The Players Championship history, results and past winners
PGA Tour PGA Tour History

The Players Championship history, results and past winners



The Players Championship is the PGA Tour's crown jewel event on the schedule, serving as the most important event which the PGA Tour controls. The event is part of the Florida Swing, which runs through the Sunshine State in March.

The Players Championship became a PGA Tour event in 1974, known then as the Tournament Players Championship. It originally was not associated with a single course and was going to move around the country. Eventually, though, the Tour moved the event to TPC Sawgrass and its Stadium Course, which was built specifically to host the tournament starting in 1982.

The event took on added prestige over time, with the PGA Tour somewhat overtly promoting the idea that The Players is a major in waiting. It's never taken on that title among fans, but Players winners get the same benefits as winning a major.

In recent memory, the tournament has been moved back to March after a dozen years in May.

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Jack Nicklaus has the most Players wins, taking three of the first five events. At TPC Sawgrass, though, five players have won twice, including Tiger Woods, Fred Couples, Steve Elkington, Davis Love III and Hal Sutton.

The Players Championship format

The Players Championship is played over four days, and there is a cut for the qualifying field.

The field of 144 is reduced to the top 65 players and ties for the final two rounds of the event. At the end of the 72-hole event, the lowest score wins.

The Players Championship host courses

  • 1982–present: TPC Sawgrass (Stadium Course)
  • 1977–1981: Sawgrass Country Club
  • 1976: Inverrary Country Club
  • 1975: Colonial Country Club
  • 1974: Atlanta Country Club

The Players Championship past sponsors

The Players Championship has had a variety of names and sponsors over the years:

  • Tournament Players Championship: 1974-1987
  • The Players Championship: 1988-present

The Players Championship history & results

YEAR WINNER TOT TO PAR BY MONEY
2023 Scottie Scheffler 271 −17 5 $4,500,000
2022 Cam Smith 275 −13 1 $3,600,000
2021 Justin Thomas 274 −14 1 $2,700,000
2020 Not Finished N/A N/A N/A N/A
2019 Rory McIlroy 272 −16 1 $2,250,000
2018 Webb Simpson 270 −18 4 $1,980,000
2017 Kim Si-woo 278 −10 3 $1,890,000
2016 Jason Day 273 −15 4 $1,890,000
2015 Rickie Fowler 276 −12 PO $1,800,000
2014 Martin Kaymer 275 −13 1 $1,800,000
2013 Tiger Woods (2) 275 −13 2 $1,710,000
2012 Matt Kuchar 275 −13 2 $1,710,000
2011 K.J. Choi 275 −13 PO $1,710,000
2010 Tim Clark 272 −16 1 $1,710,000
2009 Henrik Stenson 276 −12 4 $1,710,000
2008 Sergio García 283 −5 PO $1,710,000
2007 Phil Mickelson 277 −11 2 $1,620,000
2006 Stephen Ames 274 −14 6 $1,440,000
2005 Fred Funk 279 −9 1 $1,440,000
2004 Adam Scott 276 −12 1 $1,440,000
2003 Davis Love III (2) 271 −17 6 $1,170,000
2002 Craig Perks 280 −8 2 $1,080,000
2001 Tiger Woods 274 −14 1 $1,080,000
2000 Hal Sutton (2) 278 −10 1 $1,080,000
1999 David Duval 285 −3 2 $900,000
1998 Justin Leonard 278 −10 2 $720,000
1997 Steve Elkington (2) 272 −16 7 $630,000
1996 Fred Couples (2) 270 −18 4 $630,000
1995 Lee Janzen 283 −5 1 $540,000
1994 Greg Norman 264 −24 4 $450,000
1993 Nick Price 270 −18 5 $450,000
1992 Davis Love III 273 −15 4 $324,000
1991 Steve Elkington 276 −12 1 $288,000
1990 Jodie Mudd 278 −10 1 $270,000
1989 Tom Kite 279 −9 1 $243,000
1988 Mark McCumber 273 −15 4 $225,000
1987 Sandy Lyle 274 −14 PO $180,000
1986 John Mahaffey 275 −13 1 $162,000
1985 Calvin Peete 274 −14 3 $162,000
1984 Fred Couples 277 −11 1 $144,000
1983 Hal Sutton 283 −5 1 $126,000
1982 Jerry Pate 280 −8 2 $90,000
1981 Raymond Floyd 285 −3 PO $72,000
1980 Lee Trevino 278 −10 1 $72,000
1979 Lanny Wadkins 283 −5 5 $72,000
1978 Jack Nicklaus (3) 289 1 1 $60,000
1977 Mark Hayes 289 1 2 $60,000
1976 Jack Nicklaus (2) 269 −19 3 $60,000
1975 Al Geiberger 270 −10 3 $50,000
1974 Jack Nicklaus 272 −16 2 $50,000

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