Power Rating: THE PLAYERS Championship

Tuesday’s Draws and Fades will include reviews by Jordan Spit, Brooks Kepka, Dustin Johnson and Joaquin Niemann, as well as former PLAYERS Champions Jason Day (2016), Si Woo Kim (2017) and Webb Simpson (2018).

Sorry for being open, but you get the idea. Baseball is out, clean and simple. However, the focus is on the main event of the PGA TOUR in its own backyard, whether it’s in March, May, or again in March.

This is the 40th edition of PLAYERS in TPC Sawgrass. It’s pretty much the same standard par 72 capable of tipping over for 7,256 yards as last year’s unique 154 field played last year. Officially 12th par-4 now shows 369 yards on the scorecard. This reflects an increase of 67 yards despite hitting his current high of late. Given all the variables, it can be ridden most days.

All property is sown. The green TifEagle Bermuda shorts are ready to race the 13ft on the Stimpmeter. It’s the norm, but as if the field needs more proof for the old chestnut tree that hitting the ball matters a lot in Pete and Alice Dye’s design, this year’s main draft is half an inch taller at three inches.

Purely statistically, nothing screams about hitting the ball as the primary goal. TPC Sawgrass is completely old school. It’s all about the eye test. Keep in mind that water is present in the game quite a bit, just not everywhere, but seeing it almost everywhere is a constant reminder that, as a wise man once said, you cannot fake it in this place.

In general, denomination is as important as dodging a double scarecrow and worse. En route to his title at age 14 with 274 last year (during which he averaged 72,421 across the field), Justin Thomas led the way in hits scored: tee-to-green and par-5. Oh it works!

Now we’ll see if JT can lift the curse.

The next person to successfully defend their title will be the first. Hell, it’s been almost a generation since the defending champion responded even as hard as finishing in the top 15 (Adam Scott, T8, 2005).

The TPC Sawgrass diplomacy definitely rewards the top player of the week, but success over time is more about matching and larger sample size than passing the test. This is the beauty and the monster of PLAYERS.

The structure of the field also favors another champion. It includes the entire 2021 FedExCup playoff class and, as of Monday afternoon, the top 65 in the FedExCup standings through the Honda Classic. Thomas Peters is the only non-PGA TOUR member to have qualified (according to the official world golf rankings).

For various reasons, Bryson DeChambeau, Harris English, Phil Mickelson, Kevin Nah, Steve Stricker and Tiger Woods are the only qualified contestants who will not compete. Those who are dedicated to the cause are chasing pearls of privilege.

Among the widest payouts, the champion will receive 600 FedExCup points, $3.6 million (out of a $20 million prize pool), eliminations for the next three editions of all four majors, and a maximum five-year exemption from PGA TOUR membership.

If no winner is determined by the regulations, a three-hole play-off will follow. Points for Nos. 16, 17 and 18 will be summed up and compared. If there is still a tie, the traditional sudden death playoffs will start from 17th par-3. If needed, a par-4 18 would be next. These two holes will alternate to determine the result.

Unless it’s the Florida Wobble without the influence of Mother Nature, who went into watch-only mode last year. This year the weather will be the headliner. Rain and storms are likely to continue throughout Saturday. Moderate wind will intensify to 15-25 m/s. There’s a lot of cooling behind the energy, so the trade-off for Sunday’s scheduled finale is that it should be dry and mostly sunny, but the daily high might not rise above the mid-50s.

ROB BOLTON SCHEDULE

Rob Bolton, Fantasy Insider from PGATOUR.COM sums up and announces each tournament from a different perspective. Look for his next contributions as scheduled.

MONDAY: Power Rating
TUESDAY*: Sleepers, Draws and Fades
WEDNESDAY: Preview “Choose Them”
FRIDAY: Medical extensions,
SUNDAY: qualification, shuffling, Rookie Rating

* – Rob is a member of the PGATOUR.COM Expert Panel for the PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf, also published on Tuesday.