The PGA Tour returns to Ponte Vedra, Florida for its signature event, The Players Championship. It’s the first time the event has been held in March since 2007 as part of the reschedule this season, and will be the first “major” event of the year. Webb Simpson is the defending champion after blistering the field in 2018 shooting 66, 63, 68, and 73 to claim the trophy, but this is arguable the deepest field in golf and big names like Rickie, Koepka, and Rory are heating up. The weather will be warm Thursday and Friday before dropping to the low-60s over the weekend with a threat of rain, setting up a grind coming down the stretch with the iconic 16th, 17th and 18th holes looming in the back of every player’s mind. Who’s going to keep their cool under pressure?
Gregatron’s Pick of the Week: Lucas Glover
I could have gone with Tiger, Rickie, or Rory, but Lucas Glover is the new man of consistency this season. 9 events, 8 top-25s and 3 top-10s heading into this week is no fluke. The guy’s been on the leaderboard every week and it’s about time the golfballin crew gave him a chance. Glover is no stranger to big tournaments. He is, after all, the 2009 U.S. Open champion and has two other tour wins, but he hasn’t claimed any hardware since 2011. He’s a great ball striker, gaining 1.3 strokes tee-to-green, which will come in handy in the rough weekend weather. I love how Glover is trending. It’s time for another career resurgence.
Back to the Range Bro: Phil Mickelson
Phil-the-Thrill wasn’t even sure he’d play this week after missing the cut at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Never a dull moment, but he will tee it up tomorrow looking for his second Players Championship title. Phil’s only victory at The Players was in 2007, the first year it moved to May. He’s only made one cut since 2012 and has 3 career top-tens. With his recent PWS (post-win-syndrome), I think this is another missed cut for Lefty.