The Players preview: Biggest storylines at TPC Sawgrass

The PGA TOUR's first gold-standard event of the season is officially here, with the Players Championship teeing off this week at the historic Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass.

While the split caused by LIV Golf has reduced what was once the best field in golf, there's still a star-studded cast on hand to compete for a whopping $25-million purse.

Here are five storylines to watch this week in Florida.

Scheffler Course at Sawgrass

Pete Dye designed it, but there's no question Scottie Scheffler is the current owner of the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass. The only back-to-back champion in the tournament's storied history enters this year's event as a huge favorite as he seeks his third win in a row. Scheffler has somehow made only nine total bogeys in his last 144 holes at the iconic course - an outrageous number given Dye's diabolical layout penalizes anybody for even the slightest misstep.

Scheffler failed to break 70 at TPC Sawgrass in 2022 but has clearly cracked the code with eight straight rounds of 69 or better. He hasn't won an event since returning from his unfortunate hand injury, but he's clearly ready to snag another trophy with three top-11 finishes in his last four events.

Rory's roller coaster at Sawgrass

While Scheffler has figured out TPC Sawgrass in recent years, Rory Mcllroy has seemingly lost his touch at the course. The 2019 champion has struggled mightily at The Players since his win, failing to break par in nine of his last 12 rounds. He's sprinkled a 65 and 66 in there, but his inability to keep his usually consistent form throughout the week has rendered him an afterthought. However, one could make the argument that McIlroy comes to this year's event in his best form since his victory. He delivered a dominant win in the Pebble Beach signature event earlier this year and is fresh off a 15th-place showing last week at Bay Hill. Only seven men have won multiple Players Championships - a list McIlroy will be looking to join this week in north Florida.

JT looks for elusive win

Justin Thomas last hoisted a trophy at the 2022 PGA Championship - an event held almost a month before LIV Golf held its first-ever event. It's been a while since the talented American tasted victory, and it seems unfathomable that a man with his wide array of talents would miss the FedEx Cup Playoffs, as he did in the 2023 season.

However, Thomas is trending in the right direction as he aims to again become one of the top players in the world, and it's largely due to an improvement in putting. The 31-year-old has always been a ball-striking beast - he's currently fifth on TOUR in strokes gained: approach and sixth in tee-to-green - but he ranked 174th last year in putting on TOUR, and the flatstick issues cost him multiple chances at victory. He's improved to 67th this season and now returns to a place where he claimed victory in 2021.

The blueprint to victory is easy for Thomas - strike the ball with the usual precision and mitigate the damage done with the putter. If he does that, don't be shocked if he breaks the drought and grabs his second Players Championship.

Is TPC Sawgrass ... easy?

With water hazards and claustrophobic bunkers littering the course, there's no question that there's plenty of trouble lurking around TPC Sawgrass. However, recent years showed that the pros are getting better at avoiding the potential landmines and are pouring in birdies by the bunch. Scheffler's total of 20-under last year would have won every Players Championship over the past 20 years, and his winning number of 17-under in 2023 would have claimed victory in 18 of those tournaments.

The drop in scoring is likely related to the tournament's move from May to March. The earlier date doesn't allow the course to firm up coming off the Florida winter, and the soft conditions are ideal for scoring. The five tournaments prior to the move saw the winning score average 13.6-under, while the five since the change saw the average hit 16-under. With rain expected earlier in the week in Florida, 20-under might again in play for the winner.

Ludvig to the moon

There's plenty of young talent across professional golf at the moment, but perhaps nobody's star is currently shining brighter than Ludvig Aberg. The Swede burst onto the scene by making the 2023 Ryder Cup team despite only turning professional a few months prior. Since then, he's won once in Europe and twice on the PGA TOUR, including the Genesis Invitational earlier this season. Add some brilliant play on the TGL scene and an endearing appearance on Netflix's "Full Swing," and it's clear the sky's the limit for Ludvig. He made his debut at The Players last year and was clearly undaunted by the test of TPC Sawgrass with an eighth-place showing. Now he comes in full of confidence and with a year of course experience under his belt - a dangerous combo for the rest of the field.