2008 Players Championship Odds & Predictions

The PGA Tour heads to Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida for the 2008 Players Championship this week. This tournament is easily one of the most entertaining of the year because the $9 million purse (the biggest of any event) and the famed par 3 17th island hole. Last week, Anthony Kim took home bragging rights and a nice pay day at the Wachovia Championship, but he will be up against a field full of hungry golfers ready to capitalize in the wake of Tigers Woods’ absence. Woods is still out rehabbing from knee surgery. Defending champion Phil Mickelson, this week’s favorite, is one of those competitors looking to take advantage. Jimmy Boyd gives you his top three contenders in this 2008 Players Championship odds and predictions article to help you with your golf betting this week.

If there was no such thing as Tiger Woods, Lefty would be best player in the world right now. With Tiger sitting on the sidelines this week, this tournament is there for the taking for Mickelson. He played some decent golf at the Wachovia last week, but it was obvious that he was more concerned about getting things figured out for this week than trying to win it. So I don’t read too much into his 12th place finish. Phil’s only victory this season came back in mid-February at the Northern Trust Open so you could say Lefty is due. His 5th place performance at the Masters shows you that he is always a threat in big events. I firmly believe that the biggest tournaments of the year are made for the best players. Phil is certainly one of those and you can expect him in the final group.

If Harrington played more PGA Tour events instead of spending some much time on the European Tour, he might be considered one of the top five players in the world, however, he is still a threat in nearly every event he does play. Harrington has three top five finishes on the PGA Tour this season, including a 5th place showing at the Masters. Because he is so crafty with his putter, currently the 2nd best on the tour, he stands to be a force to be reckoned with this week. Harrington also brings the best birdie per round average on the tour into this tournament. Harrington does not get the respect he deserves from the media because guys like Mickelson and Woods garner so much of it, but he is a definitely a sleeper capable of giving Mickelson a run for the money.

With as talented as Garcia is, he should never be faced with such daunting odds, especially this week with as solid as he has been at The Players. Last season, Garcia has one of his best performances of the year at TPC Sawgrass, finishing runner-up. That will give him an extra boost of confidence coming in as he was so close to winning a year ago. Expect a Sunday surge from Sergio.

Complete list of odds to win the 2008 Players Championship courtesy of BetUS Sportsbook:

Aaron Baddeley 50 – 1
Adam Scott 12 – 1
Andres Romero 60 – 1
Angel Cabrera 100 – 1
Anthony Kim 40 – 1
Bart Bryant 60 – 1
Boo Weekley 60 – 1
Brandt Snedeker 60 – 1
Camilo Villegas 100 – 1
Charles Howell III 100 – 1
David Toms 80 – 1
Davis Love III 100 – 1
Ernie Els 30 – 1
Fred Couples 80 – 1
Geoff Ogilvy 25 – 1
Henrik Stenson 40 – 1
Hunter Mahan 80 – 1
Ian Poulter 100 – 1
Jason Bohn 100 – 1
Jim Furyk 20 – 1
Justin Leonard 50 – 1
Justin Rose 50 – 1
KJ Choi 30 – 1
Kenny Perry 80 – 1
Lee Westwood 60 – 1
Luke Donald 40 – 1
Mathew Goggin 80 – 1
Mike Weir 80 – 1
Padraig Harrington 20 – 1
Pat Perez 80 – 1
Paul Casey 100 – 1
Phil Mickelson 10 – 1
Retief Goosen 25 – 1
Robert Allenby 50 – 1
Rory Sabbatini 80 – 1
Ryan Moore 100 – 1
Scott Verplank 100 – 1
Sean OHair 60 – 1
Sergio Garcia 40 – 1
Stephen Ames 50 – 1
Steve Flesch 100 – 1
Steve Stricker 50 – 1
Stewart Cink 25 – 1
Stuart Appleby 60 – 1
Trevor Immelman 60 – 1
Vijay Singh 20 – 1
Woody Austin 100 – 1
Zach Johnson 50 – 1
Field (Any Other Golfer) 3 – 1