The Players Championship gets under way today at TPC Sawgrass Jacksonville, Florida.
The PGA tour does not run or control the four major championships and so considers The Players Championship it’s flagship event.
144 of the worlds best players will travel to Florida to tee off in this golfing spectacle, competing for the $4.5 million first price.
The iconic 17th hole, which has provided plenty of iconic golfing moments, will again be in the spotlight.
The Island Green awaits. pic.twitter.com/0WXOdVoJNO
— TPC Sawgrass (@TPCSawgrass) March 9, 2025
Scottie Scheffler will defend his title this week at The Players Championship after becoming the first player to win back to back in 50 years of the event, doing so by matching the biggest comeback and shooting the lowest closing round by a winner.
That round included an eagle on the fourth fairway and four birdies in five holes around the turn, giving him an -8 64 around one of the hardest courses in the world.
Scottie Scheffler’s final round at last year’s Players Championship was a thing of beauty. 😍
— Golf Digest (@GolfDigest) March 11, 2025
Will he win his third-straight this year? pic.twitter.com/Drmdv8VZ7C
“I think it is Rory’s year, he has learnt to hit those knock down wedges in to the firm American greens and that’s going to change his chances,” said Dave Finch, a Cheltenham-based PGA professional said.
“Rory did win the title back in 2019, so he had the game for the course anyway, but the changes he has made will make it more likely that he will win here this week.”
Another South West connection with The Player Championship this year is the fact Bath-based professional golfer Laurie Canter will be participating in the event.
Canter gained his second DP World Tour win earlier this year in Bahrain and finished runner up and third on his way to topping the International swing on the DP World Tour.
Laurie Canter moves into the Top 50 in the world and secures his spot at @THEPLAYERS ✅#InvestecSAOpen pic.twitter.com/PztgdjDmvW
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) March 3, 2025
This strong start to the season has placed Canter 43 in the world rankings which gained him his entry to the world class event in the USA.
Canter is one of three DP World Tour members making their debut at this year’s Players Championships, joining Jesper Svensson and Rasmus Hojaard.
Canter plummeted to outside the world’s 200 on the official world rankings and was looking at losing his tour card and playing privileges at the end of 2023.
The Somerset golfer moved to the LIV Golf tour when it started but lost his place on the breakaway tour after two seasons due to poor form.
He was looking at golf in the wilderness without a tour card and no home to play his golf.
Once a founding member of LIV, Laurie Canter will make history at the Players. But he doesn't feel like a trailblazer in golf's civil war, he feels lucky.https://t.co/RGYBvm2GlU
— GOLF.com (@GOLF_com) March 13, 2025
Form changed and he now sits in a very pretty place and enjoying the rewards like playing at the US PGA signature event.
All the action gets under way this evening on Sky Sports.
