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Summary:
- The world’s top three golf players, McIlroy, Scheffler and Schauffele, will tee off together.
- The three are grouped together for the opening rounds of The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass.
- Scheffler will attempt to become the first player since 2011 to win the same PGA Tour event three consecutive times.
Golf fans are in for a treat this week as The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass will feature a star-studded lineup, headlined by a powerhouse group consisting of Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele.
The PGA Tour has once again paired the world’s top three players together for the opening two rounds, similar to what they did at The Masters and US Open last year.
Scheffler, Thirsty for Historical Victory
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler is on the brink of making history at The Players, aiming to become the first golfer since Jack Nicklaus (1974, 1976, 1978) to claim three victories at the prestigious tournament.
Additionally, a win this week would make Scheffler the first player in over a decade to capture the same PGA TOUR event three years in a row, a feat last achieved by Steve Stricker at the John Deere Classic from 2009 to 2011.
Following his back-to-back victories at The Players in 2023 and 2024, the 28-year-old from Ridgewood, New Jersey, now has his sights set on an unprecedented three-peat.
Although Scheffler is still seeking his first win of 2025, his nine worldwide victories last year, including his second major at The Masters, make him a strong favorite this week.
Schauffele Aims for First Win at The Players
Meanwhile, Schauffele returns to TPC Sawgrass fresh off recovering from a rib injury, hoping to finally clinch his first win at The Players after finishing as a runner-up twice.
McIlroy, a past champion at TPC Sawgrass with his 2019 victory, enters the event with momentum following a win at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and solid top-20 finishes in his last two starts.
However, his record at The Players has been a mixed bag, with six missed cuts and four top-10 finishes.
“We’ll see how it goes”, McIlroy said ahead of the event. “It’s always a fun challenge playing here.”
Second High-Profile Group Features Åberg, Matsuyama, and Thomas
Another high-profile group drawing major attention features Ludvig Åberg, Hideki Matsuyama, and Justin Thomas.
Åberg, who impressed with an eighth-place finish on debut last year, is riding high after winning the Genesis Invitational last month.
Matsuyama has also been in top form, securing a win at The Sentry earlier this season and finishing inside the top six at The Players in his last two appearances.
Thomas, the 2021 Players champion, is hoping to bounce back after missing the cut last year and break a winless streak dating back to the 2022 PGA Championship.
Justin Rose and Matt Kuchar will make their 20th career start at The Players, while Adam Scott leads the field with 23 appearances.
This year, 24 players will make their tournament debut, including PGA TOUR winners Jacob Bridgeman, Brian Campbell, Rafa Campos, Laurie Canter, and Frankie Capan III.
With the game’s biggest names competing for the $4.5 million winner’s purse, all eyes will be on TPC Sawgrass for what promises to be an unforgettable showdown in the USA.
