It's off to Florida for the Players Championship this week, with Phil Mickelson aiming to become the first player in the tournament's 35-year history to retain his title. We think he just might do it.

The Tournament: The Players Championship

The Course: TPC Sawgrass, Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida

Pete Dye's design is most famous for the showpiece 17th, a treacherous par-three to an island green. During last year's event a record 97 balls found the water, with 50 splashing in on the opening day alone. Dye doesn't build them easy, and with the tournament moved back to May last year to allow for drier, faster conditions expect a few players to come rather publicly unstuck before the impressive grandstands.

A List

Tee 'Em Up: Phil Mickelson loves this tournament so much he single-handedly keeps the PGA's "make this the fifth Major" campaign in column inches. As defending champion, and without that pesky Tiger Woods to get in his way, he might just bag his second title of the year. Another man worth picking is local boy Vijay Singh, who admits spending more time practicing at Sawgrass than he does at his own home. Finally, and a little predictably, why not bank on Adam Scott adding to his win at the Byron Nelson and top-ten finish last week with a decent run.

Cut 'Em: Sergio Garcia is without a top-ten finish this year and hasn't won in the US since 2005. He'll find his game eventually, but not at a course this testing. While you're there, why not get rid of Scott Verplank. After a decent start to the year he's missed three cuts in six, and with a scoring average of 71.57 seems unlikely to mount a challenge at Sawgrass.

B List:

Tee 'Em Up: Stewart Cink is your shoo-in. The 34-year-old finished third at the Players last year, and with six top-ten finishes already this year could hardly be in better form. Alongside him, why not add some colour in the form of England's wackiest wedge wielder, Ian Poulter. Despite falling away at the Masters, he proved he has the game to compete with the big guns and will relish the fanfare in Florida. Bart Bryant could also be a worth a punt on the back of three top-15s in his last five outings.

Cut 'Em: Call us crazy, but we're suggesting you bench Anthony Kim. He might be in sensational form, and $1,152,000 better off after winning the Wachovia on Sunday, but the American carded a 78 and an 83 at Sawgrass last year and we can't see him finishing in the top ten. Bubba Watson should also get the old heave-ho, not only for missing the cut at the Wachovia but in recognition of his 77 and 75 at last year's Players, which included a triple-bogey six at his first attempt on 17.

C List:

Tee 'Em Up: Throw all your loose chips on Luke Donald, who's threatened to win in the US twice already this year and had an extra couple of days to contemplate his "player of immense potential" tag after missing the cut at the Wachovia. This could be his week. Why not keep him company with countryman Lee Westwood , who's been a consistent performer in recent months, and can apparently now bench-press his body weight of 96kg.

Cut 'Em: Trevor Immelman was another victim of TPC's 17th last year, carding a quadruple-bogey seven on his way to an eight-over-par opening round of 80. The South African has missed the cut in both the tournaments he's played since donning the green jacket at Augusta, and is best avoided this week. Shaun Micheel missed the cut in unspectacular fashion last year, as he has in eight of 13 tournaments entered so far this year. You know what to do.

Will Tidey / Eurosport