The PGA Tour’s Florida swing continues up to PGA headquarters in Ponte Vedra Beach for its marquee event, The Players Championship 2026.
TPC Sawgrass — site of the famous island 17th hole at the Players Championship — is considered one of the truest tests in golf.
On Thursday, March 12, 123 golfers will tee it up for their first round at golf’s “5th major”, swinging for the richest prize of the year — $4.5 million to the winner out of the $25M purse.
The first group is set to tee off in The Players Championship first round at 7:40 a.m. ET from TPC Sawgrass.
Below, we'll break down our 2026 Players Championship first-round leader picks for Thursday, including our Round 1 picks for PrizePicks Team Picks, which you can take live all day on Thursday, plus PGA DFS projections on strokes and birdies from PrizePicks.
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The Players Championship First Round Leader Picks for Thursday, March 12
Thursday's weather at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedre Beach, Fla., could make play somewhat unpredictable.
It's expected to be rainy during Thursday's round, especially in the afternoon. Between 1 and 5 p.m., there is a 50 percent chance of rain or more every hour, according to The Weather Channel.
In addition, after 8 a.m., sustained winds are forecasted between 10-17 miles per hour, with gusts up to 22 miles per hour. It'll make for a messy round before things clear up over the weekend.
Find our 2026 Players Champions Picks – including for winners + top 10 finishes
The Players — one of the top non-majors of the season — has been won by a major champion each of the past six tournaments, including second-ranked Rory McIlroy last year and top-ranked Scottie Scheffler each of the two years before that.
The Players Championship First Round Winner Payouts
Here are the payout multipliers for the top-10 golfers to be the first-round leader at the Players Championship, via PrizePicks Team Picks.
- Scottie Scheffler – 11.11x Payout ($100 pays $1,111)
- Ludwig Aberg – 16.66x
- Collin Morikawa – 16.66x
- Si Woo Kim – 22.22x
- Tommy Fleetwood – 22.22x
- Rory McIlroy – 22.22x
- Russell Henley – 22.22x
- Tommy Fleetwood – 33.33x
- Xander Schauffele – 33.33x
- Cameron Young – 33.33x
- Harry English – 33.33x
- Jake Knapp – 33.33x
- Min Woo Lee – 33.33x
- Tom Hoge – 33.33x
PGA Tour futures payouts from PrizePicks Team Picks are live as of publishing, but are subject to change.
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PGA Tour Picks: 2026 The Players Championship Picks for First Round
Here are two golfers to consider for your Players Championship first round leader picks for Thursday, March 12, for PrizePicks Team Picks, plus projections from PrizePicks' PGA DFS game.
Min Woo Lee
Min Woo Lee Players Championship First Round Leader Payout: Yes – 33.33x Payout
Min Woo Lee Players Championship First Round Projections: 71 strokes, 4.5 Birdies or Better, 10.5 Pars
- Min Woo Lee was one stroke behind the first-round leaders at this event last year, scoring a 67.
- Lee also had the fifth-lowest first-round at TPC Sawgrass in 2023 with a 68.
- Four of the Australians’ 12 career rounds at The Players Championship have been 68 or lower.
- Lee has two top-20s at The Players and has finished in the top 12 of his three previous events this year.
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Tom Hoge
Tom Hoge Players Championship First Round Leader Payout: Yes – 33.33x Payout
Tom Hoge Players Championship First Round Projections: 72.5 strokes, 3.5 Birdies or Better
- Tom Hoge shared the first-round lead at The Players Championship with Tommy Fleetwood in 2022, posting a 66.
- Hoge shot a 69 in the first round in 2021 and a 67 in 2024, both just behind the leaders.
- In seven career appearances at TPC Sawgrass, Hoge averages a 70 in the first round.
- Take out the 78 from 2023, and the average over his other six first rounds on this course is 68.7
- The 2022 Pebble Beach winner historically plays well at TPC Sawgrass, with two third-place finishes in the last three years.
Make 2026 Players Championship Picks on PrizePicks
The PGA Tour continues its 2026 season with the Players Championship on Thursday, March 12, kicking off at TPC Sawgrass. Will Min Woo Lee continue to play well at TPC Sawgrass? Or will a long shot jump up and take the first round lead on Thursday?
You can make your Players Championship picks on PrizePicks and PrizePicks Team Picks to earn real money. Just pick golfers, predict More or Less on their projected stats, and cash in if you’re correct.
With Team Picks, you can make PGA Tour tournament predictions on winners, top 10 finishes, and more to earn real money if you're right, now available in 35 states.
Stay locked in on Playbook through the 2026 PGA Tour for picks, predictions, and analysis every week.
