How to watch THE PLAYERS Championship, Round 1: Featured Groups, live scores, tee times, TV times

Christiaan Bezuidenhout (+300 for a Top 20) … Pick your pleasure or jump on both. Of the dozen from his homeland in the field, only Louis Oosthuizen is presented at shorter odds, but you’d win an argument that Bezuidenhout is the hottest of ‘em all. In fact, of all golfers from the entire continent of Africa, he’s totaled the most Official World Golf Ranking points (47.02) in 2022. Oosthuizen has managed only 16.82. In the last two months, Bezuidenhout has connected for a co-runner-up (John Deere) among four top 20s. He’s T5 on the PGA TOUR in proximity to the hole, T29 in Strokes Gained: Putting, fifth in scrambling and first in proximity from the sand, the last of which rarely within our focus but it doesn’t hurt in case he finds any of the 112 bunkers on the Old Course. The 28-year-old also is no stranger to big stages. He’s a combined 7-for-10 in majors, including a payday (T53) at Royal St. George’s last year. Haotong Li (+400 for a Top 20) … After an extended tailspin, he’s back on the rise, and quickly at that. It was at the Royal Birkdale in 2017 when he closed with 63 to finish third in what was his Open debut. That would have tied the all-time record for lowest score in a major if Branden Grace hadn’t broken it by one the day before. The result vaulted Li into the top 100 of the Official World Golf Ranking (to 63rd) for the first time. Six months later, he rose to a career-best 32nd with a win in Dubai, his second career DP World Tour title. Then, two years ago this week, he slipped outside the top 100 and hasn’t cracked it again. The low point came last December when he sat 542nd. A runner-up finish at the Volvo China Open (the tournament where he connected for his first DPWT win in 2016) ensued, as have five more top 20s, including an emotional third career victory at the BMW International Open just three weeks ago. Currently 139th in the OWGR and with powerful momentum in tow. Chris Kirk (+550 for a Top 20) … Granted, St. Andrews is in a league of its own, but the 37-year-old has recorded six top 20s in the last five months. The set includes challenging venues like PGA National (T7), Bay Hill (T5) and Southern Hills (T5). He finished 71st at The Renaissance Club on Sunday, but he’s acclimated with four warm rounds after a three-week break. Among the best tee to green, so the objective is to simplify and plug that skill set into this equation that demands avoiding trouble. Sebastián Muñoz (+450 for a Top 20) … This is a respectful value for a guy who’s 0-for-2 at The Open. No doubt that it reflects house protection given his series of exceptional performances on all kind of tests, including a T14 at the U.S. Open just four weeks ago. The Colombian cut his teeth in the winds presented at the University of North Texas, and now with several PGA TOUR seasons under his belt, he’s fine-tuning his game to pop at a moment’s notice. That includes a pair of opening 60s en route to third-place finishes in the last eight months. That score isn’t out there at St. Andrews, but it will reward the kind of confidence and balance that he’s carried throughout. Keita Nakajima (+1400 for a Top 20) … The twice-qualified phenom from Japan still hasn’t turned pro – perhaps this fall – so he arrived for his Open debut as the long-standing world’s top-ranked amateur. Yet, he’s played primarily professional events over the last two years, and even won one on the Japan Golf Tour last September. He was a Sleeper for the Masters (at +750 for a Top 20) and missed the cut, but there’s three times the argument that the better play is now, anyway. First, the kickback for a Top 20 at St. Andrews is almost double what it was at Augusta National. Second, while amateurs tend not to make much noise at The Open, the last time one finished inside the top 20 was, you guessed it, at St. Andrews in 2015, when, count ‘em, three recorded top 15s – Jordan Niebrugge (T6), Ashley Chesters (T12), Ollie Schniederjans (T12) – and that doesn’t even include Paul Dunne (T30), who shared the 54-hole lead. And third, while modest, the 22-year-old Nakajima is another three months experienced. Odds were sourced on Tuesday, July 12, 2022. For live odds, visit BetMGM.

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Update on March 16: Tiger Woods is back at home in Florida to continue his recovery from leg injuries suffered in a single car accident in Los Angeles last month. The 82-time PGA TOUR winner wrote on social media that he had been released from hospital care in California and was back in his state of residence on the East Coast. He used the opportunity to thank those helping him through the process of healing from the comminuted open fractures in both the upper and lower portions of the tibia and fibula, and extensive damage to his ankle, suffered when his vehicle rolled over. "Happy to report that I am back home and continuing my recovery. I am so grateful for the outpouring of support and encouragement that I have received over the past few weeks," Woods said in his statement. "Thank you to the incredible surgeons, doctors, nurses and staff at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. You have all taken such great care of me and I cannot thank you enough." Woods gave no update on the progress of his recovery other than to say, "I will be recovering at home and working on getting stronger every day." Update on March 10: Speaking ahead of his title defense at THE PLAYERS Championship, Rory McIlroy revealed Tiger Woods is hopeful of returning home to Florida in the near future. Joining Jimmy Fallon on “The Tonight Show”, McIlroy revealed the 82-time PGA TOUR winner has been talking about making the move from his hospital bed in Los Angeles back to Florida to continue his recovery from the accident. "I've spoken to him a little bit," McIlroy said. "He's doing better. I think all the guys have reached out to him. Hopefully if things go well over the next week or so, he might be able to get home and start recovery at home, which would be great for him. See his kids, see his family. But yeah, he's doing better. And I think all of us are wishing him a speedy recovery at this point." McIlroy also revealed Woods' trademark humor and ribbing hasn't diminished since he suffered multiple leg fractures in the single-vehicle accident. The Northern Irishman received texts during and after the final round at the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard where he was in contention before fading to a T10 finish. "He texted me some words of encouragement before the final round of Bay Hill on Sunday," McIlroy added. "And things didn't quite go to plan, and he was the first one to text me and be like, ‘What's going on here?' So even from the hospital bed, he's still giving me some heat." Update on February 28: Golfers from the PGA TOUR, PGA TOUR Champions, LPGA Tour and even the maintenance staff at the Puerto Rico Open wore red and black on Sunday to support Tiger Woods. Woods shared his appreciation for the gesture on Twitter. Update on February 26: LOS ANGELES - Tiger Woods is "recovering and in good spirits" after receiving further procedures on the injuries he suffered in a single-car accident earlier this week. Woods underwent unspecified follow-up procedures at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles after being transported from the Harbor-UCLA Medical Center on Wednesday night. Cedars-Sinai has catered to professional athletes on numerous occasions due to a renowned Sports Medicine Institute and a rehabilitation program for sports-related and orthopedic injuries. "Tiger has moved to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and received follow-up procedures on his injuries this morning. The procedures were successful, and he is now recovering and in good spirits," a statement on Woods' twitter account said. "Tiger and his family want to thank you all for the wonderful support and messages they have received over the past few days. We will not have any further updates at this time. Thank you for your continued privacy." RELATED: TOUR players, sports world, celebrities wish Woods well Update on February 24: Tiger Woods suffered significant injuries to his right leg and remains hospitalized after a single-car accident in Rancho Palos Verdes on Tuesday morning. The 82-time PGA TOUR winner underwent surgery after suffering comminuted open fractures to the upper and lower sections of his right leg along with significant trauma to his ankle. "As previously communicated, Tiger was involved in a single-car accident earlier (Tuesday) morning in California. He has undergone a long surgical procedure on his lower right leg and ankle after being brought to the hospital," a statement on Woods' Twitter account from the TGR foundation team read, before passing on an update on his condition from the hospital. "Mr. Woods suffered significant orthopedic injuries to his right lower extremity that were treated during emergency surgery by Orthopedic trauma specialists at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, a level one trauma center," Dr. Anish Mahajan, Chief Medical Officer & Interim CEO at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center added. "Comminuted open fractures affecting both the upper and lower portions of the tibia and fibula bones were stabilized by inserting a rod into the tibia. Additional injuries to the bones of the foot and ankle was stabilized with a combination of screws and pins. Trauma to the muscle and soft tissue of the leg required surgical release of the covering of the muscles to relieve pressure due to swelling." The statement closed by confirming Woods is in recovery. "He’s currently awake, responsive, and recovering in his hospital room. Thank you to the wonderful doctors and hospital staff at Harbor UCLA Medical Center, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's department and the Fire Department. Your support and assistance has been outstanding. "There are no further updates at this time and we continue to thank you for your well-wishes and privacy for him and his family." Woods, who was in town to host The Genesis Invitational last week, was driving alone in an SUV when his vehicle rolled over while traveling northbound on Hawthorne Boulevard, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said via statement earlier Tuesday. "On February 23, 2021, at approximately 7:12 AM LASD responded to a single vehicle roll-over traffic collision on the border of Rolling Hills Estates and Rancho Palos Verdes. The vehicle was traveling northbound on Hawthorne Boulevard at Blackhorse Road, when it crashed. The vehicle sustained major damage," the statement read in part. "The driver and sole occupant was identified as PGA (TOUR) golfer Eldrick ‘Tiger’ Woods. Mr. Woods was extricated from the wreck ... then transported to a local hospital by ambulance for his injuries." The Sheriff's Department said Woods was conscious when first responders reached his side and was calm and lucid. He was extricated with the help of a Halligan tube (pry bar) and an axe to get him through the front windshield before being transported to the Harbor-UCLA Medical Center. "He was alive, and he was conscious. There was no evidence of impairment at the scene," Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said at a press conference on Tuesday afternoon. Deputy Carlos Gonzalez, the first to respond to the scene, confirmed Woods was wearing his seatbelt. "The fact that he was wearing his seatbelt, I would say, it greatly increased the likelihood it saved his life." Gonzalez said. PGA TOUR commissioner Jay Monahan said the entire TOUR community had Woods' well-being in their thoughts. "We have been made aware of Tiger Woods' car accident today. We are awaiting further information when he comes out of surgery. On behalf of the PGA TOUR and our players, Tiger is in our prayers and will have our full support as he recovers," Monahan said via statement. The 45-year-old Woods stayed back after the tournament to film GOLFTV content that included giving celebrities golf lessons - actors David Spade and Jada Pinkett Smith were among those who tweeted about their encounters on Monday prior to the accident. On Sunday Woods told the CBS broadcast he was unsure of when he would return from his recent back surgery, a fifth such procedure since April 2017. The last time he played competitive golf was with his son Charlie in December's PNC Championship. "I’m feeling fine," Woods said Sunday. "I’m a little bit stiff. I have one more MRI scheduled so that we’ll see if the annulus (fibrosus) is scarred over finally and see if I can start doing more activities. But still in the gym, still doing the mundane stuff that you have to do for rehab, the little things before I can start gravitating towards something a little more.”

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