The 2023 Players Championship week has arrived, albeit without the defending champion, Australia’s Cam Smith, not allowed to tee up in the event due to being banned by the PGA Tour for joining LIV Golf. Seven Australians will tee up: Adam Scott, Jason Day, Lucas Herbert, Min Woo Lee, Cam Davis, Aaron Baddeley and Harrison Endycott.
Adam Scott (11.45pm Thursday)
Scott hasn’t done too much in limited appearances in 2023 (best finish T21). But TPC Sawgrass is the place for him to get right: Along with a win in 2004, Scott has finished T-19 or better in 10 of his 20 appearances. Although Scott finished T31 at Bay Hill last week, the former world No.1 was within four shots of the lead as he made the turn on Sunday. Has been swinging the club well.
Jason Day (4.23am Friday)
Day continues to roll with a T10 finish at the Arnold Palmer Invitational last week, making that nine top-25 finishes in his past 10 starts. He’s putting better than anyone right now, gaining 1.35 strokes per round over his past 20 rounds. The 2016 Players champion and former world No.1 will enter with plenty of confidence this week.
Harrison Endycott (12.51am Friday)
Korn Ferry Tour grad Endycott, from Sydney, has struggled since getting on tour with a best finish of T12 but six missed cuts this season. Endycott is on Players Championship debut.
Aaron Baddeley (12.51am)
Baddeley has had a mixed bag of results this year, with the best a finish of T7 at the Sony Open. Baddeley’s record at the Players is also not fantastic, although he did score top-10s in 2009 and 2011.
Lucas Herbert (4.23am Friday)
Herbert has struggled so far this year, with a best finish of tied 50th at the Phoenix Open. Finished T68 on Players debut last year.
Cam Davis (11.45pm)
Davis has not had the kick on Presidents Cup debutants normally get, with his results since September not up to the one-time PGA Tour winner’s standards. He’s mossed his last five cuts leading into the Players. Missed both cuts in his two Players starts.
Min Woo Lee
On debut at the Players Championship, two-time DP World Tour winner Lee is buoyed by having snuck into the field from the top 50 on the world rankings at the cutoff following the Honda Classic two weeks ago, where he tied 26th. He missed the cut at last week’s event at Bay Hill.
