The opening round of the Players Championship 2025 at TPC Sawgrass is in the books, and 144 of the world’s best golfers are battling for one of the most prestigious titles on the PGA Tour—along with an unprecedented prize purse. A staggering $25 million is up for grabs, making it the richest regular-season tournament on the circuit. The champion will walk away with an eye-watering $4.5 million, while the runner-up collects $2.725 million and the third-place finisher $1.725 million. Even a top-10 finish secures a payout of at least $681,250, and those finishing as far back as 40th place will still pocket a six-figure sum.
Prize money at the Players Championship has increased dramatically over the years. When Jack Nicklaus won the inaugural event in 1974, he pocketed just $50,000. Today, that amount wouldn’t rank inside the top 40.
As always, the tournament is contested on the iconic Players Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass. The layout is best known for its signature par-3 17th hole, where the island green has played a decisive role in countless finishes.
Scottie Scheffler Eyes Historic Three-Peat at the Players Championship 2025
Scottie Scheffler enters the week as the two-time defending champion, seeking to become the first player to win three consecutive Players Championship titles. No golfer in tournament history has accomplished the feat.
Last year, Scheffler mounted a dramatic comeback in the final round, overturning a five-shot deficit with a closing 64 to defend his title. He arrives at TPC Sawgrass as the clear favorite, but the field is stacked with contenders.
FedExCup Points and Career Incentives
Beyond the massive prize money, 750 FedExCup points are on offer for the winner, a boost in the season-long race to the Tour Championship. Currently, Sepp Straka sits atop the standings, but a strong performance in Sawgrass could dramatically shake up the leaderboard.
Victory at The Players also comes with long-term perks: a five-year PGA Tour exemption, a guaranteed spot in all four majors for the next three years, and an invitation to The Sentry, where the year’s tournament winners kick off the new season. The champion also claims 80 Official World Golf Ranking points, just 20 points shy of what the four major winners will receive this year.
| Pos. | Percentage | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 18% | $4,500,000.00 |
| 2 | 10.90% | $2,725,000.00 |
| 3 | 6.90% | $1,725,000.00 |
| 4 | 4.90% | $1,225,000.00 |
| 5 | 4.10% | $1,025,000.00 |
| 6 | 3.63% | $906,250.00 |
| 7 | 3.38% | $843,750.00 |
| 8 | 3.13% | $781,250.00 |
| 9 | 2.93% | $731,250.00 |
| 10 | 2.73% | $681,250.00 |
| 11 | 2.53% | $631,250.00 |
| 12 | 2.33% | $581,250.00 |
| 13 | 2.13% | $531,250.00 |
| 14 | 1.93% | $481,250.00 |
| 15 | 1.83% | $456,250.00 |
| 15 | 1.83% | $456,250.00 |
| 16 | 1.73% | $431,250.00 |
| 17 | 1.63% | $406,250.00 |
| 18 | 1.53% | $381,250.00 |
| 19 | 1.43% | $356,250.00 |
| 20 | 1.33% | $331,250.00 |
| 21 | 1.23% | $306,250.00 |
| 22 | 1.13% | $281,250.00 |
| 23 | 1.05% | $261,250.00 |
| 24 | 0.97% | $241,250.00 |
| 25 | 0.89% | $221,250.00 |
| 26 | 0.81% | $201,250.00 |
| 27 | 0.78% | $193,750.00 |
| 28 | 0.75% | $186,250.00 |
| 29 | 0.72% | $178,750.00 |
| 30 | 0.69% | $171,250.00 |
| 31 | 0.66% | $163,750.00 |
| 32 | 0.63% | $156,250.00 |
| 33 | 0.60% | $148,750.00 |
| 34 | 0.57% | $142,500.00 |
| 35 | 0.55% | $136,250.00 |
| 36 | 0.52% | $130,000.00 |
| 37 | 0.50% | $123,750.00 |
| 38 | 0.48% | $118,750.00 |
| 39 | 0.46% | $113,750.00 |
| 40 | 0.44% | $108,750.00 |
| 41 | 0.42% | $103,750.00 |
| 42 | 0.40% | $98,750.00 |
| 43 | 0.38% | $93,750.00 |
| 44 | 0.36% | $88,750.00 |
| 45 | 0.34% | $83,750.00 |
| 46 | 0.32% | $78,750.00 |
| 47 | 0.30% | $73,750.00 |
| 48 | 0.28% | $69,750.00 |
| 49 | 0.27% | $66,250.00 |
| 50 | 0.26% | $64,250.00 |
| 51 | 0.25% | $62,750.00 |
| 52 | 0.25% | $61,250.00 |
| 53 | 0.24% | $60,250.00 |
| 54 | 0.24% | $59,250.00 |
| 55 | 0.24% | $58,750.00 |
| 56 | 0.23% | $58,250.00 |
| 57 | 0.23% | $57,750.00 |
| 58 | 0.23% | $57,250.00 |
| 59 | 0.23% | $56,750.00 |
| 60 | 0.23% | $56,250.00 |
| 61 | 0.22% | $55,750.00 |
| 62 | 0.22% | $55,250.00 |
| 63 | 0.22% | $54,750.00 |
| 64 | 0.22% | $54,250.00 |
| 65 | 0.22% | $53,750.00 |