Thomas produced a brilliant display to overturn a seven-stroke deficit over the weekend and win the PGA Tour's flagship event last March, posting rounds of 64 and 68 to finish a shot clear of veteran Lee Westwood.

The 14-time PGA Tour winner is without a victory since last year's success, but arrives in Florida off the back of five top-eight finishes in his last six worldwide starts, with Thomas now bidding to become the first player to successfully defend their title at The Players.

• When is The Players live on Sky Sports?
• Flashback: Thomas' Sawgrass victory

"I'm definitely hoping to change that!" Thomas told Sky Sports. "I think there's a lot of reasons why it's tough to defend. It's just really hard to win a golf tournament and it's obviously hard to win back-to-back at a place like this!

"I was fortunate enough to have a chance to win after a great round on Saturday. That was our first true event in a long time with a lot of fans. You could feel the energy and the atmosphere and I loved that, so that's obviously an amazing memory for me."

Few would have anticipated Thomas mounting a serious title challenge after starting the week with back-to-back 71s, only to jump into contention with a round-of-the-day performance during the third round.

Thomas went into the final day three strokes behind Westwood and struggled during his front nine, with the American crediting his patience after an inspired stretch around the turn helped him to victory.

"I was playing really well at the start out, I just couldn't make anything," Thomas added. "I was hitting a lot of good putts, but they were just burning edges.

"It's frustrating because when it happens on a Thursday and Friday, you understand you have a lot of golf left, but with 18 holes left, and starting the day three back, there was only so much else I could.

"I hit every green on the front nine, but I had a terrible three-putt on the eighth and then birdied the ninth for my first one of the day. I could easily have shot three, four, five under on that front nine, but luckily I was still right there.

"I then birdied the 10th, eagled 11 and birdied 12, then the next thing you know I was in a great position. They're the kind of things that can happen on this course, which is why it was very important to stay patient."

The 28-year-old is among the pre-tournament favourites for this week's star-studded event, the 40th anniversary of the tournament first being held at TPC Sawgrass, with Thomas enjoying the challenge that the layout offers.

"Sawgrass to me is so special and unique," Thomas explained. "It truly is I think one of the best-designed courses I've ever played and it just requires so many different shots.

"Strategy-wise you can play it differently a little bit, but for the most part everyone is hitting to about the same places and having around the same clubs into the greens.

"The par-fives are great in terms of their risk-reward. We don't have very many par-72 courses with four par-fives anymore, and you can make four just as easily you can six on any one of them.

"A lot of holes require you to shape it one way off the tee and another way into the green, and I just truly think this golf course brings out every aspect of your game in order for you to come out on top at the end of the week."

Can Thomas defend his title at The Players this week? Watch round-the-clock coverage from TPC Sawgrass live on Sky Sports' dedicated Players channel. Live coverage from the opening round begins on Thursday from 11.30am.