A world class PGA Tour field head to TPC Sawgrass for the 2026 The Players Championship this weekend for what is golf's unofficial fifth Major from March 12-15.
Rory McIlroy is back to defend his title after a playoff victory over J.J. Spaun in 2025. These are our four selections that could win the title this weekend.
Collin Morikawa
Collin Morikawa struggled at the beginning of the season on the PGA Tour, missing the cut at the Sony Open in Hawaii and finishing T54 at the WM Phoenix Open before bouncing back to his best by winning the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, and placing T7 at the Genesis Invitational and 5th at the Arnold Palmer Invitational last weekend.
Before that, Morikawa was in decent nick towards the end of last year, recording a T22 at the FedEx St. Jude Championship, T33 at the BMW Championship, T19 at the Tour Championship, T43 at the Procore Championship and T14 at the Baycurrent Classic.
The two-time Major champion has featured five times at the Players Championship, finishing T41 in 2021, MC in 2022, T13 in 2023, T45 in 2024 and T10 in 2025.
Morikawa has been in tremendous touch lately and will fancy his chances of lifting the trophy in Florida this weekend.
Cameron Young
Cameron Young had a fair start to his season on the PGA Tour, finishing T22 at the Farmers Insurance Open, T41 at the WM Phoenix Open, T55 at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am before regaining his touch by placing T7 at the Genesis Invitational and T3 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational last weekend.
Before that, Young was in fine form towards the end of last year, winning the Wyndham Championship and placing 5th at the FedEx St. Jude Championship, 11th at the BMW Championship, T4 at the Tour Championship, T9 at the Procore Championship and 10th at the Hero World Challenge.
The 28-year-old has yet to have an impact at the Players Championship, missing the cut in 2022 before finishing T51 in 2023, T54 in 2024 and T61 in 2025.
Young has looked solid lately and can upstage the others at TPC Sawgrass come Sunday.
Jake Knapp
Jake Knapp has been performing well on the PGA Tour this season, placing T11 at the Sony Open in Hawaii, T5 at the Farmers Insurance Open, T8 at the WM Phoenix Open, T8 at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, and 6th at the Genesis Invitational.
Before those performances, Knapp registered a T4 at the Rocket Classic, a T21 at the John Deere Classic, a T22 at the Genesis Scottish Open, a T3 at the 3M Open, an MC at the Wyndham Championship and a T62 at the FedEx St. Jude Championship towards the end of last year.
The American finished T45 in 2024 and T12 in 2025 at the Players Championship.
Knapp has posted top results this year and looks ready to win the title in Florida this weekend.
Nicolai Hojgaard
Nicolai Hojgaard has been in fine form on the DP World Tour and PGA Tour this season, placing T52 at the Dubai Invitational, T4 at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, T22 at the Farmers Insurance Open, T3 at the WM Phoenix Open, T6 at the Cognizant Classic and T24 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational last weekend.
Hojgaard was playing well towards the back end of last season, securing a T14 at the Baycurrent Classic, a T3 at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and a T11 at the DP World Tour Championship.
The three-time DP World Tour winner missed the cut at the 2024 and 2025 Players Championship.
Nicolai Hojgaard can convert his recent performances into a winning one at TPC Sawgrass this weekend.