Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy highlight Featured Groups revealed for THE PLAYERS Championship

THE PLAYERS Championship’s early-round Featured Groups will feature a grouping of past PLAYERS winners and a grouping of three FedExCup champions, it was announced Sunday.

Defending PLAYERS champion Scottie Scheffler will be joined by Rickie Fowler and Justin Thomas for Thursday and Friday competition at TPC Sawgrass, while 2023 FedExCup winner Viktor Hovland will play alongside three-time FedExCup champion Rory McIlroy (also a past PLAYERS winner) and 2015 FedExCup champion Jordan Spieth for the first two rounds.

These groupings were revealed on the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard’s final-round NBC broadcast.

Scheffler earned his sixth TOUR title at last year’s PLAYERS, carding 17-under 271 at TPC Sawgrass’ PLAYERS Stadium Course for a five-stroke victory. Scheffler will defend at THE PLAYERS amidst a historic ball-striking run; he leads the TOUR this season in Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green, more than a half-stroke per round better than Xander Schauffele. Fowler won his second of six TOUR titles at the 2015 PLAYERS; Thomas won his 14th of 15 TOUR titles at the 2021 PLAYERS.

Hovland will seek an uptick in form after an uneven start to 2024, where he hasn’t finished better than T19 in four starts this season. The Norwegian has competed in three prior PLAYERS Championships, including a T3 last year. McIlroy won the 2019 PLAYERS but has missed the cut in six of 13 appearances at TPC Sawgrass, including last year. Spieth has notched just two top-25s in nine appearances at THE PLAYERS; his best finish (T4) came in his first start in 2014.