The Players Championship 2025 Preview

Widely recognized as the PGA Tour’s flagship event, The Players Championship is often dubbed the 'fifth major'—a true test of skill, nerve, and strategy. Each year, TPC Sawgrass transforms into a battleground where the world’s best golfers compete for glory on one of the sport’s most demanding courses. As the 2025 edition approaches, anticipation is at an all-time high. This preview covers everything you need to know, from course breakdowns and player spotlights to expert predictions and betting insights, setting the stage for an unforgettable week of golf.

What is The Players Championship?

The Players Championship (commonly known as simply The Players) is an annual golf tournament played in March. Unlike most tournaments on the PGA Tour schedule, which are run by independent organizations in partnership with the Tour, The Players is fully controlled by the PGA Tour itself. This distinction allows the Tour to design the event specifically for its players, elevating its status within professional golf.

Often referred to as the "fifth major," The Players Championship is renowned for its prestige, elite field, and massive prize purse—set at $25 million in 2025. The tournament’s combination of top-tier competition, historic moments, and the iconic setting of TPC Sawgrass has solidified its place as one of the most anticipated events on the golf calendar.

TPC Sawgrass - Stadium Course

TPC Sawgrass, located in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, is one of the most iconic golf courses in the world and the permanent home of The Players Championship since 1982. Designed by Pete and Alice Dye at the request of PGA Tour Commissioner Deane Beman, the course was built on swampland purchased for just $1 and was the first stadium-style layout designed for spectators.

Known for its challenging design, TPC Sawgrass features narrow fairways, deep bunkers, and its most famous hole—the par-3 17th Island Green, which has produced some of the most dramatic moments in golf. Over the years, the course has undergone multiple renovations to maintain its difficulty and prestige. Today, it remains one of the toughest tests in professional golf, hosting the world’s best players each year in pursuit of The Players Championship title

The Players 2025 Headlines

Scottie Scheffler - Looking to go back-back-back

The world current world number one looks to three-peat at The Players Championship, which would be a historic first for the tournament. In 2024, he became the first player to successfully defend his title after winning in 2023. If Scottie does win this year, and it being his third players title he would tie Jack Nicklaus for most wins (3) at the Players. Now, the question remains: can Scottie do it again and cement his legacy with a third consecutive victory?

Tiger Woods - Missing 5th Straight Players Championship

The PGA Tour has confirmed that Tiger Woods will not return to action at The Players Championship, as he was not included in the final field for next week’s event at TPC Sawgrass.

The 49-year-old has missed the last four editions of the tournament due to injury. In recent seasons, Woods has played a limited schedule. He was originally set to make his comeback at The Genesis Invitational last month but withdrew after the death of his mother, the week before, saying he was "just not ready" to compete.

Can Xander Bounce Back?

Xander Schauffele made his comeback at the Arnold Palmer Invitational after recovering from a rib injury that sidelined him for a couple of weeks. The effects of the time off were evident in his scores of 77, 71, and 75 through the first three rounds. It wasn’t the easiest tournament stretch for Schauffele to return to, but fans are hopeful that he can regain his competitive form moving forward.

The Creator Classic on Wednesday

Content creators will take center stage at TPC Sawgrass for the Creator Classic. Set for the afternoon of Wednesday, March 12, this nine-hole competition aims to provide fans with more of the engaging content they love, ahead of the TOUR's main tournament starting the following day. This event will be available for streaming on the PGA Tour’s YouTube channel and also on The Golf Channel.

Who is playing in The Creator Classic? - George Bryan IV, Wesley Bryan, Fat Perez, Gabby Golf Girl, Roger Steele, Grant Horvat, Tisha Alyn, Kyle Berkshire, Soly, and The Barstool Boys.

Learn More Here: https://www.theplayers.com/creator-classic

How to Watch The Players

Fans can catch all the action of the The 2025 Players Championship with extensive TV and online coverage.

TV Coverage:

Golf Channel

• Wednesday (Creator Classic): 4:00 – 7:00 p.m

• Thursday (Round 1): 1:00 – 7:00 p.m.

• Friday (Round 2): 1:00 – 7:00 p.m.

NBC

• Saturday (Round 3): 2:00 – 7:00 p.m.

• Sunday (Final Round): 1:00 – 7:00 p.m.

Streaming Coverage:

• PGA Tour Live on ESPN+

  • Exclusive early coverage begins at 7:30 a.m. each day

  • Featured hole coverage throughout the tournament

  • Featured group coverage throughout the tournament

Our Picks for the 2025 Players Championship

Winner Pick: Justin Thomas

Justin Thomas has been working his way back to the winner’s circle since his PGA Championship victory in 2022. His game seems to be trending in the right direction, and his confidence appears to be back. As a past winner of The Players in 2021, we believe he has what it takes to claim another victory in 2025.

Top-5 Pick: Rory McIlroy

Rory has been on fire in 2025, already securing a win at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. He has a knack for stepping up at major events, and I don’t expect that to change this week at The Players Championship.

Top-10 Pick: Scottie Scheffler

I think the Scheffler three-peat train might be losing steam. Coming off hand surgery, Scottie just hasn’t fully regained his touch yet. While he’s still playing well, I don’t see him clinching the win this week. He'll likely stay in the mix, but I’m not sure he’ll get it done this time around. That being said, this is not something I will be putting money on.

Top-20 Pick: Michael Kim

Michael Kim has been a consistent presence on the leaderboards in his last four starts, finishing T-13 twice, T-6, and securing a T-2 finish at the WM Open. As I watch the Arnold Palmer Invitational, Kim is once again in the mix. With this momentum, I don’t expect it to stop at The Players, and I believe he’s a solid pick for a Top-20 finish.