🏌🏻 Showdown At TPC Sawgrass

Good morning. The 50th edition of The Players Championship kicks off in just two days. Will Scheffler’s newly acquired, power putting game, win him a second championship in a row?

He certainly has the work cut out for him with a star-studded lineup at The Players!

Catch the greatest moments from the The Players on our YouTube channel.

Fun Fact: The land now encompassing the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass, home of The Players Championship since 1982, was purchased for one dollar in 1978 by then-PGA TOUR Commissioner Deane Beaman. 415 acres for just a buck.

⛳ This day in history: Mickey Wright won 10 events in 1961, including on this date in the Miami Open at Miami Springs Country Club. She finished at three under par, six shots ahead of three second-place finishers, including Louise Suggs.

NEXT ON THE TEE
Tournament This Week

PGA Tour: The Players Championship

📍 When and Where: March 14-17, TPC Sawgrass, Florida
💰 Purse: $25 million
🏌🏻 Headliners: Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Viktor Hovland, Xander Schauffele

ALBATROSS
Showdown At TPC Sawgrass

The Players Championship tees off on March 14 at TPC Sawgrass in Florida.

Check out our complete preview. 

📌 History: Originally named the Tournament Players Championship, The Players Championship began in 1974. Over the years,

Despite its non-major status, the tournament has been heavily promoted by the tour, earning the moniker of the “fifth major.”

⛳️ Course Details: The Players Stadium Course is an architectural marvel, sprouted from the visionary mind of former PGA TOUR Commissioner Deane R. Beman in 1980. It has a a capacity to host 36,000 spectators.

At the heart of its acclaim lies the infamous 17th hole, aptly nicknamed the “Island Green,” a daunting par-3 stretch that tests the mettle of even the most seasoned golfers.

🏆 Past Winners: 
2023: Scottie Scheffler (-17)
2022: Cameron Smith (-13)
2021: Justin Thomas (-14)
2020: Abandoned due to Covid 19 pandemic
2019: Rory McIlroy (-16)

Check out the complete list. 

🏌️Tee Times Of Key Players (Round 1 ET):
08:35 am - Hovland, McIlroy, Spieth
08:46 am - Aberg, Cantlay, Scott
01:40 pm: Scheffler, Fowler, Thomas

📺 Telecast (ET):
Thursday, March 14: 1-7 pm (Golf Channel)
Friday, March 15: 1-7 pm ET (Golf Channel)
Saturday, March 16: 2-7 pm (NBC)
Sunday, March 17: 1-6 pm ET (NBC)

Read the full article.

TWEET
Worth Mentioning

EAGLE
Scheffler's Gain, Rory's Loss

Scottie Scheffler is about to become an unstoppable force (if he keeps up his putter game on point) on the PGA Tour and much of the credit goes to Rory McIlroy, who recently advised the American to shift to a mallet putter.

While McIlroy's advice worked wonders for Scheffler, the World No 2 seems to be struggling with a major weakness in his own game.

⏳ Scheffler Invincible? Scottie Scheffler, who was ranked 144th on the PGA Tour in strokes gained from putting heading into the Arnold Palmer Invitational, rode his new secret weapon to a dominant, five-shot victory at Bay Hill Club and Lodge.

Scheffler's ranks this week:
✅ T1 in 3-Putt Avoidance (0)
✅ 1st in Putting Average (1.58)
✅ 1st in SG: Off-the-Tee (+1.262)
✅ T1 in Bogey Avoidance (9.72%%)
✅ T1 in Par 4 Scoring Average (3.90)
✅ 1st in Par 5 Scoring Average (4.20)
✅ 1st in SG: Around-the-Green (+0.947)

Scheffler is consistently elite with his driver, irons and wedges and he might now be invincible if he has found a putter he feels comfortable with.

🚩 Red Flag In Rory's Game: Rory McIlroy ranks first on the PGA Tour this season in strokes gained off the tee, first in total driving and second in driving distance but his iron play has been so poor that it hasn't mattered.

McIlroy's ranks in a few key approach stats this season:
❌ Strokes gained on approach: 152nd
❌ Greens in regulation percentage: 124th
❌ Approaches from 125-150 yards: 157th
❌ Approaches from 50-125 yards: 132nd

Approach play is the biggest indicator of success on the PGA Tour and McIlroy needs to sort it out as quickly as possible.

LOCKER ROOM
What else is making news

Palm Beach Supremacy: Viktor Hovland recently moved from Stillwater, Oklahoma to Palm Beach Gardens and that means Palm Beach County is now home to half of the world’s top 10 golfers in the current ranking and 10 of the top 30.

The Schefflers: Scottie Scheffler and his wife, Meredith, are expecting the couple’s first child in late April.

LPGA Tour: Bailey Tardy won the Blue Bay LPGA tournament on Sunday and opened up on the realities of financial strain involved in women's pro Golf.

Ladies European Tour: Alexandra Forsterling fired a final round of 67 (5) to secure a three-shot victory over Charley Hull at the LET's Aramco Team Series.

Epson Tour: Amateur golfer Yana Wilson's caddy Rick Evans passed away after collapsing during the practice round of Natural Charity Classic at the Country Club of Winter Haven.

BIRDIE
The Incredible Rise Of Ludvig Aberg

Ludvig Aberg has broken into the top 10 of the world rankings, only 9 months and 20 starts after he turned pro!

Aberg is #10 in the updated Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR).

🚀 Meteoric Rise: Since turning pro in June 2023, Aberg has won 4 professional titles - a maiden PGA Tour victory coming at the RSM Classic.

👑 A Match For Tiger: Aberg almost broke a record held by Tiger Woods when, in February 2024, the Swedish star needed just 18 starts to reach number 11 in the world. This was just one event behind Tiger, who needed 17 to achieve that feat.

🎖️ National Hero: Aberg has become just the fifth male player from Sweden to reach the top 10.

Aside from Annika Sorenstam (the only Swedish player to reach World No 1 in the women's game), no male player from Sweden has ever achieved the top spot in the World Rankings. We’re certainly rooting for him this year!

DRIVING RANGE
Chip With More Accuracy and Control

Improve your short game with these chipping tips. Todd Kolb shows you a chipping technique that will help you hit your chip shots with more accuracy and control.

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