The Players Championship is approaching, and several storylines are emerging. Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler are both seeking a third Players title. Brooks Koepka is scheduled to participate in his first Players since 2022.
Scheffler’s Pursuit of History
Scottie Scheffler has the opportunity to join Jack Nicklaus as the only three-time winner in history. Scheffler can achieve this after becoming the first golfer to win back-to-back Players Championship titles in 2023 and ’24. McIlroy can also achieve this if he plays, after finishing first in 2019 and ’25.
Scheffler’s recent form has shown some vulnerability. He has struggled on Thursdays at three events. Last week at Bay Hill, he showed frustration with his play.
Despite these struggles, Scheffler’s overall performance remains high. A T-24 finish is considered a setback for him. This week, however, could be a turning point.
While Scheffler downplays his struggles, TPC Sawgrass suits him. The course demands great iron play.
His iron play has been below his usual standard. After leading the PGA Tour in strokes gained: approach for three straight seasons, Scheffler is currently 88th this season.
Koepka’s Return and Other Contenders
Brooks Koepka’s presence is an interesting element. This marks Koepka’s first appearance on Tour with the top players.
McIlroy’s Potential Absence
With McIlroy potentially sidelined with a back injury, Scheffler is a strong favourite. Two-time major winner Collin Morikawa has been hot and is playing with a lot of confidence, and reigning Tour Championship winner Tommy Fleetwood is still playing well.
Scheffler’s scoring average in the final three rounds (67.0) is nearly 3.5 strokes better than the first (70.4) this season. He doesn’t seem to have an answer for why he has been slow out of the gates. Getting off to a fast start at TPC Sawgrass hasn’t been a problem for Scheffler, who is 13 under on the first three holes during his career.
The golf course is set to have more bite than it has shown in recent years while a host of other players are vying for a career-defining win.