Players Championship 2012 Coverage: Big Names Who Will Finish Strong

There was a lot of uncertainty surrounding TPC Sawgrass headed into the 2012 Players Championship.

Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy bombed at the Masters, Rickie Fowler had just won the Wells Fargo Championship while Phil Mickelson disappointed, and Luke Donald and Lee Westwood, well, never seem to be able to win the bigger tournaments.

But after the second round at TPC Sawgrass, we have a better picture of the contenders and the pretenders. 

Here's a look at some big names I see closing strong at the Players Championship this year.

4. Rickie Fowler

I was a little skeptical of Rickie Fowler headed into the Players Championship. He had missed the cut at TPC Sawgrass the past two years. But Fowler is using a strong run in 2012 to boost his play at a course that has given him trouble in the past. The 23-year-old placed 10th at the Zurich Classic and won the Wells Fargo Championship last week. He scored a three-under par in the second round and has a three-under-par 141 for the tournament thus far.

3. Lee Westwood

Lee Westwood may never win a major championship, but he does have a shot at the Players Championship. The world No. 3 scored a two-under par on Friday and has a three-under-par 141 for the tournament. He placed in the top five at the Masters and the Wells Fargo Championship.

2. Luke Donald

The world No. 2 scored a three-under par in the second round and has a three-under-par 141 for the tournament thus far. He won the Transitions Championship in March and placed third at the Zurich Classic. He also placed fourth at the Players Championship last year.

1. Adam Scott

After a two-under par on Friday, Adam Scott has a six-under-par 138 thus far. He's two strokes behind the leaders and coming off an eighth-place finish at the Masters. Despite missing the cut last year, you can't deny Scott is playing impressive golf so far at TPC Sawgrass.

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