Bovada<\/a><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\nDefending Champion<\/strong>: Tiger Woods ($1,710,000)<\/p>\nThe famed island green at the par-3 17th hole will loom large once again this week on the Pete Dye designed course. Target golfers seem to have an advantage here on a track that fits the eye of few.<\/p>\n
Rough greens after a harsh winter will greet the 144 participants – Ball-Striking, Strokes Gained-Putting, Par 3 Scoring Average, Par 5 Scoring Average and Bogey Avoidance are all stats to keep an eye on this week – staying away from the water that surrounds the course is essential.<\/p>\n
So who should we keep an eye on this week – let’s take a look.<\/p>\n
The Favorites:<\/strong><\/h3>\nAdam Scott 14\/1<\/strong><\/p>\nScott enters having played just six times this year and recording top 25s every time out with a win, two other top 10s and has top 20s in his last two visits. There simply isn\u2019t a better player in the game right now \u2013 Scott is a deserved favorite this week.<\/p>\n
Rory McIlroy 14\/1<\/strong><\/p>\nHas quietly put together a nice season \u2013 five top 10s including a T8 last week at Quail Hollow. His track record here isn\u2019t great \u2013 he missed the cut every time he\u2019s played except for a T8 last year. McIlroy has been remarkably consistent this year but his history here scares me off just a tad.<\/p>\n
Matt Kuchar 18\/1<\/strong><\/p>\nIs absolutely on fire right now \u2013 four straight top 5s including a win last time out at the RBC Heritage. To add to the intrigue is the fact that he won this tournament in 2012 which serves as his only top 10 finish in nine starts on this course. Still, he is the hottest player on TOUR and should be in the mix this week.<\/p>\n
The Contenders:<\/strong><\/h3>\nSergio Garcia 20\/1<\/strong><\/p>\nLoves this track – ten straight cuts made, four career top 10s including win in 2008 and he did finish T8 last year. Garcia is an elite ball striker that had six straight top 16s before missing the cut at the Masters. He will be looking to start a new streak this week on arguably his favorite track.<\/p>\n
Justin Rose 22\/1<\/strong><\/p>\nHasn\u2019t played that well at TPC Sawgrass \u2013 just five of 10 cuts made \u2013 no top 20 finishes. He has been ramping up his play lately however \u2013 a T14 Masters, T8 Zurich, 5th at Wells Fargo in his last three starts. Rose is always dangerous and could finally breakthrough in this event this week.<\/p>\n
Henrik Stenson 25\/1<\/strong><\/p>\nWon this event in 2009 and has three top 5s, four top 10s and another two top 25s here but he hasn\u2019t been great this year for some reason. He isn\u2019t quite up to the form I need to see against a top field, although sketchy greens may help him out this week.Luke Donald 25\/1<\/strong><\/p>\nWas last seen finishing second at Harbour Town and has three top 10s in his last six starts overall. He has three top 20s in his last seven starts on this track and has the accuracy off the tee to make it interesting this week. His game is well suited for this track \u2013 I expect to see Donald challenge!<\/p>\n
Phil Mickelson 25\/1<\/strong><\/p>\nSurprisingly has six top 20s this season but hasn\u2019t seemed all that great. He won here in 2007 and is coming off a T11 at Quail Hollow.<\/p>\n
Bubba Watson 28\/1<\/strong><\/p>\nTPC Sawgrass is not Bubba\u2019s type of track at all but the reigning Masters champ is still worthy of mention. He has made six of 10 cuts here but a little rust and the unfavorable design has Bubba off my radar this week.<\/p>\n
Jordan Spieth 28\/1<\/strong><\/p>\nFollowed up at terrific T2 at the Masters with a T12 at Hilton Head \u2013 nothing seems to rattle this rookie! He hasn\u2019t played here before \u2013 but that hasn\u2019t slowed him at any of the other tracks he\u2019s debuted at. Spieth will always be in the hunt \u2013 it\u2019s just a matter of where!<\/p>\n
Jim Furyk 33\/1<\/strong><\/p>\nFinished second at the Wells Fargo and has not been worse that T20 in his last six starts. He has eight top 25s with three top 10s in this event and says he \u201cfound something\u201d in his game last time out. Could that be a sign that Furyk is ready to claim victory?<\/p>\n
Lee Westwood 33\/1<\/strong><\/p>\nI picked him last week and he went on to miss the cut \u2013 one week after a dominant win in Malaysia. He was T4 here in 2010 and finished T8 here last year.<\/p>\n
Zach Johnson 40\/1<\/strong><\/p>\nTPC Sawgrass is exactly the type of track that Zach can thrive \u2013 he has made 8\/9 cuts with six top 25s and a pair of top 10s. He has seven top 25s on TOUR this year and is coming off a T14 at Quail Hollow. His game fits this track very well \u2013 Johnson is a very enticing 40\/1!<\/p>\n
The Sleepers (50\/1 or higher):<\/strong><\/h3>\nJ.B. Holmes 50\/1<\/strong><\/p>\nComing off a win at the Wells Fargo and now has five top 20s in his last six starts. He also has four top 20s on this track. I love the way he\u2019s playing right now but caution you against going with a guy that won the week before.<\/p>\n
Keegan Bradley 50\/1<\/strong><\/p>\nTough guy to figure out \u2013 hard to believe he\u2019s 50\/1! He has three top 10s and another five top 25s this season and is coming off a T8 in his last start \u2013 at New Orleans. If Bradley puts it all together he could be a very nice payday for someone.<\/p>\n
Jason Dufner 66\/1<\/strong><\/p>\nWow \u2013 Duf at 66\/1! He does have four top 15s on the season, including three in last four starts. He finished T6 here in 2011 but his game certainly isn\u2019t quite at that level right now. Duf has the game to emerge here and he could reward his backers handsomely.<\/p>\n
Kevin Na 66\/1<\/strong><\/p>\nAnother interesting sleeper had a T3 here in 2009 and a T7 on this track in 2012. He has gone for six top 20s in his last eight starts overall and has missed the cut in the other two \u2013 but course history here has me taking a long look.<\/p>\n
The Pick:<\/strong><\/h3>\nI was awfully temped to go with Matt Kuchar this week but I settled on Luke Donald at 25\/1<\/strong>. He is coming off a nice T2 at Harbour Town and now gets to play a track in which course management is more crucial than distance off the tee.<\/p>\nMy sleeper is Jason Dufner at 66\/1<\/strong>. Come on \u2013 66\/1? I couldn\u2019t resist \u2013 he could finally snap his funk and emerge victorious this week.<\/p>\n