Golf: A Preview of the Players Championship

It's called the fifth major.

It's one of the most coveted golf championships in the world, and it's this week.

It's the Players Championship at the TPC Sawgrass.

This year's field at the Players has plenty of great storylines.

You've got Tiger Woods in contention in every tournament he plays, but still trying to figure out his driver.

Phil Mickelson is still amazing and confounding us at the same time, but is putting together top 10 finishes like clockwork this season.

Young guns like Anthony Kim and Sean O'Hair are golf's next generation and are in the field.

O'Hair put on a pure clinic last week from tee to green in some of the best ball striking this season. International players Sergio Garcia, Vijay Singh, and Padraig Harringtion are also playing.

Garcia is trying to jump start a surprisingly mediocre season, which included a MC at Quail Hollow. Singh is out to prove his right knee is in shape, and that he's ready to return to being one of the top five players in the world.

Harringtion would love to win the Players to continue to validate how he should be considered one of the best players of the decade.

We'll also be wondering how Kenny Perry performs in his first big event since his unfortunate Master's collapse.

The Players puts a premium on ball striking and includes recent past champions like Sergio Garcia, Phil Mickelson, Adam Scott, Davis Love III, and Tigers Woods.

We are still wondering what happened to 2002 champion, Craig Perks. His disappearance after winning such a coveted title is as inexplicable as David Duval's or Ian Baker Finch after they won their British Opens.

That said though, the winner will have to face a course where there are opportunities for birdies...but also disaster.

The final three holes are among the most exciting in golf.

The Par Five 16th is a possible eagle chance.

The 17th is the famous signature island green at the TPC.

Fans love it, but players are mixed on it. Some like it, and others find it gimmicky.

You'll certainly see a few balls in the water this year.

The 18th usually plays as one of the toughest if not the toughest hole on the course year after year. Lot's of storylines, great venue, great tournament, and we haven't even got to the US Open, which is next month.