Players Championship Odds 2020: Vegas Projections for Top Players in Field
Rory McIlroy is the betting favorite to repeat his title at The Players Championship.
The 30-year-old not only has winning experience at TPC Sawgrass, but he comes into the tournament in terrific form.
The Northern Irishman has been a consistent top-five placer in the events he has played in this season, and that trend likely will continue at the biggest non-major event in golf.
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Jon Rahm, Justin Thomas and Tommy Fleetwood are among the golfers with decent odds to win the competition, but all eyes will be on McIlroy to see if he can repeat.
Projections For Top Players In Field
Rory McIlroy (+700; bet $100 to win $700)
McIlroy finished on the front page of the leaderboard in every event he has entered during the 2019-20 season.
His lone win came at the HSBC Champions, and he is coming off a tie for fifth at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
In all but one of his six appearances, McIlroy has carded at least two rounds in the 60s, and he has started well in almost all of them.
McIlroy shot a first-round 66 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, which followed an opening-round 65 at the World Golf Championships-Mexico Championship.
His average total for the opening 18 holes is 67.5, and he leads the PGA Tour in scoring average at 68.437.
McIlroy is also second in driving distance, 12th in birdie average and 18th in greens in regulation.
If that was not enough to convince you McIlroy can win again, he has four Top 10 finishes at TPC Sawgrass and another 12th-place mark since 2013.
If he continues to perform at a high level, McIlroy should be in the mix to win the event in back-to-back years.
At +700, he carries plenty of value from a betting perspective and is worth a shot given his strong form.
Jon Rahm (+1200)
Rahm is one of a few players expected to give McIlroy a challenge, and he is the second betting favorite at +1200.
Thomas is the only other golfer beneath +2000 at +1,00, while Fleetwood has +2000 odds. Dustin Johnson and Adam Scott are valued at +2500.
The 25-year-old Spaniard, who is second in the Official World Golf Ranking, is coming off a tie for third at the World Golf Championships-Mexico Championship.
At that tournament, he carded a third-round 61 before finishing up with 67 to land at 15-under.
Like McIlroy, Rahm recorded at least two rounds in the 60s in all but one of the tournaments he has entered this season.
A year ago, Rahm produced three straight rounds in the 60s at TPC Sawgrass before firing a final-round 76.
If he avoids a brutal final 18 holes this year, he could be in the mix for the title on the back nine Sunday.
He ranks sixth in scoring average, ninth in birdie average and 27th in greens in regulation, so he has the consistency to challenge whoever sits at the top of the leaderboard.
Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90
Statistics obtained from PGATour.com
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