Arnold Palmer Invitational Scottie Scheffler begins title defence alongside Justin Thomas and Rickie Fowler; Rory McIlroy plays alongside FedExCup champion Viktor Hovland and Jordan Spieth for first two rounds of The Players; Watch live on Thursday from 11.30am on Sky Sports Golf
Monday 11 March 2024 20:13, UK
Defending champion Scottie Scheffler has been grouped alongside Ryder Cup team-mates Justin Thomas and Rickie Fowler for the first rounds of The Players at TPC Sawgrass.
Scheffler, who jumped clear on the day to claim a five-shot victory in last year's contest, is bidding to become the first back-to-back Players champion in the tournament's history.
The world No 1 arrives off the back of a dominant win at the Arnold Palmer Invitational on Sunday, his seventh PGA Tour title in 25 months, with Scheffler the overwhelming favourite to add to his victory tally in the 50th edition of The Players.
Scheffler will be part of Featured Group coverage for the first two alongside two other former winners on the Stadium Course, with 2015 champion Fowler and 2021 winner Thomas completing that star-studded threeball.
Tournament organisers teased their two Featured Groups via social media on Sunday, ahead of the event getting under way on Thursday, with Rory McIlroy included in the other star trio.
The 2019 Players champion has been put with reigning FedExCup winner Viktor Hovland and former world No 1 Jordan Spieth, beginning on the 10th tee at 8.35am (12.35pm GMT) on Thursday and the first at 1.40pm (5.40pm GMT) on Friday.
McIlroy arrives at Sawgrass off the back of a tied-21st finish at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, where he was within four strokes of the lead going into the final day before fading with a four-over 76 to finish 14 shots behind Scheffler.
"I'm going to Sawgrass next week super comfortable with how I'm hitting it off the tee," McIlroy said after his final round at Bay Hill. "If you can get the ball in play there, then I think that's half the battle.
"Then you've got very small, demanding greens that you got to hit it on the right levels, and you have to be pretty precise with your approach play as well. I guess for me, in my head at the minute, it's all about the approach play because that's the thing that I'm struggling with."
*starting at the 10th tee
1235 Rory McIlroy, Viktor Hovland, Jordan Spieth*
1246 Ludvig Aberg (Swe), Patrick Cantlay, Adam Scott (Aus)*
1308 Billy Horschel, Sungjae Im (Kor), Webb Simpson*
1729 Hideki Matsuyama (Jpn), Matt Fitzpatrick (Eng), Max Homa
1740 Scottie Scheffler, Rickie Fowler, Justin Thomas
1751 Wyndham Clark, Collin Morikawa, Brian Harman
1802 Tony Finau, Will Zalatoris, Shane Lowry (Irl)
Sky Sports Golf will once again be the home of The Players in 2024, with nearly 60 hours of live coverage from Tuesday-Sunday of tournament week and a host of extra content available for you to enjoy.
A special 'Live from The Players' show will offer live build-up on both Tuesday and Wednesday before live coverage begins from 11.30am over the first two days and 2pm over the weekend, following action from before the opening tee shot until after the close of play.
Bonus coverage will be available via the red button for all four tournament rounds, with featured groups and bonus marquee groups there to enjoy every day alongside a special featured holes feed.
Watch The Players live from March 14-17 live on Sky Sports. Stream the PGA Tour and more with a NOW Sports Month Membership - just £21 a month for 12 months. No contract, cancel anytime.
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