Players Championship 2024 picks: Why I'm betting on Wyndham Clark's secret weapon

I was watching Wyndham Clark warm up on the range this weekend, and there she was. Most would have missed her, but not these educated PGA eyes. Julie Elion was standing right near me, and though Clark lost his four-stroke lead on Saturday and trails Xander Schauffele by one entering the final round, Elion remains the key to Clark’s Sunday success.

Following the hit Netflix show Full Swing 2, we all have become familiar with Clark’s story. His PGA Tour performances saw a paradigm shift once he believed in the power of mental coaching. The popular series highlighted his relationship with Elion. I have been on property for four of the five 2024 signature events. I saw Clark shoot the course record at legendary Pebble Beach and win the AT&T.

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Last week at API, I watched Clark almost close the deal against Scheffler on a brutal Bay Hill test. I picked Clark pre-tournament for The Players on my full Read The Line outright card because he has confidently become a big-game closer. His three career wins consist of two signature events and the U.S. Open. While on-site this week, I saw Elion observing Clark, standing nearby on the range and walking with him during competition.

That's why I'm not changing my pick.

The 2023 Wells Fargo Championship came down to Schauffele and Clark. Clark started the final round at Quail Hollow two shots ahead. By the seventh hole, he was one behind Schauffele—eerily similar to the moment on Saturday when with one swing the U.S. Open champ washed away his lead on the infamous 17th hole.

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Over the remaining 11 holes at Quail Hollow, Clark played four under par and won by four shots. Clark’s resolve has been tested by Schauffele before and he sealed the deal in Charlotte. That memory along with his secret weapon Elion on property will be all the edge he needs to win the 2024 Players Championship.

The bet: Wyndham Clark to win The Players (+300, DraftKings)

Keith Stewart is a five-time award-winning PGA professional, a betting contributor and content partner with Golf Digest and founder of Read The Line, the premier on-site live golf betting insights service covering the LPGA and PGA TOUR. Subscribe to Read The Line’s weekly newsletter here and raise your golf betting acumen. Keith's winning content can also be found on Sports Grid, Bleacher Report and The Sporting News. Follow him on Twitter @readtheline_.