Players Championship 2023: Updated Predictions for Top Prize Money for Day 3

A lot of action is set to occur at The Players Championship on Saturday. And things are getting underway bright and early.

Because Friday's second round was suspended because of rain at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, not every golfer has reached the midway point of the tournament. So that round is resuming Saturday at 7 a.m. ET.

Christiaan Bezuidenhout and Adam Svensson entered the day tied atop the leaderboard, each at eight under par. Both are at four under par in the second round, but neither finished on Friday, as Bezuidenhout got through 14 holes and Svensson only 11.

The leaderboard could look much different by the end of Saturday, when the second round will conclude and the third will take place. Here's a prediction for the three golfers who will end up at the top following Sunday's final round and will take home the largest cuts of the $25 million total purse.

3. Christiaan Bezuidenhout

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PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FLORIDA - MARCH 10: Christiaan Bezuidenhout of South Africa plays his second shot on the fifth hole during the second round of THE PLAYERS Championship on THE PLAYERS Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass on March 10, 2023 in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images)

Bezuidenhout has gotten off to an impressive start in only his second appearance at The Players Championship. His 68 in the opening round was better than any of the scores he posted during his debut at the event in 2021.

However, Bezuidenhout had a solid showing that year as well, tying for 41st by shooting between a 70 and a 73 in each of the four rounds. So it's not a huge surprise the 28-year-old has looked even better now that he has some experience on the challenging TPC Sawgrass course.

With four holes remaining in his second round, Bezuidenhout may not be in the lead when the third round begins. Or he could stay atop the leaderboard, potentially not even in a tie with Svensson, who still has seven holes to play in the second round.

Even though Bezuidenhout isn't among the most experienced golfers in the field, he's shown he's skilled enough to stick around near the lead all weekend. Don't be surprised if he ends up finishing third, which would earn him $1.725 million.

2. Scottie Scheffler

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PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FLORIDA - MARCH 10: Scottie Scheffler of the United States putts on the tenth green during the second round of THE PLAYERS Championship on THE PLAYERS Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass on March 10, 2023 in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

Scottie Scheffler has been playing great golf all year. Entering The Players Championship, the 26-year-old had finished 12th or better in each of his five 2023 events, which included a victory at the WM Phoenix Open in February.

Over the past two days, Scheffler has kept his momentum going, as he was tied for sixth heading into Saturday's action. He shot a 68 in the first round, and he was at one under par through his first 10 holes of the second round.

Considering he's at five under par and only three shots back of the lead, Scheffler could ascend to the top of the leaderboard before the third round even begins. If he doesn't, he's likely to stay close to the leaders at that point, poised to battle for the win throughout the weekend.

Although Scheffler didn't finish better than 55th in either of his two previous appearances at The Players Championship, he's greatly improved since competing in this tournament in 2021 and 2022. The prediction here is he'll end up in second and take home $2.725 million.

1. Collin Morikawa

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PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FLORIDA - MARCH 10: Collin Morikawa of The United States plays his second shot on the first hole during the second round of THE PLAYERS Championship on THE PLAYERS Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass on March 10, 2023 in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images)

At the end of the first round, Collin Morikawa was in second place after shooting a 65, only one stroke back of the lead. The 26-year-old's second round didn't start as well, though, as he was one over par through 11 holes. But he was still only two shots behind the leaders.

Morikawa should get back on track Saturday, and it wouldn't be surprising if he makes a run to the championship on Sunday. He's never previously won The Players Championship, but he's flashed the potential to have success at TPC Sawgrass before. In 2021, he shot a 66 in the final round to end up tied for 41st.

Over Morikawa's first five tournaments of 2023, he placed in the top six at three of them. And he's made it known that his swing is feeling quite good, which is a worrying thing for his competitors.

That will lead to Morikawa notching his first victory in the event and taking home the top prize of $4.5 million. A two-time major winner, he's shown he can rise to the occasion in the past, and he'll do so again this weekend.