The PGA TOUR remains in Florida for THE PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass (par 72, 7,275 yards, POA trivialis greens) in Ponte Vedra Beach, which has been the home of this event since 1982.
Rory McIlroy (-12) won THE PLAYERS Championship last season, defeating J.J. Spaun in a playoff. With this tournament featuring the largest purse of the season ($25 million), THE PLAYERS Championship has been considered the “fifth major” by many golf fans. There will be 121 competing this week, and a top-65 and ties cut after the first two rounds.
The Pete Dye-designed TPC Sawgrass is a challenging and unpredictable course, featuring narrow fairways, thick rough, small greens, 94 bunkers, and water in play on all but one hole. Like most Dye venues, accuracy is far more important than distance at TPC Sawgrass.
Being dialed in with your irons is a must, as each of the last five winners here have finished the event in the top eight for SG APP. Missing some of the small putting surfaces is inevitable, so being crafty around the greens is increasingly important. Three of the last five winners have finished in the tournament’s top 15 in SG ARG. Despite being a par 72, scoring well on the par fours are crucial, as each of the last five PLAYERS Championship winners have finished top-10 in the event in par-four efficiency.
Let’s dive into three of my favorite DraftKings bargain plays for THE PLAYERS Championship, each of whom costs less than $7.5K.
Set your DraftKings fantasy golf lineups here: PGA TOUR $150K Up-and-Down [$50K to 1st]
Top DraftKings PGA TOUR DFS Bargain Plays for THE PLAYERS Championship
Rickie Fowler ($7,400) — Fowler is playing his best golf in years. The veteran has made 11 straight cuts with seven top-20 finishes, including a T9 at last week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational. Fowler ranks 17th in total strokes gained and seventh in par four performance this season. Fowler now makes his way to TPC Sawgrass, where he won in 2015 and finished runner-up in 2012.
The 37-year-old has made 9-of-15 cuts at TPC Sawgrass and holds +4700 odds to win THE PLAYERS Championship on DraftKings Sportsbook, which are awesome relative to his DFS salary. For perspective, Patrick Cantlay is priced at $8,200 with worse odds at +4800.
Aaron Rai ($7,200) — Not only is Rai a very consistent player, but he’s also been reliable at TPC Sawgrass. In his three starts at the course, Rai has finished T19, T35, and T14. Rai shot seven under at this par-72 course three years ago, and he ranks 11th among the field in strokes gained per round at TPC Sawgrass. Regarding his current form, Rai has only missed one cut in his last 16 starts.
The Englishman has finished inside the top-25 seven times during this stretch, including a win at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship in November. He carded a T23 at the Cognizant Classic in his latest start. Rai has only missed one cut in his last seven starts in Florida, a great bargain at this low salary.
Sahith Theegala ($7,000) — After a rocky campaign last season, Theegala has returned to form. The 28-year-old has only missed one cut in his last 12 starts, and while tallying three top-10 finishes in 2026. Theegala just notched a T6 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational last week, closing the event with a six under at the tricky Bay Hill, the low score of the final round.
Theegala will now look to carry this momentum over to TPC Sawgrass, where he has made three of four cuts, including a T9 two years ago. Ranking 13th in total strokes gained among this field’s last 24 rounds, Theegala brings similar upside this week.
