The 2026 Players Championship field has been set at 123 players for the event starting Thursday at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. Defending champion Rory McIlroy enters with a back injury, while world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler is the clear favorite at +450 odds. Weather forecasts predict a 70% chance of rain on opening day, raising concerns about a potential delay.
The PGA Tour announced the final field for the 2026 Players Championship on Monday, adding Patton Kizzire and Seamus Power from the alternate list to reach 123 participants, down from the traditional 144. The tournament, one of the tour's premier events, will be held at the 7,352-yard par-72 Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass, known for its challenging layout with water hazards on most holes and demands for precise shot shaping.
Scottie Scheffler, the world No. 1 and two-time defending champion from 2023 and 2024, leads the betting odds at +450 via BetMGM Sportsbook. Rory McIlroy, who won in 2025 at 12-under par, follows at +1400 despite withdrawing from the Arnold Palmer Invitational on Saturday due to back spasms; his participation remains uncertain but he is gaining strokes tee-to-green recently. Other favorites include Collin Morikawa (+1800), Xander Schauffele (+2200), and Ludvig Aberg (+2500). Expert picks highlight Morikawa for his iron play and recent form, Si Woo Kim (+2500) as the 2017 winner, and Akshay Bhatia (+4000) after his Arnold Palmer victory.
Tee times feature star-studded groups, such as Scheffler with Tommy Fleetwood and Justin Thomas at 8:52 a.m. ET off No. 10, and McIlroy with Schauffele and Hideki Matsuyama at 1:42 p.m. off No. 1. Brooks Koepka returns to the PGA Tour, paired with Bhatia and Tony Finau. The field includes seven past champions: McIlroy (2019, 2025), Scheffler (2023, 2024), Justin Thomas (2021), Si Woo Kim (2017), Jason Day (2016), Rickie Fowler (2015), and Adam Scott (2004). Forty-six of the top 50 in the Official World Golf Ranking are competing, excluding Patrick Reed, Tyrrell Hatton, Jon Rahm, and Bryson DeChambeau.
Weather could impact play, with the PGA Tour forecasting a 70% chance of rain and winds of 10-16 mph on Thursday, potentially leading to a rainout. Justin Thomas, an optimist with six weather apps, downplayed concerns, saying, “It’s going to be fine. Yeah, there’s a chance of rain, but it could be overnight.” Unlike previous years, no Creator Classic featuring influencers will precede the event at TPC Sawgrass.
Post-Arnold Palmer money leaders include Jacob Bridgeman ($5,477,960) in first and Bhatia ($5,448,680) in second. In a separate development, Gary Woodland shared in an emotional Golf Channel interview that he suffers from PTSD following 2023 brain surgery, stating, “I can’t waste energy anymore hiding this,” and praised the tour's support.
