is it the fifth major, regardless of Tiger Woods’ absence?

The Players Championship tees off on Thursday without it demi-god who is still nursing his knee. While there will always be drama at the fantastic island green of the 17th, I might have some ways for you to enjoy even more drama with your .

Three of the past four TPC winners led the field in GIR, and two of those champions also led in fairways hit. This course plays super tight so favor the great iron players.

An issue I do not see enough of when predicting golf is the weather, and it is freakin hotter than McDonald’s coffee in Jacksonville/Ponta Vedra this weekend - expect the ectomorphs and fitness enthusiasts like Camillo Villegas and Adam Scott to do better than Phil Mickelson or Chad Campbell.

Scott won here in 2004 plus he has a win this year. Villegas is a former Florida Gator that is guaranteed to have a raucous following and no one is in better shape. Not to pick on the big guys, but Mickelson is the favorite and the defending champion, and Campbell knows about heat growing up in Texas and playing his ball at UNLV. If the Chad can get some putter magic working he could be a force.

The heat might also appeal to the creaky back of Fred Couples, who has three top tens but also a sucka-MC (missed cut) at the Masters. He knows the course having been the 1984 and 1996 champ - for reference Vanessa Williams won Miss America in 1984 and the Nintendo 64 hit shelves in 1996. He is old but that matters little in this game.

Speaking of heat, no one has more buzz than three-time All-American Anthony Kim who is finally showing up on some sheets - 40-1 flyer might be a great momentum play with your risk capital? In Tiger’s absence all the individual odds seem more playable, so do not forget the guy who I think is the third best pro on the planet, Geoff Ogilvy at 25/1. Ogilvy has yet to put together a stellar performance at Sawgrass, no top tens and two MC in last five.

See PGATour.com Live @ 17 - great way to pass time at work on Thursday and Friday. The PGATour.com guys even setup a twitter feed for you to keep up to date!

Selected odds and matchups from GolfOdds.com - play Furyk matchup as nothing stands out to me. Phil is a big fave over Singh, but it is the Fijian’s home track.

Odds to Win:
Phil Mickelson	10/1
Adam Scott	12/1
Vijay Singh	20/1
Jim Furyk	20/1
Padraig Harrington	20/1
Stewart Cink	25/1
Geoff Ogilvy	25/1
Retief Goosen	25/1
Ernie Els	30/1
K.J. Choi	30/1
Anthony Kim	40/1

Tournament Matchups:
Phil Mickelson	-135
Vijay Singh	+115
Padraig Harrington	+105
Adam Scott	-125
Jim Furyk	-125
Retief Goosen	+105
Stewart Cink	-115
Geoff Ogilvy	-105
Luke Donald	EVEN
Sergio Garcia	-120
Henrik Stenson	-120
Lee Westwood	EVEN
Justin Rose	-105
Steve Stricker	-115
Aaron Baddeley	-120
Andres Romero	EVEN
Robert Allenby	-120
Bart Bryant	EVEN
Brandt Snedeker	-120
Camilo Villegas	EVEN