A spectacular match, a field of 144 players at the highest level, a new challenge at the top of the Official World Golf Ranking: these are the ingredients of The Players Championship, the "fifth major", which is staged from today to Sunday at TPC Sawgrass, Stadium Course, in northern Florida. A competition that all players would like to try and above all to win, with ten million dollars up for grabs, 1,8 million for the first. It's game number 26 of the North American "championship"; 15 tournaments still on the calendar before the four Playoffs challenges that will close the Fedexcup starting from August 21st.
Defending champion is Tiger Woods, but the world number one won't be there and his competitive future remains uncertain. “As for my return to golf, I really don't know – writes Tiger on his website – I'm doing everything possible, listening to my doctors and working on a rehabilitation program. We have to see how my back reacts. Some heal in three months, others in four, still others need more time”. In a sort of long letter to the fans, Tiger recalls the important appointments of the season, still to be played: three Grand Slam competitions, the US Open in June, the Open Championship in July, the PGA in August; then the Playoffs, finally, from 25 to 28 September, the Ryder Cup. "You can understand - he underlines - why I want to do it quickly and in the best possible way". The great champion doesn't promise anything, on the contrary, he claims he can't even bend down to pick up the ball in the hole. His training for now is limited to a few putts and running shots, no full swings. When he starts working again with Sean Foley, he will have to put his back operated on at the end of March first and evaluate any changes to the movement, to minimize trauma. Nothing suggests that Tiger intends to retire, but many weeks will certainly pass before returning to the field, perhaps more than initially expected.
Its direct rivals fit right into this vacuum of "power". Those aiming for the world number one spot: Adam Scott, Henrik Stenson, Bubba Watson and Matt Kuchar, the only ones in The Players they can question the podium of the king of golf. It's a race within a race that makes the big events even more interesting, even though those directly involved each time seem a little intimidated by the weight of the coveted overtaking. Scott, who has already won the championship at 23, is world number two and starting favorite, although he has yet to win anything this year and boasts only a third-place finish at the Arnold Plamer Invitational out of six tournaments played.
Rory McIlroy, world number 11, is considered the most talented player since Tiger and is playing well. He has never won this important race, on the contrary, out of four appearances he missed three cuts and last year he finished eighth, but the experts put him among the most likely candidates for the podium.
Among the favourites, also the Spaniard Sergio Garcia, the player with the longest past cuts streak (10).
In the absence of a single leader, however, the tour highlights many new and good players and the potential winners are really 144, because the selection to enter is already very tough: there are 29 of the top 30 Fedex players, including the leader Jimmy Walker and 27 of the top 30 world-ranked players. For Italy there is the very good Francesco Molinari, who has a new opportunity to gain accreditation also for Ryder's team. There are 15 newcomers, among them some excellent young players such as Jordan Spieth or Patrick Reed.
Sky Sports 3 broadcasts the appointment live every evening.
Meanwhile, the European tour is in Portugal, for the Madeira Islands Open, with 600 euros in prize money.
