Steve Palmer's Players Championship first-round threeballs preview, best bets

Golf tips, best bets and player analysis for the first round of the Players Championship at Sawgrass, Florida.

When to watch

Sky Sports Main Event and Golf, 11.45am Thursday

Best bets

Dylan Frittelli to win 1.02pm threeball
2pts 9-5 Betfair, Power

Jhonattan Vegas to win 1.35pm threeball
2pts 17-10 bet365

Alexander Noren to win 1.35pm threeball
2pts 6-5 Betfair, Power

Corey Conners to win 1.13pm threeball
2pts 11-10 Betfair, Power

First-round Preview

World number one Jon Rahm will hog much of the early spotlight in the Players Championship, headlining the morning wave in a mouthwatering threeball with Viktor Hovland and Patrick Cantlay, while the trio of Collin Morikawa, Rory McIlroy and Justin Thomas tee up together in the marquee afternoon group.

Rahm is scheduled to start his Sawgrass campaign at 12.51pm UK and Ireland time, with Morikawa at 5.56pm, but it remains to be seen how much the tee-times will be affected by forecast thunderstorms.

With heavy overnight rain expected before round one - and further downpours on the cards for the opening morning - first-round threeball punters may be best advised to support players who possess plenty of punch off the tee.

The switch in the date of the Players Championship from May to March has already made this event more suitable for long drivers. The air is colder, so balls do not fly as far, and the terrain is lusher, so balls do not run as far. Throw rain into the equation, too, and length off the tee becomes a significant asset. The big-hitting duo of McIlroy and Thomas have won the first two Sawgrass shootouts since the Players moved back to March.

Four players appeal on the first-round threeballs card - and all are scheduled to tee off early in the moist morning conditions.

Best price of all may be the 9-5 about Dylan Frittelli, who became one of the most powerful drivers on the circuit when switching to a longer shaft in October, 2020. Those gains immediately helped the South African finish fifth in the 2020 Masters. A PGA Tour rule change capped driver length at 46 inches from January 1 this year, but that is still enough for Frittelli to hit bombs.

Frittelli has been solid in his last three starts - 26th at Riviera, 16th in the Honda and 42nd at Bay Hill - and he can outgun Sebastian Munoz and Jimmy Walker in the 1.02pm match. A share of 22nd was an impressive full debut at Sawgrass for Frittelli last year.

Jhonattan Vegas, seventh in the 2012 Players and third in 2019, seems a juicy price against Ian Poulter and Pat Perez (1.35pm), while the magnificent ball-striking of Alexander Noren in the Honda Classic last time out suggests the Florida-based Swede will boss Peter Malnati and Anirban Lahiri (1.35pm, tenth tee).

Corey Conners, top for greens in regulation at Bay Hill last week and seventh at Sawgrass last year, should probably be odds-on against Brian Gay and Joel Dahmen (1.13pm).

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