Sports
2026 The Players Championship: Preview, Props & Best Bets
Mar 5, 2026; Orlando, Florida, USA; Collin Morikawa plays his shot from the seventh tee during the first round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images The PGA Tour has toned down the rhetoric around promoting this week’s event as the “fifth major,” but nearly every player would agree that a win at TPC Sawgrass is right behind the majors as the most coveted trophy of the year.
Rory McIlroy will be a game-day decision as to whether he’ll defend his title, while fellow two-time Players champion Scottie Scheffler also eyes joining Jack Nicklaus as the event’s only three-time winners. History shows the cream rises to the top at TPC Sawgrass, and 47 of the top 50 players in the world are in this week’s field.
Our golf experts preview The Players, and provide their favorite prop picks along with best bets to win this week.
THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP
Location: Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., March 12-15
Course: TPC Sawgrass (Par 72, 7,352 Yards)
Purse: $25M (Winner: $4.5M)
Defending Champion: Rory McIlroy
FedEx Cup Leader: Collin Morikawa
HOW TO FOLLOW
TV: Thursday-Friday: 1-7 p.m. ET (Golf Channel); Saturday: 2-7 p.m. (NBC); Sunday: 1-6 p.m. (NBC)
Streaming (ESPN+): Thursday-Friday: 7:30 a.m.-7 p.m. ET; Saturday: 8 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sunday: 7:30 a.m.-6 p.m.
X: @ThePlayers
PROP PICKS
–Robert MacIntyre to Beat Brooks Koepka (-190 at DraftKings): Koepka’s best finish in six previous appearances was a T-11 in 2018 and his track record at TPC Sawgrass is far from stellar. MacIntyre is quietly ranked eighth in the world and while he has one top-20 in his past four starts overall, he did finish solo ninth here last year.
–Tournament Ends in Playoff (+350 at BetMGM): Five of the past six Players were decided by no more than one shot, and the final stretch at TPC Sawgrass creates plenty of drama for players just trying to reach the finish line.
–Over 37.5 Balls in Water on 17th Hole (-265 at DraftKings): There have been 1,068 balls hit in the water on 17 since 2003. The most during that span was 93 in 2007, while the past two years have each seen 39. With the smallest field in tournament history, we’re not getting overly aggressive with one of the most popular prop specials on the tournament calendar.
BEST BETS
–Scottie Scheffler (+450 at BetMGM) won at TPC Sawgrass in 2023-24 and seeks to join Jack Nicklaus as the only three-time winners of The Players. Scheffler has struggled in opening rounds over his past four events but still owns the longest streak on tour with 69 consecutive made cuts. Scheffler opened at +400 but has seen his odds lengthen a bit despite being backed by the most overall bets at 9.7%.
–Rory McIlroy (+1600) is also a two-time winner of The Players, but did not arrive at TPC Sawgrass until Wednesday after withdrawing from the Arnold Palmer due to back spasms. He will decide Thursday morning whether to tee off on the first hole.
–Collin Morikawa (+1600) leads the FedExCup standings following his T-7 at the Genesis and solo fifth at the Arnold Palmer in addition to his win at Pebble Beach. He is the book’s biggest liability, having been backed by 8.2% of the total bets while leading the field with 12.6% of all money wagered on this week’s winner. Morikawa’s odds have shortened significantly since opening at +2200.
–Ludvig Aberg (+2000) is coming off a T3 at Bay Hill and finished solo eighth here in 2024 before missing the cut last year. The young Swedish star, who opened at +2800, is the second biggest liability and is third in the field in both total bets (6.6%) and total money (7.5% backing him)
–Chris Gotterup (+4500) offers intriguing odds for the only two-time winner on tour so far this season. The public has taken notice, making Gotterup the third biggest liability by supporting him with 4.4% of the action in both markets.
–Sepp Straka (+4500) provides longshot odds despite entering the week ranked ninth in the world. He had a T-2 at Pebble Beach and finished T-13 last week.
NOTES
–Each of the past six winners of The Players entered the week inside the top 10 in the Official World Golf Ranking.
–This is the first of five events this season that offer 750 FedExCup points to the winner, and the winner earns a five-year PGA Tour exemption.
–Seven of the first nine events have been won by players in their 20s.
–Joel Dahmen, Taylor Moore, Seamus Power and Andrew Putnam qualified for the field through their FedExCup ranking through the Cognizant Classic.
–Only three players have converted the 54-hole lead/co-lead into a victory at The Players since 2016: Jason Day (2016), Webb Simpson (2018) and Scottie Scheffler (2023).
–Brooks Koepka is in the field as part of his return to the PGA Tour via the Returning Member Program. To round out threesomes, the field was expanded to 123 with the addition of Patton Kizzire and Seamus Power. It still marks the smallest field in tournament history.
–2021 Players champion Justin Thomas will make his second start in his return from November back surgery.
–Fourteen players are making their tournament debut, including seven tour rookies.
–Greg Norman holds the tournament scoring record of 264 set in 1994.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Senators to pick 32nd in 2026 draft in modification of trade penalty
Nov 25, 2024; Ottawa, Ontario, CAN; View of a Ottawa Senators logo on a jersey worn by a member of the team during the second period at Canadian Tire Centre. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images The NHL on Thursday modified the disciplinary sanction levied against the Ottawa Senators for their role in the July 2021 trade of Evgenii Dadonov to Vegas and subsequent voided deal in March 2022 between the Golden Knights and Anaheim Ducks.
The sanction initially imposed on the Senators in November 2023 provided for the forfeiture of the club’s first-round draft pick in the 2024, 2025 or 2026 NHL Draft. The Senators asked the league to reconsider the deal, citing primarily the change in club ownership and oversight.
The NHL on Thursday announced the Senators will be granted a first-round pick in the 2026 draft, but it will be No. 32 — the final selection — no matter where they finish in the standings. In addition, the Senators will not be permitted to trade or transfer that pick and will pay a fine of $1 million to the NHL Foundation Canada.
“We fully accept the modified sanctions the League has imposed today,” Senators owner Michael Andlauer said. “We are grateful for the league and commissioner keeping an open mind on this issue and modifying the penalty. The Senators organization is appreciative the fine money will be directed to the NHL Foundation Canada, to help grow the sport in our country. We consider this matter closed and will have no further comments on the situation.”
To accommodate this modification, all teams that would have selected after the Senators in the first round of the 2026 NHL Draft will move up a slot.
The Senators traded Dadonov to Vegas for defenseman Nick Holden and a third-round draft pick on July 28, 2021. Ottawa, however, failed to inform Vegas that Dadonov had a 10-team no-trade clause in his contract, thus creating trouble at the 2022 NHL trade deadline.
Just prior to that deadline on March 21, 2022, the Golden Knights sent Dadonov and a second-round draft pick to the Ducks in exchange for defenseman John Moore and Ryan Kesler’s contract. That deal, however, was canceled by the NHL because Dadonov had the Ducks as one of the teams on his no-trade list.
Now 37, Dadonov is in his first season with the New Jersey Devils after signing a one-year, $1 million contract on July 1, 2025.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Galaxy extend D Jakob Glesnes through 2028-29
Feb 8, 2026; Indio, California, USA; LA Galaxy defender Jakob Glesnes (5) poses for a photo after the MLS preseason match against Chicago Fire FC at Empire Polo Club. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images The LA Galaxy signed star defender Jakob Glesnes to a contract extension through the 2028-29 season.
The team acquired Glesnes the 31-year-old Norwegian center back from the Philadelphia Union in December.
Glesnes, the 2022 MLS Defender of the Year, is a two-time MLS Best XI selection and a three-time MLS All-Star.
“Jakob has been an exemplary addition to the Galaxy, and we are excited to announce that he is extending his time with the club,” Galaxy general manager Will Kuntz said in a news release Tuesday.
“His impact in the dressing room and in all phases of the game on the field have provided a huge boost to our group from the first day of preseason. We are thrilled that Jakob will be a key part of our future and look forward to what we’ll accomplish together.”
Glesnes has recorded nine goals and 10 assists in 184 MLS regular-season matches (181 starts) with Philadelphia (2020-25) and the Galaxy.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Report: Chargers re-signing All-Pro special teamer Del'Shawn Phillips
Nov 9, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Del’Shawn Phillips (53) celebrates after a muffed punt recovery against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the fourth quarter of the game at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images The Los Angeles Chargers are re-signing special teams standout Del’Shawn Phillips to a two-year, $7.5 million contract worth up to $10.5 million in incentives, the NFL Network reported on Wednesday.
Phillips, 29, was selected second-team All-Pro for special teams in his first season with the Chargers in 2025. Phillips played in 17 regular-season games (one start) and had 37 tackles, one sack and one fumble recovery.
He participated on 80% of special teams plays (352).
Phillips has 113 tackles, two sacks, one forced fumble and three fumble recoveries in 86 career games (three starts) for the Buffalo Bills (2020), New York Jets (2021), Baltimore Ravens (2022-23), Houston Texans (2024) and Chargers.
–Field Level Media
Waking Up Early Doesn't Make You Special, It Just Makes You Annoying
Waking Up Early Doesn't Make You Special, It Just Makes You Annoying
