Two-time honoree for University of Nevada Alumni Chapter of the Year (Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, 2017 & COBAA, 2021) 2021 NCET award for Professional Services Organization of the Year with TAC Northern Nevada Human Resources Association 2020 Best Places to Work-Northern Nevada, Second Place with TAC 2016-17 Reno Bighorns MVP from the Sacramento Kings The Nevada Sagebrush editor-in-chief 2013-15 Associated Collegiate Press 2015 Four-year Non-daily Newspaper Pacemaker honoree University of Nevada, Reno College of Business Dean's List honoree (5x) from 2011-2015 Nevada Press Association award for Best Sports Column – Community in 2015 Education
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