Rory McIlroy will be part of a PGA Tour ‘supergroup’ at The Players after being named alongside Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele for the first two rounds at TPC Sawgrass.
The world’s top three have been put together for the first two days of the PGA Tour’s flagship event, live from Thursday on Sky Sports, just as they were for the opening two rounds of The Masters and US Open last year.
Scheffler arrives looking to complete an unprecedented three-peat at The Players, having followed his 2023 victory by successfully defending his title last year with a one-shot win over Schauffele, Wyndham Clark and Brian Harman.
Scottie Scheffler claimed a dramatic victory at The Players in 2024,, becoming the first player in history to defend the title.
The world No 1 claimed nine worldwide victories last year – including a second major title at The Masters – but is yet to win in 2025, with Scheffler now aiming to become the first player since Steve Stricker in 2011 to win the same PGA Tour event three years running.
Schauffele – who made his return from a rib injury at the Arnold Palmer Invitational – is a two-time runner-up of The Players and looking to win the event for the first time, while McIlroy is a former champion at TPC Sawgrass after his one-shot victory in 2019.
McIlroy will be making a 15th career start at The Players, where he has missed the cut six times but also posted four top-10s – including the 2019 win – in a mixed record around the famous Florida layout.
The Northern Irishman made a winning start to his PGA Tour season at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am last month and registered top-20 finishes in his two starts since, with McIlroy among the favourites to win the $4.5m first prize.
Rory McIlroy looks back through his ‘rocky history’ with the PGA Tour’s most iconic tournament, The Players
McIlroy’s marquee group will be one of the two Featured Groups available over the first two days, live on Sky Sports+, with the other including Ludvig Åberg, Hideki Matsuyama and former world No 1 Justin Thomas.
Åberg finished eighth on debut last year and won on the PGA Tour last month at the Genesis Invitational, while Matsuyama started his season with victory at The Sentry and has posted top-six finishes in his last two years at The Players.
Highlights from the final round of the Genesis Invitational, where Ludvig Åberg claimed an impressive victory
Thomas won The Players in 2021 and makes his 10th career start at TPC Sawgrass, where he aims to bounce back from last year’s missed cut and claim a first worldwide victory since the 2022 PGA Championship.
Tee times for those two groups have yet to be announced, with the PGA Tour set to confirm first and second-round timings over the coming days ahead of The Players getting under way on Thursday morning.
The Players Championship Live
Thursday 13th March 11:30am
How can I watch The Players on Sky Sports?
Sky Sports is offering extended live coverage of The Players, with over 60 hours of live content and action to enjoy from Tuesday to Sunday of tournament week.
‘Live from The Players’ shows begins from 1pm on Tuesday and Wednesday, with news and interviews ahead of the event, before wall-to-wall coverage of the opening round beginning on Thursday at 11.30am.
Sky Sports’ David Prutton takes on TPC Sawgrass’ iconic par-three 17th ahead of The Players…with limited success!
Coverage also begins at 11.30am on the Friday and follows the action from before the opening tee shot until after the close of play, with the action then live from 1pm on both days over the weekend.
The PGA Tour’s main feed, marquee groups featured group an featured holes feed will be available all four rounds on Sky Sports+, along with six bonus groups, while you can download the Sky Sports app to get live scores, text commentary and highlights throughout the week.
Who will win The Players? Watch live throughout the week on Sky Sports. Live coverage of the opening round begins on Thursday at 11.30am. Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOW.
