Collin Morikawa has quickly become the new favorite in the betting odds for the Players Championship after an impressive opening round at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. The tournament is one of the most prestigious events in golf and has seen some of the biggest names in the sport emerge victorious over the years.
Morikawa New Favorite At TPC Sawgrass
Past winners of the Players Championship include golf legends like Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, and Jack Nicklaus, with the most recent champions being Justin Thomas in 2020 and Rory McIlroy in 2019. Morikawa will be looking to join the illustrious list.
Morikawa shot a remarkable 7-under 65 on Thursday, just one shot behind Chad Ramey, who was exceptional in shooting a bogey free 8-under 64. Despite Ramey holding the lead after the first round, Morikawa is now the favorite with top US sportsbooks, with BetOnline listing him at +325, giving him a 23.53% probability of winning the tournament. Ramey, on the other hand, is listed at +3300.
A bogey-free 64 (-8) in your first start at Sawgrass? Not bad Chad Ramey. 👏
He’s currently in first place and hit 77% greens in regulation. #TP5x pic.twitter.com/38L76luMi4
— TaylorMade Golf (@TaylorMadeGolf) March 9, 2023
Play was suspended on Thursday due to bad light, with a few players still out on the course, including Justin Suh who is 5-under through 15 holes. Here are the top 5 on the leaderboard with their current odds:
1. Chad Ramey -8 (+3300)
2. Collin Morikawa -7 (+325)
T3. Taylor Pendrith -5 (+4000)
T3. Ben Griffin -5 (+4500)
T3. Justin Suh -5 (thru 15) (+2200)
Other notables on the leaderboard include:
- Scottie Scheffler -4 (+500)
- Jon Rahm -1 (+1500)
- Justin Thomas (2020 winner) +1 (+4000)
- Rory McIlroy (2019 winner) +4 (+10000)
McIlroy, who was the pre-tournament favorite with a price of +900, is now listed at +10000 after shooting himself out of contention on day one with a 4-over 76. Scheffler is currently listed at +500, while Rahm is at +1500.
The Players Championship is considered one of the most challenging events in golf, with a tough course layout and fierce competition. It is also one of the most prestigious tournaments, with a prize pool of over $25 million and a coveted trophy on the line. It’s shaping up to be an exciting weekend at the “fifth major.”
Notable Friday Tee Times
- 7:45 a.m. EST – Collin Morikawa
- 7:56 a.m. EST – Jon Rahm, Scottie Scheffler & Rory McIlroy
- 8:07 a.m. EST – Chad Ramey
- 12:34 p.m EST – Viktor Hovland
- 12:56 p.m. EST – Justin Thomas & Jordan Spieth
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