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
Year | The Players Champion | Score |
---|---|---|
2023 | Scottie Scheffler | 271 |
2022 | Cameron Smith | 275 |
2021 | Justin Thomas | 274 |
2020 | Cancelled After Round 1 (Covid) |
The Players Champion 2010 to 2019
Year | The Players Champion | Score |
---|---|---|
2019 | Rory McIlroy | 272 |
2018 | Webb Simpson | 270 |
2017 | Si Woo Kim | 278 |
2016 | Jason Day | 273 |
2015 | Rickie Fowler | 276 |
2014 | Martin Kaymer | 275 |
2013 | Tiger Woods | 275 |
2012 | Matt Kuchar | 275 |
2011 | K.J. Choi | 275 |
2010 | Tim Clark | 272 |
The Players Champion 2000 to 2009
Year | The Players Champion | Score |
---|---|---|
2009 | Henrik Stenson | 276 |
2008 | Sergio Garcia | 283 |
2007 | Phil Mickelson | 277 |
2006 | Stephen Ames | 274 |
2005 | Fred Funk | 279 |
2004 | Adam Scott | 276 |
2003 | Davis Love III | 271 |
2002 | Craig Perks | 280 |
2001 | Tiger Woods | 274 |
2000 | Hal Sutton | 278 |
The Players Champion 1990 to 1999
Year | The Players Champion | Score |
---|---|---|
1999 | David Duval | 285 |
1998 | Justin Leonard | 278 |
1997 | Steve Elkington | 272 |
1996 | Fred Couples | 270 |
1995 | Lee Janzen | 283 |
1994 | Greg Norman | 264 |
1993 | Nick Price | 270 |
1992 | Davis Love III | 273 |
1991 | Steve Elkington | 276 |
1990 | Jodie Mudd | 278 |
The Players Champion 1980 to 1989
Year | The Players Champion | Score |
---|---|---|
1989 | Tom Kite | 279 |
1988 | Mark McCumber | 273 |
1987 | Sandy Lyle | 274 |
1986 | John Mahaffey | 275 |
1985 | Calvin Peete | 274 |
1984 | Fred Couples | 277 |
1983 | Hal Sutton | 283 |
1982 | Jerry Pate | 280 |
1981 | Raymond Floyd | 285 |
1980 | Lee Trevino | 278 |
The Players Champion 1974 to 1979
Year | The Players Champion | Score |
---|---|---|
1979 | Lanny Wadkins | 283 |
1978 | Jack Nicklaus | 289 |
1977 | Mark Hayes | 289 |
1976 | Jack Nicklaus | 269 |
1975 | Al Geiberger | 270 |
1974 | Jack Nicklaus | 272 |