Austrian golfer Sepp Straka shares the lead after day one at TPC Sawgrass, relying on exceptional iron play and putting to overcome accuracy off the tee.
Tag: The Players Championship
Swedish star Ludvig Åberg fires nine-under round to surge to 12-under par lead after 36 holes at Florida’s premier event.
Rory McIlroy wins one of the most prestigious titles on the PGA Tour—along with an unprecedented prize purse. A staggering $25 million was up for grabs at the Players Championship 2025 at TPC Sawgrass, making it the richest regular-season tournament on the circuit. McIlroy 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.
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. Before the tournament Sepp Straka sat 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.
| Finish | Player | Prize Money |
| 1 | Rory McIlroy | $4,500,000 |
| 2 | JJ Spaun | $2,725,000 |
| T3 | Tom Hoge | $1,325,000 |
| T3 | Akshay Bhatia | $1,325,000 |
| T3 | Lucas Glover | $1,325,000 |
| T6 | Danny Walker | $843,750 |
| T6 | Corey Conners | $843,750 |
| T6 | Bud Cauley | $843,750 |
| 9 | Robert MacIntyre | $731,250 |
| T10 | Collin Morikawa | $656,250 |
| T10 | Davis Thompson | $656,250 |
| T12 | Patrick Cantlay | $556,250 |
| T12 | Jake Knapp | $556,250 |
| T14 | Aaron Rai | $418,750 |
| T14 | Denny McCarthy | $418,750 |
| T14 | Tommy Fleetwood | $418,750 |
| T14 | Sam Ryder | $418,750 |
| T14 | Sepp Straka | $418,750 |
| T14 | Alex Smalley | $418,750 |
| T20 | Shane Lowry | $240,250 |
| T20 | Ryan Fox | $240,250 |
| T20 | Keegan Bradley | $240,250 |
| T20 | Joe Highsmith | $240,250 |
| T20 | Matt McCarty | $240,250 |
| T20 | Daniel Berger | $240,250 |
| T20 | Scottie Scheffler | $240,250 |
| T20 | Min Woo Lee | $240,250 |
| T20 | Max McGreevy | $240,250 |
| T20 | Stephan Jaeger | $240,250 |
| T30 | Russell Henley | $163,750 |
| T30 | Harris English | $163,750 |
| T30 | Will Zalatoris | $163,750 |
| T33 | Rico Hoey | $136,250 |
| T33 | Kurt Kitayama | $136,250 |
| T33 | Justin Thomas | $136,250 |
| T33 | Taylor Moore | $136,250 |
| T33 | J.T. Poston | $136,250 |
| T38 | Si Woo Kim | $111,250 |
| T38 | Justin Lower | $111,250 |
| T38 | Davis Riley | $111,250 |
| T38 | Taylor Pendrith | $111,250 |
| T42 | Hayden Springer | $81,688 |
| T42 | Matt Kuchar | $81,688 |
| T42 | Billy Horschel | $81,688 |
| T42 | Jesper Svensson | $81,688 |
| T42 | Mac Meissner | $81,688 |
| T42 | Tom Kim | $81,688 |
| T42 | Chris Kirk | $81,688 |
| T42 | Ryan Gerard | $81,688 |
| T50 | Beau Hossler | $63,500 |
| T50 | Jacob Bridgeman | $63,500 |
| T52 | Byeong Hun An | $60,750 |
| T52 | Sahith Theegala | $60,750 |
| T54 | Matthieu Pavon | $58,250 |
| T54 | Carson Young | $58,250 |
| T54 | Charley Hoffman | $58,250 |
| T54 | Camilo Villegas | $58,250 |
| T54 | Joel Dahmen | $58,250 |
| 59 | Jordan Spieth | $56,750 |
| 60 | Jhonattan Vegas | $56,250 |
| T61 | Trey Mullinax | $54,500 |
| T61 | Cameron Young | $54,500 |
| T61 | Sungjae Im | $54,500 |
| T61 | Will Chandler | $54,500 |
| T61 | Chandler Phillips | $54,500 |
| T61 | Austin Eckroat | $54,500 |
| 67 | Emiliano Grillo | $52,750 |
| 68 | Isaiah Salinda | $52,250 |
| T69 | Sami Valimaki | $51,500 |
| T69 | C.T. Pan | $51,500 |
| 71 | Rickie Fowler | $50,750 |
| 72 | Xander Schauffele | $50,250 |
The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass is the most important tournament on the PGA Tour. Accordingly, the US Tour pays out the most prize money at the so-called “flagship tournament” in Florida. This year, the prize money is – once again – at a record level and significantly higher than the financial contributions of the majors. The Players Championship 2023 awards prize money of 25 million US dollars.
Players Championship prize money: PGA Tour draws level with LIV
This increases the purse by five million compared to the previous year, when Cameron Smith took home 3.6 million US dollars. In 2022, the prize money had already risen from 15 to 20 million. The PGA Tour saw itself forced to distribute significantly more prize money in the face of threatening competition from LIV Golf. The Players is one of the new Designated Events, which are endowed with an average of 20 million US dollars. As the flagship event, however, the “fifth major” stands out once again and draws level with the competition.
The tournaments of the LIV Golf League are also worth 25 million dollars each. One fifth of the prize money is intended for the team ranking of the Saudi League, the rest is paid to all 48 players in the individual ranking. At TPC Sawgrass, however, as usual only the 65 best and tied players who make the cut after two rounds will receive a share of the opulent prize money (see table below).
Fifth place earns seven figures
The winner of the Players Championship 2023 will walk away from Ponte Vedra Beach with a massive 4.5 million US dollars, while the runner-up will receive even more prize money (2.75 million) than, for example, Scottie Scheffler earned at the US Masters 2022. Even the fifth-placed player can be happy about more than one million US dollars.
By comparison, the major tournaments awarded significantly less prize money than the Players Championship or the new Designated Events in addition to the prestigious trophies last year. The US Masters 2022 offered 15 million US dollars, as did the PGA Championship 2022. The US Open 2022 gave the players a total of 17.5 million, the British Open 14 million US dollars. The prize money of the majors is typically only announced shortly before the respective tournaments. This year, the pots are likely to be bigger as well.
Prize money breakdown of the Players Championship 2023
| Rank | Prize money ($) |
|---|---|
| 1. | 4,500,000 |
| 2. | 2,725,000 |
| 3. | 1,725,000 |
| 4. | 1,225,000 |
| 5. | 1,025,000 |
| 6. | 906,250 |
| 7. | 843,750 |
| 8. | 781,250 |
| 9. | 731,250 |
| 10. | 681,250 |
| 11. | 631,250 |
| 12. | 581,250 |
| 13. | 531,250 |
| 14. | 481,250 |
| 15. | 456,250 |
| 16. | 431,250 |
| 17. | 406,250 |
| 18. | 381,250 |
| 19. | 356,250 |
| 20. | 331,250 |
| 21. | 306,250 |
| 22. | 281,250 |
| 23. | 261,250 |
| 24. | 241,250 |
| 25. | 221,250 |
| 26. | 201,250 |
| 27. | 193,750 |
| 28. | 186,250 |
| 29. | 178,750 |
| 30. | 171,250 |
| 31. | 163,750 |
| 32. | 156,250 |
| 33. | 148,750 |
| 34. | 142,500 |
| 35. | 136,250 |
| 36. | 130,000 |
| 37. | 123,750 |
| 38. | 118,750 |
| 39. | 113,750 |
| 40. | 108,750 |
| 41. | 103,750 |
| 42. | 98,750 |
| 43. | 93,750 |
| 44. | 88,750 |
| 45. | 83,750 |
| 46. | 78,750 |
| 47. | 73,750 |
| 48. | 69,750 |
| 49. | 66,250 |
| 50. | 64,250 |
| 51. | 62,750 |
| 52. | 61,250 |
| 53. | 60,250 |
| 54. | 59,250 |
| 55. | 58,750 |
| 56. | 58,250 |
| 57. | 57,750 |
| 58. | 57,250 |
| 59. | 56,750 |
| 60. | 56,250 |
| 61. | 55,750 |
| 62. | 55,250 |
| 63. | 54,750 |
| 64. | 54,250 |
| 65. | 53,750 |
The Players Championship was marked by weather interruptions and windy misses. For Joel Dahmen, Viktor Hovland and Daniel Berger, however, their fourth round was about something else. Berger was still about 210 yards from the green on the par-5 16th hole and, four shots off the lead, wanted to take his chance at an eagle. However, his iron shot slipped and landed in the water. This everyday situation led to a heated discussion between the three flight partners.
Where did the ball go into the water? Three players – three opinions
Immediately after his miss, Berger fretted: “That’s a water ball.” After a relatively straight start, the ball flew with a slice (right turn) into the water hazard of the 16th hole. This flight curve subsequently also led to a heated discussion with his teammates Joel Dahmen and Viktor Hovland.
For Daniel Berger, the ball clearly crossed the boundary of the water hazard near the green, while Hovland and Dahmen saw the entry point much further back. The difference between the players was to be decided by an rules official and the analysis of a video recording. But official Gary Young decided he would stay out of the discussion and that the video footage that was consulted was also inconclusive.
Ultimately, the players decided to compromise and Berger dropped the ball between the two points under discussion. “I still think the drop is bad,” he clarified several times.
Divided opinions also on the net
Opinions on this debate are divided not only within the flight, but also on social networks. Some users, for example, stand by Hovland’s and Dahmen’s statement, while just as many consider Berger’s drop point to be the right position.
Viktor Hovland is one of the quietest players on tour, according to Joel Beall, editor at Golf Digest. His conclusion, “if he [editor’s note Viktor Hovland] has a problem with your drop, it’s a bad drop.”
Hovland himself said after his round, “It looked like it kind of started at the pin and then cut off toward the end because the wind was coming from the left a little bit, too.” He went on to say, “it ended up being somewhat of a compromise. He dropped a little bit further up than Joel and I kind of thought, but we ended up making a compromise, and that’s where he hit it from.”
One user went even further, thanking Hovland and Dahmen for “protecting the field and maintaining the integrity of the event.”
On the other side are Berger’s supporters. The shot tracker from the PGA broadcast is often used as a basis for argument. On this, it looks as if the ball is flying just before the green in the direction of the water hazard.
The comments go on to say, “the player knows best himself, if Dahmen doubts that, then he also doubts Berger’s integrity.”
The conclusion to the debate at the Players Championship
In the end, no clear answer can be found from pictures alone. It was statement against statement and the compromise found was probably the most de-escalating variant, although not a satisfactory decision for all players. For all players involved, however, it was clear after the round that they did not seek confrontation for personal reasons, but only to ensure compliance with the rules.
Keegan Bradley managed to stay one-under-par on the third day and his second round of the Players Championship. He is proud of “one of the best rounds” of his career, but despite his outstanding performance in the face of difficult weather conditions, the result could have been even better.
Bizarre rule wording causes penalty strokes
Keegan Bradley had a three-meter birdie putt in front of him and marked his ball with a ball marker for it. So far so normal, but the strong gusts of wind caused his ball to roll away. For Bradley and his teammates, this was a clear situation. His ball was marked and therefore he was allowed to put it back in its original place.
Only a few holes later – Bradley started from tee 10 – did chief referee Gary Young award two penalty strokes to the American. The explanation is found in the wording of Rule 9.4 a. Here is an explicit movement described, first mark the ball, then pick it up and the subsequent again put down at the same place is considered as an official mark of the ball.
Players Championship: Bradley is visibly surprised
For the American, this subtlety of the rule is not new, however, he thought it had since been changed in favor of simplicity. “Everyone in my group, and I guarantee most of the entire field, thought the USGA changed the rule to simplify it,” Bradley said. “Put your coin down, that’s where your ball is. So put my coin down, the ball moved, a huge gust of wind came up.
“I looked at the guys in my group,” he continued, “and we all said, yep, the coin was down first, all good. Didn’t think about it again until Gary came up and spoke to me on 2, and proud of the way I handled that because that was tough news, especially with some tough holes in front of me.”
The TPC Sawgrass in Florida presents some challenges to the best golfers in the world. Designed by legendary golf course architects Pete Dye and his wife Alice, the Players Stadium Course demands the utmost concentration and golfing skill from the professionals on the PGA Tour. At the Players Championship 2022, too, it is a fine line between joy and frustration. We compile the best shots of the mega tournament (20 million US dollars prize money).
Day 3 brings wind and troubleshots
The conditions on the third day of the Players Championship do not provide for an excess of outstanding golf shots. Rather, the professionals are struggling with gusts of over 40 kilometers per hour.
Dustin Johnson showed his skills again on his last holes and placed the ball from more than 190 meters only centimeters next to the hole.
Jason Kokrak gave himself a gift on the 15th hole of his second round with a bunker shot that would probably be the envy of any golfer.
Only limited golf on day 2 of the Players
On the second day, the continuous rain over Florida gave the golfers a hard time. Before the first round was finally abandoned due to unplayability of the course and approaching thunderstorms, there were still some good shots to watch. Brive Garnett closed the gap to the top with this eagle, immediately followed by the end.
Kevin Kisner appears in this list for the second time. This time the American scores an eagle from the bunker at the 16th.
Cameron Young holes out for birdie.
Jordan Spieth scored his first birdie at the “fifth” major on hole 7 with this long putt.
PGA Tour: The best shots on day 1 of the Players Championship
Kevin Kisner, four-time winner on the PGA Tour, shone in round 1 of the Players Championship with this successful putt from over 16 metres from the front green.
Bad weather caused long interruptions on the first day, but Tom Hoge took advantage of the soft greens and holed the first eagle of the day on the second hole. After the first round had to be interrupted in the evening due to darkness, the American was even in the lead with six-under-par.
Anirban Lahiri also holed an eagle, sinking the ball from 125 yards (approx. 114 metres) on hole 6. The Indian brought a total of five-under 65 into the clubhouse.
Gary Woodland felt the ups and downs of golf. His first chip on the par-4 7th hole did not make it onto the green and rolled back again. At the second attempt, the 2019 US Open champion showed that he can do it better and saved the par in impressive fashion.
It is The Players Championship time! The world’s best golfers meet on Ponte Vedra Beach on Thursday, for a very exciting week. The “unofficial fifth” major tournament will take place in Florida, and this year the prize money is higher than ever before.
A total of $20 M will be paid out to the tournament participants. That is five million more than last year. Read this article to find out how the prize money has increased year after year, even though “The Players” is not one of the four major tournaments.
PGA Tour not only increases the Players Championship prize money
That golf is only played by the “rich and famous” is an outdated cliché. The sport has long since developed more and more into a popular sport and offers everyone the opportunity to try it out. Looking at professional sports, however, one quickly realizes that a lot of prestige and, above all, money are at stake.
A good example of this is the prize money on the PGA Tour, which has reached a new record high this year alone. Jay Monahan, commissioner of the PGA Tour, stated at the beginning of the season that prize money for 2022 will increase “from $367 million to $427 million.”
In particular, the upcoming Players Championship in Florida will benefit. While the total prize money was $15 million last year, it has now been increased by another five million. From March 10-13, golf’s elite will meet at TPC Sawgrass to determine the winner of the PGA Tour’s highest-paying golf event.
It’s @THEPLAYERSChamp week! pic.twitter.com/3KFK6VZKHl
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 7, 2022
The Players Championship reward over the years
When the Players Championship was first held in 1974, the total prize money was $250,000. The winner, Jack Nicklaus, received $60,000 for his victory at the time. Over the years, the prize money continued to increase. In 1987, for example, the “pot” cracked the one million dollar mark for the first time.
Another milestone was certainly the win of the tournament by Hal Sutton in 2000, who was able to collect over $1M for winning the tournament. Justin Thomas enjoyed a victory bonus of 2.7 million dollars in 2021. That sum will be surpassed again this year.
The Players Championship’ 22 reward
The winner of this year’s Players Championship will receive 3.6 million dollars alone. This means that the bonus for the winner has increased by an incredible sixty-fold from the beginning.
However, that prize money in golf as a whole has increased many times over since the 1970s. And that is not the end of the line. The PGA Tour already announced that the prize money of its flagship tournament will increase to $25 million by 2025.
For instance, the following table shows the win bonuses of the top 5 for the upcoming Players Championship.
| Ranking | Prize Money |
|---|---|
| 1. | $3,600,000 |
| 2. | $2,180,000 |
| 3. | $1,380,000 |
| 4. | $980,000 |
| 5. | $820,000 |
Players Championship eclipses major tournaments
Although the tournament at TPC Sawgrass is not one of the majors, it has something over the four competitions. It is the highest paying event on the PGA Tour. Compared to the Masters, which takes place in about a month at Augusta National Golf Club. The Players Championship offers near twice as much.
According to media reports, the premiums for the upcoming Masters amount to the $11.5 million from last year, while the Players Championship boasts as little as $20 million. Last year’s Masters winner Hideki Matsuyama’s victory bonus also represents just about half of this year’s Players Championship winner, at around $2 million.
Major comparisons
The 2021 British Open was also listed at a total of $11.5 million, while the PGA Championship gave $12 million and the US Open $12.5 million. Concrete figures for prize money in 2022 are not yet available.
The thought is that the PGA Tour is pushing up the Players Championship prize money to motivate major tournaments, over which Tour has no control, to follow suit.
Golf fans have plenty to look forward to when the balls start flying again at Ponte Vedra Beach on Thursday and the winner is determined from the field of prominent participants. The golfers themselves are also likely to be full of anticipation, after all the winner can expect not only 600 FedEx Cup points and a lot of prestige, but also the tempting sum of 3.6 million euros
Last week, Bryson DeChambeau could not start at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. The American now also has to cancel his participation at The Players Championship of the PGA Tour. DeChambeau is out for at least another week and his comeback continues to be delayed. This means that the current number 12 in the world will not be teeing it up in Ponte Vedra alongside Phil Mickelson and Harris English.
Players Championship without Bryson DeChambeau
Due to persistent discomfort in his left wrist, DeChambeau will still not be able to return to the golf course this week either. Hayden Buckley will play on the spot of the 28-year-old star at the Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass.
THE PLAYERS Championship field updates
2022 Puerto Rico Open winner Ryan Brehm (in) > Hayden Buckley (out)
Bryson DeChambeau WD (out) > Hayden Buckley (in)
First alternate: Taylor Moore pic.twitter.com/V8BVW6rhF2
— PGA TOUR Communications (@PGATOURComms) March 7, 2022
Another setback on his way to a comeback. After competing in the Saudi International on the Asian Tour in February, he forced to withdraw from the tournament after the first round due to wrist and hip problems. His last participation in a PGA Tour tournament this year dates back to January.
DeChambeau only made three tournament appearances in the 2022 calendar year, and the California native’s return is not clear due to his wrist and hip ailments.
Last year, he finished in a tie for third place at the Players Championship. Thus, the American celebrated his best result with the third participation in Ponte Vedra.
Is the Masters also in doubt for Bryson DeChambeau?
Because Bryson DeChambeau does not show fit enough to return to the golf course this week. The question arises whether the upcoming tournaments are yet to decide for the American.
In particular, of course, the Masters of Augusta is in the spotlight. When the elite of golf meets at Augusta National Golf Club from April 7-10, 2022, Bryson DeChambeau would certainly like to be part of the field.
After all, the first of the four major tournaments will offer around 2 million US dollars in prize money and a lot of prestige.
PGA Tour officials released a statement yesterday regarding the cancelation of The Players Championship as well as tournaments across all Tours through the Valero Texas Open.
PGA Tour: Official statement on coronavirus and the cancelation of upcoming events:
“It is with regret that we are announcing the cancellation of THE PLAYERS Championship.
We have also decided to cancel all PGA TOUR events – across all of our Tours – in the coming weeks, through the Valero Texas Open.
We have pledged from the start to be responsible, thoughtful and transparent with our decision process. We did everything possible to create a safe environment for our players in order to continue the event throughout the weekend, and we were endeavoring to give our fans a much-needed respite from the current climate. But at this point – and as the situation continues to rapidly change – the right thing to do for our players and our fans is to pause.
We will be prepared to answer additional questions on Friday at 8 a.m.”
PGA Tour Communications
Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida
March 12, 2020