John Hasselbauer's model identifies Hideki Matsuyama as the number-one overall play at The Players Championship due to a balanced and suitable skillset combined with elite course history at TPC Sawgrass. Matsuyama currently ranks number one for course history in the field, having multiple top-10 finishes and consistently placing without missing cuts in recent visits. Hasselbauer notes Matsuyama has improved significantly with putting and overall health early this season, evidenced by his record-setting triumph at the Sentry Tournament of Champions, making him a prime betting and DFS target despite current odds offering value for potential returns.

John Hasselbauer highlights an intriguing historical trend linking success between The Players Championship and Sony Open, noting four of the last seven Sony Open winners also captured wins at TPC Sawgrass. Despite significant differences in the events, the shared characteristics of Bermuda grass greens, gusty winds, and a strong emphasis on positional tee shots present strong crossover indicators. Based on this pattern, Hasselbauer identifies Hideki Matsuyama as a prime value bet at The Players this week, given his previous success winning the Sony Open.

Andy Lack is fading Hideki Matsuyama at 25-1 due to worries about his downward trending approach play. Lack argues that Bay Hill’s demanding tee-to-green test punishes even slight ball-striking lapses, making Matsuyama a risky choice compared to other top contenders at similar odds.

Keith Stewart highlighted Hideki Matsuyama as a strong contender for the Arnold Palmer Invitational, emphasizing his ability to win on major golf courses and his experience as a Masters champion. Stewart pointed out that Matsuyama has the short game and driving ability needed for the course. While acknowledging that Matsuyama is not the world's greatest putter, Stewart compared him to Scottie Scheffler, who has won at this event despite not being the best putter. He believes Matsuyama is capable of winning and may be undervalued due to an American bias among bettors.

Justin Van Zuiden recommended including Hideki Matsuyama in player pools for the Arnold Palmer Invitational, noting his solid history at Bay Hill with top-20 finishes in three of the last four years. Despite taking some time to rest, Matsuyama had a pretty good start to the calendar year. Van Zuiden mentioned that Matsuyama might get lost in the shuffle in the 9K range, but he sees value in his consistent performances and potential to perform well.

Ben Everill backed Hideki Matsuyama (+2800). He noted Matsuyama appears fully healthy and is showing flashes of his best golf, making him worth a wager at these odds.

Pat Mayo expressed concerns about Hideki Matsuyama's performance at the 2025 Arnold Palmer Invitational due to a recent loss of accuracy off the tee. Mayo noted that Matsuyama has historically gained over a stroke on the field per tournament in fairways gained and good drives gained, but recently has been 'brutally bad' in hitting fairways. This decline is significant at Bay Hill, where missing fairways can lead to trouble. Matsuyama appears to have picked up some distance but at the cost of accuracy, which is 'sort of Hideki's bread and butter.' Mayo suggested that this downturn in one of Matsuyama's core strengths makes him a risky choice for betting or DFS selections this week.

Keith Stewart recommended Hideki Matsuyama as the best value bet in the mid-range for the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Stewart highlighted Matsuyama's consistent performance on difficult courses, noting that he has three top-20 finishes at Bay Hill in the last four years. Despite some concerns about Matsuyama's recent strokes off the tee, Stewart emphasized that Matsuyama excels when conditions are challenging, ranking number one in scrambling and proximity inside 100 yards. He also mentioned Matsuyama's strong performances in Florida, including a 12th-place finish last year and a sixth at THE PLAYERS Championship. Stewart believes Matsuyama has the most win equity in this range and offers exceptional value.

Pat Mayo suggested that Hideki Matsuyama at $8,900 is a strong pick and that many people might prefer Taylor Pendrith, but he recommends playing both in your lineup for the 2025 Farmers Insurance Open.

Pat Mayo expressed that he's choosing to fade Hideki Matsuyama this week due to pricing concerns and lack of confidence, advising against including him in lineups.

Brian Kirschner advised against betting on Hideki Matsuyama at 9 to 1 odds for the Sony Open, expressing that while Matsuyama can win, the odds are not favorable for a bet.

Brian Kirschner expressed doubt about Hideki Matsuyama winning the Sony Open this week. He noted that Matsuyama often underperforms the week after a win and even withdrew after a win five months ago, making him a risky bet to go back-to-back.

Jason Rouslin recommends drafting Hideki Matsuyama, especially if he falls beyond ADP 25.9. Matsuyama is almost certain to play in the Sony Open, an event he won previously, offering significant fantasy value early in the season.