THE PLAYERS Championship: World’s ‘top golfers ready to battle it out’ at Sawgrass

THE PLAYERS championship returns this year, with the world’s top golfers ready to battle it out for success at the prestigious tournament.

The action gets underway this evening at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. It will be the 47th edition of the event, and the 39th held at the Stadium Course.

Greg Norman posted the 72-hole record all the way back in 1994, with several players including Jason Day, Brooks Koepka, Fred Couples and Webb Simpson boasting the 18-hole record of 63.

But it is Rory McIlroy who holds the title, having won THE PLAYERS championship in 2019. The world number secured victory by just one shot, holding off challenges from Jim Furyk, Dustin Johnson and Tommy Fleetwood in the process.

McIlroy then went on to win the RBC Canadian Open, the TOUR Championship and the WGC-HSBC Champions in 2019. Unfortunately for the Northern Irishman, history isn’t on his side as no player has won the competition in back-to-back years.

However, the 30-year-old is certainly getting back to his very best. He’s currently favourite at 13/2 to retain his title.

But it will undoubtedly be one of the most-fiercely competed tournaments in 2020. The competition has been won by golfers from six different countries in the last ten years, and so those from outside the United States will certainly be looking to make their mark in that statistic.

Spaniard Jon Rahm is available at 11/1, with Justin Thomas currently 14/1. Both Webb Simpson and Bryson DeChambeau are 20/1 to lift the trophy this time around.

It’s currently 22/1 for Adam Scott, Patrick Cantlay or Hideki Matsuyama to clinch success at Sawgrass.

The trio of Sungjae Im, Dustin Johnson and Xander Schauffele are available at 25/1, with Colin Morikawa available at 30/1.

World number three Brooks Koepka is available at 33/1.

His  fellow countrymen Rickie Fowler and Patrick Reed are also 33/1.

Surprisingly, no English golfer has tasted success at the tournament. But Tyrrell Hatton heads into THE PLAYERS Championship in fine form, having claimed his first PGA Tour victory at last week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational.

Hatton is available at 35/1 to make it successive wins this year.

Also looking to break the curse are Tommy Fleetwood and Paul Casey, who are currently 22/1 and 45/1 respectively.

Both Matt Fitzpatrick and Justin Rose are currently available at 50/1.