48 of the world's top 50. The world's top 5 together for the first time this year. How could you not be excited for The Players Championship? As we all know, there are no guarantees in golf. However, I feel pretty confident in guaranteeing a firecracker of a golf tournament in Florida.

In case you hadn't quite grasped the magnitude of the competition this year, last year's runaway champion, Jason Day, misses out on the top 5 favourites list- priced at a whopping 22/1 with some bookmakers. Of course, topping the favourites chart is World No. 1 Dustin Johnson, closely followed by newlywed World No. 2 Rory McIlroy. Dustin's scintillating 2017 form means that only a fool would bet against the man who holds a comfortable lead at the top of the world rankings. However, Dustin's run of three consecutive tournament wins came to an end in the Wells Fargo Championship last week- his first competition since the infamous disaster at The Masters. Meanwhile, Mr. McIlroy has certainly covered the costs of the wedding with his new blockbuster TaylorMade deal worth an extraordinary £77 million. Now, it is worth noting that, regardless of how good TaylorMade's equipment is, McIlroy tends to take a while to adjust to new equipment. It would be a stretch to rule him out of contention for the so-called 'Fifth Major', but does this give some outsiders a greater chance?

One of those outsiders who may be licking their lips is 2007 champion Phil Mickelson. Whilst Mickelson may be without a win in 2017, the Callaway golfer will certainly feel that his experience of the unique tournament could play into his hands. Whilst topping the field in golf's unofficial major is a huge ask for the World No. 20, the fact that only one of the world's top 5 have won The Players before means he'll undoubtedly fancy his chances. Another past champion, Rickie Fowler, will put his Cobra golf clubs to the test at Sawgrass. Having won the Honda Classic after switching from the Cobra King Ltd Driver to the Cobra King F7+ Driver, Fowler's new clubs may have breathed new life into his game. Fowler will hope to replicate the clinical putting he displayed in the Honda Classic with the Scotty Cameron Newport 2.

Returning to the top 5, young Jordan Spieth will be eager to put past traumas behind him, having failed to make the cut in last year's Championship. The World No. 5 saw success at Pebble Beach with a Titleist-filled golf bag. Spieth stayed loyal to the Titleist 915 D2 Driver and Titleist 915F Fairway Wood to great success at Pebble Beach, with the Vokey SM6 wedges also providing highly impressive performance. Jordan Spieth is a name never far from the spotlight and is certainly one to be feared when he returns with a vengeance.

It would be absolutely criminal to finish without mentioning one Sergio Garcia. No longer the nearly-man, Garcia finally won that elusive major at The Masters in April. If that wasn't enough to put him firmly in contention for The Players, the Spaniard won the tournament back in 2008. Equipped with experience, momentum and an abundance of talent, Sergio Garcia will be looking to steal TayorMade headlines right back from Rory McIlroy by following up his first major with the 'Fifth Major'.

It's anyone's game in The Players Championship 2017. Can a vengeful Jordan Spieth end Rory McIlroy's honeymoon period? Will Dustin Johnson live to fight another Day? Who knows? All we do know is that we can't wait to find out.