The tournament will take place from TPC at Sawgrass in Florida, with the first tee taking place on Thursday, March 12, at 22:40 AEDT.
McIlroy's win last year helped set him up for the win at the 2025 Masters, where he won his first Green Jacket and completed the career Grand Slam that he had been chasing since 2014.
Quick Picks
Our pick: Morikawa in the each-way to win
Value bet: Morikawa as an each-way to be 1st round leader
Long shot: McIlroy as an each-way to win
Betting Preview
Having withdrawn from the Arnold Palmer Invitational tournament last weekend before the start of the third round, there'll be some doubt about McIlroy's condition. However, this is where there may be potential value in him to place, if not win. He has won this event twice, last year and in 2019.
It's going to be tough, as the field is stacked with top talent. World's #1 Scottie Scheffler is involved, although he hasn't been at his best in 2026. He has recently seen his streaks of finishing inside the top-10 and top-20 come to an end in recent tournaments, including at the Arnold Palmer. Poor opening rounds have cost him, but he typically steps up in major events like this. He did win it in 2024 and 2023.
There are several major winners involved in the field of 123, with Brooks Koepka also involved after returning to the PGA TOUR. If you're new to wagering on the sport, our guide to betting on golf can help you understand the key markets.
Betting Markets to Watch
As noted, we think there could be value worth exploring in the McIlrory market. As a two-time winner, he can't be discounted unless his back injury is significant. Signs suggest he can manage it and play. With his odds of winning being long, he offers decent money as a long shot.
Collin Morikawa is a golfer who is worth considering, as he has performed well this season. He leads the current FedEx Cup standings and has been consistent. He has a win this year, which happened a month or so ago, and has since had strong finishes in subsequent tournaments.
With odds longer than McIlroy in the early markets, he is worth value. With each-way available for 1st Round Leader (paying 5 places 1/4 odds), there's value in him here. He is the form golfer of the PGA TOUR at the moment, and having cracked the top-10 here last year, there's value in him performing well once again.
Our Prediction
Check the latest golf betting odds at Sportsbet.
Our top pick is for Morikawa to be an each-way winner of The Players Championship, having significantly improved last year and being in top form entering this year's edition.
As we highlighted, we think there's value in McIlroy in the same market, too. Despite his back trouble, the defending champion's odds appear to be rather long to us and could offer some good value as an each-way bet.
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