PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — Canadian golfer Corey Conners is gearing up for what he hopes will be a breakthrough performance at The Players Championship this week at TPC Sawgrass. Coming into the event at the start of the 2026 PGA Tour season, Conners is motivated to regain momentum and make a mark during this pivotal stretch ahead of a demanding spring schedule.
Though Conners has yet to display his full potential this year, his historic success at TPC Sawgrass suggests this week could be a turning point. Over the past five years, he ranks just behind Hideki Matsuyama and world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler in strokes gained at this course, reflecting his affinity for the challenging layout. Last season, he tied for sixth at The Players, marking his best career finish at the tournament.
Course Compatibility and Recent Performance Challenges
Conners has frequently expressed his strong connection to the course, noting that while some holes suit his game perfectly, others still offer opportunities for aggressive play.
“It’s one of my favourite courses we play on Tour,”
he told Sportsnet.ca.
“There are a number of holes that fit my eye really well. And there are some that don’t, but I can still attack those.”
He also emphasized how experience at the course has helped him execute under pressure.
“Just enjoy being here and it’s a challenging golf course, but once you get some experience you can make birdies and hit good shots and it’s served me well,”
Conners added.
Earlier in the season, Conners’ top result came at the Sony Open in Hawaii, where he finished tied for 24th. Despite his consistent ball striking, his putting remains a struggle this year; after improving significantly in putting last season, his current ranking in strokes gained: putting has dropped about 100 spots. He even experimented briefly with a new putter, humorously calling it the “putt-ee.”
“I feel like I’m close but just not getting the ball to get in the hole,”
Conners admitted.
“Working hard at it. I have been trying to do the same stuff that served me well last year. It’s been getting better. It’s been improving.”
Maintaining Canada’s Top Male Golfer Status Amid Difficult Competition
Regardless of recent struggles, Conners remains Canada’s highest-ranked male golfer, sitting 39th in the Official World Golf Ranking by a comfortable margin. The period from March through mid-April is widely regarded as “Corey Conners season,” given his consistent results during the Florida swing and strong finishes at the Valero Texas Open, where both of his PGA Tour wins have come before the Masters. Conners has also secured four top-10 finishes at the Masters in the past six years.
“I’m trying to make the whole season like that,”
Conners said with a smile, referencing his desire to sustain his peak form throughout the year.
While Canadian golf boasts a strong cohort, including several promising rookies, veteran Mike Weir has highlighted putting consistency as the key to breakthrough victories for this rising group. Conners, with two wins to his name, is often considered the most reliable contender, yet winning on the increasingly competitive PGA Tour remains a daunting challenge.
Young players like 24-year-old Akshay Bhatia, who recently won the Arnold Palmer Invitational, and established stars such as Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy—who combined for the last three Players Championship titles—show just how fierce the field is.
“A lot of things have to go your way. In my victories, I’ve performed really well but also had things go in my favour whether it was weather or tee times to get off to a good start. Everything has to fall into place,”
Conners explained.
Emerging Canadian Rookies Join the Field with Fresh Energy
This year’s Canadian group at The Players Championship sees some changes with familiar names like Adam Hadwin and Adam Svensson no longer in the field, replaced by newcomers A.J. Ewart and Sudarshan Yellamaraju. Both earned their spots through strong FedEx Cup performances and are making their tournament debuts alongside a handful of other rookies.
“It’s cool. Good play (was) rewarded,”
said Ewart, who was medallist at Q-School in December on the Dye Valley course at TPC Sawgrass.
“It was a goal of mine when I got through Q-School and I said I wanted to be back here for The Players, so it’s awesome. It makes me want to work hard and get into more bigger events.”
Other Canadians competing include familiar names like Mackenzie Hughes, Nick Taylor, and Taylor Pendrith, who have all contributed valuable depth to Canada’s presence on tour.
Challenges and Comebacks for Taylor Pendrith
Taylor Pendrith described the last couple of months as “frustrating,” a period made more complex due to the birth of his second child, Parker, late last year, which kept him off the course for approximately five months. His best finish this season, a tie for 13th, came unexpectedly at the Sony Open, his first event back. Since then, he has struggled to string together consistent results.
At the Bay Hill Invitational last week, Pendrith’s putting difficulties were starkly highlighted as he lost an astonishing 10.667 strokes to the field with the putter. Statistically, this was one of the worst putting performances in PGA Tour history. Remarkably, this severe dip came just one event after he ranked inside the top 20 for putting.
Pendrith has achieved respectable finishes at TPC Sawgrass before, including a career-best tie for 13th in 2022, a course he has grown to appreciate.
“The last couple weeks I’ve played really nice golf, but things aren’t lining up well. Last week I hit it awesome and really struggled on the greens. The week before I was great on the greens and not so great with my irons. The week before I was not so great with my driver. I’m playing good, but just not getting good results,”
Pendrith shared.
The Players Championship: A Crucial Battleground for Canadian Golfers
Whether rising stars or seasoned competitors, the Canadian golfers at The Players Championship understand the significance of this tournament within the PGA Tour calendar. They are eager to build on their experience and produce strong weekend performances on northeast Florida’s demanding course.
“I got off to a much better start last year the first few events of the year, but hopefully I’m done learning the lessons from the mistakes I’ve made thus far this season and hoping to turn things around,”
Conners said.
“And no better place than here.”
Spotlight on Canadian Debuts and Recent Performances
A.J. Ewart and Sudarshan Yellamaraju are among 14 first-time Players Championship participants and part of seven rookies on the 2026 PGA Tour roster this week. For their initial two rounds, the Canadian rookies are grouped together, which Ewart described as “comforting for sure.”
Nick Taylor remains Canada’s highest-ranked golfer in the FedEx Cup standings, currently sitting 48th, buoyed by his tie for 13th at the Sony Open, where he was defending champion. Notably, Taylor has not missed a cut this season.
Mackenzie Hughes enters the week after a tie for 23rd at the Cognizant Classic, his best finish in 2026.
Taylor Pendrith is closely monitoring his Official World Golf Ranking, currently 66th, aiming to secure a Masters invitation, which typically requires a top-50 ranking. Pendrith plans to compete in four consecutive events, including the Valero Texas Open, seeking to improve his position.
This year also marks the 20th anniversary of Stephen Ames’ memorable Players Championship victory, where he won by six shots following a final-round 67, the best score of the day.
Really not sure if I’ve seen the rough at TPC Sawgrass this thick in… forever? pic.twitter.com/dT1ZFprQSx
— Adam Stanley (@adam_stanley) March 9, 2026
So great to see Canadian rookies AJ Ewart and Sudarshan Yellamaraju draw into @THEPLAYERS next week via their play so far in 2026.
Taylor Pendrith, Nick Taylor, Mackenzie Hughes, and Corey Conners – who finished T6 last year at TPC Sawgrass – will also be in action.
— Adam Stanley (@adam_stanley) March 8, 2026
Canadian tee-times in ET for @THEPLAYERS for Thursday/Friday
Hughes @ 740am/1230pm
Pendrith @ 816am/106pm
Taylor @ 130pm/840am
Conners @ 206pm/916am
Yellamaraju/Ewart (together) @ 230pm/940am— Adam Stanley (@adam_stanley) March 9, 2026
