Getty Justin Thomas
THE PLAYERS Championship is often referred to as “golf’s unofficial fifth major” and this year’s field does not disappoint. We will break down the 2019 contenders and sleepers to help you set your winning DraftKings lineup.
It is important to note that this year’s tournament is being played in March instead of it’s typical May date. Florida does not have extreme weather but the course is likely to play a bit different this week than we are used to seeing in May. What does this mean when you are looking to pick a potential winner?
You should not totally discount a player’s course history, but you are likely better off to put a bigger emphasis on recent form. In practical terms, if you are comparing two golfers, choose the one with the better recent form over strong course history if all things are equal. At times, we will point to a player’s course history as part of a player’s full body of work.
Here is a look at my top contenders and sleepers for the 2019 Players Championship. Prices listed are based on DraftKings.
The Players Championship Picks: Contenders
GettyXander Schauffele is a golfer to watch at The Players Championship.
Justin Thomas ($11,100)- Thomas did not play the Arnold Palmer Invitational but does have strong recent form outside of the Honda Classic. Thomas has three top-ten finishes in his last four outings. Thomas is a perfect nine-for-nine in making the cut. As an added bonus, Thomas has performed well at TPC Sawgrass.
He finished T-11 last year at TPC Sawgrass and is averaging 98.4 fantasy points. Thomas has notched 100 or more points on DraftKings in four of his last six tournaments.
Xander Schauffele ($9,000)- Schauffele has the perfect combo of strong course history and recent form. Schauffele is coming off three straight top-15 finishes. He also won the Sentry Tournament of Champions earlier this year. Schauffele finished T-2 in last year’s Players Championship and is priced well below the other contenders.
Matt Kuchar ($8,000)- Kuchar is a model of consistency, especially at big-time tournaments. Kuchar finished T-17 last year at The Players. His recent form is not crazy strong, but he has had two top-five finishes in 2019 including a victory at the Sony Open. Kuchar offers tremendous value and is a perfect eight-for-eight in making the cut this season.
The Players Championship Predictions: Sleepers
GettyKeegan Bradley has a chance to shake things up at The Players Championship.
Paul Casey ($7,900)- Aside from one missed cut, Casey has not finish lower than 25th this year. Casey finished in the top-three in two of his last three tournaments. Casey is averaging 83.3 points on DraftKings. He had to withdraw from last year’s tournament with a back injury but finished T-22 in 2017 the last time he played at The Players.
Keegan Bradley ($7,400)- Bradley has made the cut in all 10 of his tournaments, which is great value for a golfer priced below $7,500. Bradley finished T-7 at The Players last year by shooting in the 60’s in three of his four rounds. If Bradley can string together a solid weekend, he could be in contention. The reason for the low price tag is Bradley’s lack of consistency.
Ryan Palmer ($6,600)- Palmer is definitely a bargain-bin play but is coming off a T-4 finish in the Honda Classic. Palmer is averaging 78.3 fantasy points, a solid number for just $6,600. Palmer finished T-23 last year during The Players.