17th hole at Sawgrass

The Players Championship Winners

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By Golf Histories

The Players Championship is a golf tournament on the PGA Tour that has been around for over 40 years.

It was originally called The Tournament Players Championship, more commonly known simply as The Players, and which was first played in 1974 and was won by Jack Nicklaus.

The Players Championship currently offers the highest prize fund of any tournament in golf ($15 million in 2020), by comparison the U.S. Open offers a $12.5 million purse.

The field usually includes the top 50 players in the world rankings, but unlike the major championships and World Golf Championships events, it is owned by the PGA Tour and not an official event on other tours.

It’s often referred to as the fifth Major and since 1982 has been played at the TPC at Sawgrass which is home of the iconic par-3 no 17 Island Green

As of 2020, the Winner receives $2.7 million, the winner’s share (18%) of the largest purse in golf ($15 million), and receives 80 points towards his world ranking, the largest share aside from the majors, for which winners earn 100 points.

In 2022 the overall prize fund once again increased, this time to $20 million with the winner collecting $3.2 million.

For comparison, the winners of the four individual World Golf Championships generally receive between 70 and 78 points.

The winner also receives a five-year exemption on the PGA Tour (formerly ten years), a three-year invitation to the Masters Tournament, three-year exemptions for the U.S. Open and The Open Championship, and an exemption to the next three PGA Championship tournaments starting in 2018.

The winner earns 600 FedEx Cup points, if a PGA Tour member.

The Players Championship Winners List

The Players Champion 2020 to 2029

YearThe Players ChampionScore
2023Scottie Scheffler271
2022Cameron Smith275
2021Justin Thomas274
2020Cancelled After Round 1 (Covid)

The Players Champion 2010 to 2019

YearThe Players ChampionScore
2019Rory McIlroy272
2018Webb Simpson270
2017Si Woo Kim278
2016Jason Day273
2015Rickie Fowler276
2014Martin Kaymer275
2013Tiger Woods275
2012Matt Kuchar275
2011K.J. Choi275
2010Tim Clark272

The Players Champion 2000 to 2009

YearThe Players ChampionScore
2009Henrik Stenson276
2008Sergio Garcia283
2007Phil Mickelson277
2006Stephen Ames274
2005Fred Funk279
2004Adam Scott276
2003Davis Love III271
2002Craig Perks280
2001Tiger Woods274
2000Hal Sutton278

The Players Champion 1990 to 1999

YearThe Players ChampionScore
1999David Duval285
1998Justin Leonard278
1997Steve Elkington272
1996Fred Couples270
1995Lee Janzen283
1994Greg Norman264
1993Nick Price270
1992Davis Love III273
1991Steve Elkington276
1990Jodie Mudd278

The Players Champion 1980 to 1989

YearThe Players ChampionScore
1989Tom Kite279
1988Mark McCumber273
1987Sandy Lyle274
1986John Mahaffey275
1985Calvin Peete274
1984Fred Couples277
1983Hal Sutton283
1982Jerry Pate280
1981Raymond Floyd285
1980Lee Trevino278

The Players Champion 1974 to 1979

YearThe Players ChampionScore
1979Lanny Wadkins283
1978Jack Nicklaus289
1977Mark Hayes289
1976Jack Nicklaus269
1975Al Geiberger270
1974Jack Nicklaus272