The Players Championship gets underway on Thursday but before it does there is just enough time to have a look at a few of the side markets which have been priced up. This is widely classed as the unofficial fifth major although given the number of markets that have gone up bookmakers are very much treating it as a major championship.
The coverage on the TV is first class this week so we can treat this like a major ourselves and as such there are four markets we’re going to get stuck into.
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Top Continental European
There is a strong selection on continental Europeans teeing it up at TPC Sawgrass this week, led by The Masters champion Sergio Garcia. Former winners Henrik Stenson and Martin Kaymer are also in the field too.
You can make a case for all three especially Garcia, a former winner here and leading money earner at the course but it is his first start since winning at Augusta and I’d rather see how he copes before I get stuck into him again especially after the drop in form Danny Willett suffered after winning that tournament.
Jon Rahm, Rafa Cabrera Bello, Alex Noren and Bernd Wiesberger are some of Europe’s finest but it is the experienced Francesco Molinari I like in this market. Whenever the Italian has made the cut here he has finished in the top 10 and the way he is playing right now you would think he will make the cut unless he has a nightmare around the water. His accuracy is likely to be a huge asset this week and I fancy him to go very close on the mainland European leaderboard.
Top South African
Five South Africans have made it into the field to make a small but competitive South African market. For me though only three of them have a genuine chance of winning from this field. I’m happy to eliminate Ernie Els and Tyrone Van Aswegen and focus on the other three.
Charl Schwartzel, Louis Oosthuizen and Branden Grace are all leading players in the world and there isn’t a lot between them. None of the three have ever cracked the top 15 in this tournament and aside from Schwartzel’s third place in The Masters none of them have shown great form recently but I’ve seen signs from Grace that he is coming back to near his best. At 5/2 I think he can lead the South African charge.
Top Australian
All eyes will be on the defending champion Jason Day and the other leading Australian player Adam Scott this week but those defending the title have pretty meagre records in this tournament and Day’s form is nothing like it has been so he is easy to dismiss. Scott is less easy to dismiss but his putting always worries me.
That leaves us with a field of five of which I’m going to eliminate Greg Chalmers and Rod Pampling who don’t really look to have the class needed. Marc Leishman has only broken the top 20 once here while Aaron Baddeley has missed the last five cuts in this tournament.
That could mean the door is open for Cameron Smith. Smith is now local to this course and is clearly in good touch having partnered Jonas Blixt to the Zurich Classic title. Technically he is a debutant here but I’m sure he’ll have played the course in his spare time and in a field which might actually be weaker than it looks I’ll take him here.
Top 20 Finish
In a field of this kind there are always some decent prices on underrated players to finish in the top 20 and I think there are a couple of players who fit that bill so I’m going to get involved on them this week.
William McGirt has a decent enough record on Pete Dye designs and with accuracy the premium quality needed here I like his chances of a good run. He is a very solid ball striker and if he does have a weakness it comes on the greens but with the greens all laid again for this tournament that disadvantage might be minimalised. We saw at Augusta and in the Heritage how well he’s playing and I fancy him to go well here.
Jonas Blixt was in a tie for third here last year before he lost his way in the winds and the insane conditions of the final two rounds but having won in New Orleans a couple of weeks ago his stock is pretty high at the minute. This course suits the Swede. He doesn’t have to pound it and with everyone playing similar shots his shot making and creativity can come to the fore. He was in the top 20 last year and may have contended the title had he not got the rough end of conditions. With a bit of better luck he can be safely inside the top 20 here.
Tips
PLACED – Back F.Molinari Top Continental European (e/w) for a 1.5/10 stake at 9.00 with Boylesports (1/4 1-3)
Back him here:
Back B.Grace Top South African for a 2/10 stake at 3.50 with Betfred
Back C.Smith Top Australian for a 1/10 stake at 8.00 with Betfred
Back them here:
Back W.McGirt Top 20 Finish for a 2/10 stake at 6.00 with BetVictor
Back J.Blixt Top 20 Finish for a 1/10 stake at 9.00 with BetVictor
Back them here:
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