Collin Morikawa a popular play with PLAYERS Championship betting

It’s a big week on the PGA TOUR with the playing of their flagship event, The PLAYERS Championship.

The best players in the world will be in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, to take on TPC Sawgrass, which means some tightly bunched golf odds this week at the BetMGM online sportsbook.

Some weeks it makes sense to take a shot on the best player in the field. The problem with that this week is 17 of the top 18 players in the world will be teeing it up.

With so many big names to choose from, who is generating the earliest action?

World No. 2 Collin Morikawa has golf odds to win of +1400.

As of Tuesday morning, those are the second lowest in the field, trailing only world No. 1 Jon Rahm at +1200. Morikawa is pulling in 15.8% of the handle, by far the most in the field, and the second-most tickets (7.7%).

Morikawa, who recently celebrated his 25th birthday, is making just his second appearance at the event. He finished in 41st place a year ago.

That may seem uninspiring, but two things are going his way when it comes to generating good vibes at TPC Sawgrass. He shot a final-round 66 a year ago, which was tied for the best score on Sunday. And in 2020, when the tournament was canceled after one round due to COVID-19, he shot a four-under-par 68, which was tied for seventh.

In less than three full seasons on the PGA TOUR, Morikawa has quickly become one of the game’s best players. He has five TOUR wins, including two majors, as well as a win at the DP World Tour finale last year.

In addition, he enters the event in good form, having finished in the top 5 in his last three starts on home soil (The Genesis Invitational, Sentry Tournament of Champions, and The CJ Cup).

TPC Sawgrass is a course that will reward players with the best all-around game. The winner likely won’t be the player who simply drives it the best or putts the best. It will be the player who hits the mark across the board, particularly in the approach game. Morikawa has one of the best well-rounded games on TOUR, leading the Strokes Gained: Total metric.

Current Handle & Tickets

Handle

1. Collin Morikawa – 15.8%
2. Brooks Koepka – 9.4%
3. Patrick Cantlay – 6.3%
4. Scottie Scheffler – 5.9%
5. Xander Schauffele – 5.4%

Tickets

1. Brooks Koepka – 8.7%
2. Collin Morikawa – 7.7%
3. Patrick Cantlay – 4.7%
4. Jon Rahm – 3.9%
5. Xander Schauffele – 3.9%

In terms of early movement, defending champion Justin Thomas saw his odds go from +1200 to +1400, and Rory McIlroy went from +1600 to +2000. Meanwhile, last week’s winner at The Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard, Scottie Scheffler, went from +2200 to +2500.

The last two years have seen the tournament decided by one shot, so it should be an exciting finish. And there should be some decent scores, as the last 12 editions of the tournament have had the winning total finish at double-digits under par.

* Visit BetMGM.com for terms and conditions. 21+ years of age or older to wager. BetMGM available in AZ, CO, DC, IA, IN, LA, MI, MS, NJ, NV, NY, PA, TN, VA, WV, or WY only. All promotions are subject to qualification and eligibility requirements. Paid in free bets. Free bets expire in 7 days from issuance. Minimum deposit required. Excludes Michigan Disassociated Persons. Please Gamble Responsibly. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-NEXT-STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO, DC, LA, NV, WY, VA), 1-800-270-7117 for confidential help (MI), 1-800-GAMBLER (IN, NJ, PA & WV), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA) or call (877-8-HOPENY) or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), call or text the Tennessee REDLINE: 800-889-9789 (TN) or call 1-888-777-9696 (MS). Sports betting is void where prohibited. Promotional offers not available in Nevada.