5 Players Championship Bets to Avoid

As it's golf's unofficial fifth major at TPC Sawgrass this week many will be having a flutter. Here are five Players Championship bets to avoid.

5 Players Championship Bets to Avoid

Here are the men to avoid this week, for those who you should put your money on - see the GM Tipster's Players Championship Golf Betting Tips.

1) James Hahn - Yes he was the winner last week at the Wells Fargo Championship but that doesn't mean he's going to win this week as well. Hahn had missed eight cuts in a row leading into Quail Hollow so it could have been a flash in the pan.

2) Rickie Fowler - Contentious yes, but Fowler had a great chance to win last week at Quail Hollow, going into the final round one clear of the field but shot two-over-par where anything under-par would have got him the victory. A key stat here is that nobody has ever retained the Players Championship.

3) Rory McIlroy - Another contentious one, the Ulsterman has shown signs that his game could be on the way back but cannot put four tournament rounds together. He closed with a six-under-par 66 at the Wells Fargo Championship to finish T4th but shot 73 in round one and three. With the mistakes he's been making, and the amount of danger around every corner at Sawgrass, McIlroy could struggle this week. The Stadium Course has not suited his game in the past either.

4) Ian Poulter - Some may fancy the Englishman who may be edging closer to his best after finishing T3rd at the Puerto Rico Open in March which he followed up with a T49th finish at the Masters. However, his best moment at the Players was in 2012 when he opened the week with a 65 only to follow it up with a 76.

5) Retief Goosen - The Goose has been playing well recently, throwing in some good rounds here and there including a seven-under-par opening round at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans - where he ending the week T72nd, playing the final two rounds in five-over-par. He missed the cut here by seven shots last year.

Elliott Heath is our News Editor and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He covered the 2022 and 2025 Masters from Augusta National and was there by the 18th green to watch Rory McIlroy complete the career grand slam. He has also covered five Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews.