The Players Championship is an annual PGA Tour event held at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. Created in 1974 by PGA Commissioner Deane Beman, it was originally called the Tournament Players Championship before being renamed in 1987. The tournament features 144 golfers, with the field cut to 65 and ties after the second round. Since 1982, it has been played at TPC Sawgrass, known for its challenging layout and the iconic par-3 No. 17 "Island Green." It is often referred to as the "fifth major" due to a purse of $25 million and a winner's share of $4.5 million.
Though not an official major, the Players Championship is among golf’s most prestigious tournaments. The winner earns 80 world ranking points, a three-year invitation to the Masters, three-year exemptions to the U.S. Open and the Open Championship, and an exemption for the next three PGA Championships. A five-year PGA Tour exemption and 600 FedEx Cup points are also awarded if the winner is a PGA Tour member.
Who won the Players Championship in 2025?
Rory McIlroy won the 2025 Players Championship, defeating J.J. Spaun in a three-hole aggregate playoff on TPC Sawgrass' Stadium Course. McIlroy took home $4.5 million of the $25 million purse.
At the par-3 17th, Spaun found water off the tee after McIlroy birdied the first extra hole, the par-5 16th, to take an early lead. Spaun came in second, and Tom Hoge, Akshay Bhatia, and Lucas Glover were tied for third. (via NBC Sports)
Who won the Players Championship in 2024?
Scottie Scheffler won the 2024 Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass Players Stadium Course in Florida for the second time. He took home the $4.5 million winner's share of the $25 million total purse.
Scheffler won the tournament by a shot at 20-under 268. In the 50-year history of the Players Championship, he became the only player to successfully defend the title.
Wyndham Clark tied for second place with a 19-under total, despite a lip out on the 72nd hole that would have forced a playoff. The two other runners-up were Xander Schauffele and Brian Harman.
The Players Championship winners list year-by-year
| Year | Winner | Score | To par | Margin | Winner's share |
| 2025 | Rory McIlroy (2) | 276 | -12 | PO | $4,500,000 |
| 2024 | Scottie Scheffler(2) | 268 | -20 | 1 | $4,500,000 |
| 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 |
Multiple PGA Players Championship champions
Having won three of the first five events, Jack Nicklaus has the most victories. However, seven golfers, namely Tiger Woods, Fred Couples, Steve Elkington, Davis Love III, Hal Sutton, Scottie Scheffler, and Rory McIlroy have won twice at TPC at Sawgrass.
| No. of Wins | Name | Country | Years |
| 3 | Jack Nicklaus | United States | 1974, 1976, 1978 |
| 2 | Fred Couples | United States | 1984, 1996 |
| 2 | Steve Elkington | Australia | 1991, 1997 |
| 2 | Hal Sutton | United States | 1983, 2000 |
| 2 | Davis Love III | United States | 1992, 2003 |
| 2 | Tiger Woods | United States | 2001, 2013 |
| 2 | Scottie Scheffler | United States | 2023, 2024 |
| 2 | Rory McIlroy | United States | 2019, 2025 |
Also Read: The Players Championship Field
How much money does the Players Championship winner get?
The purse and the winner's share of the Players Championship have increased significantly since its initial days. In 1974, the purse was $250,000, with the winner's share being $50,000.
In 2022, the purse of the Players Championship increased to $20 million, with the winner's share totaling $3.6 million going to Cameron Smith that season. The following year, Scottie Scheffler won the event, taking home $4.5 million from the purse of $25 million. In the 2024 season, the same prize money distribution of 18% was followed, with Scheffler winning consecutive titles. The distribution stays the same in 2025 as well.
The entire history of golfers at the event with their season's purse and prize money is as follows:
| Year | Winner | Purse (US$) | Winner's share ($) |
| 2025 | Rory McIlroy (2) | 25,000,000 | 4,500,000 |
| 2024 | Scottie Scheffler(2) | 25,000,000 | 4,500,000 |
| 2023 | Scottie Scheffler | 25,000,000 | 4,500,000 |
| 2022 | Cam Smith | 20,000,000 | 3,600,000 |
| 2021 | Justin Thomas | 15,000,000 | 2,700,000 |
| 2020 | Cancelled: COVID 19 | 15,000,000 | 2,700,000 |
| 2019 | Rory McIlroy | 12,500,000 | 2,250,000 |
| 2018 | Webb Simpson | 11,000,000 | 1,980,000 |
| 2017 | Kim Si woo | 10,500,000 | 1,890,000 |
| 2016 | Jason Day | 10,500,000 | 1,890,000 |
| 2015 | Rickie Fowler | 10,000,000 | 1,800,000 |
| 2014 | Martin Kaymer | 10,000,000 | 1,800,000 |
| 2013 | Tiger Woods(2) | 9,500,000 | 1,710,000 |
| 2012 | Matt Kuchar | 9,500,000 | 1,710,000 |
| 2011 | K. J. Choi | 9,500,000 | 1,710,000 |
| 2010 | Tim Clark | 9,500,000 | 1,710,000 |
| 2009 | Henrik Stenson | 9,500,000 | 1,710,000 |
| 2008 | Sergio García | 9,500,000 | 1,710,000 |
| 2007 | Phil Mickelson | 9,000,000 | 1,620,000 |
| 2006 | Stephen Ames | 8,000,000 | 1,440,000 |
| 2005 | Fred Funk | 8,000,000 | 1,440,000 |
| 2004 | Adam Scott | 8,000,000 | 1,440,000 |
| 2003 | Davis Love III (2) | 6,500,000 | 1,170,000 |
| 2002 | Craig Perks | 6,000,000 | 1,080,000 |
| 2001 | Tiger Woods | 6,000,000 | 1,080,000 |
| 2000 | Hal Sutton (2) | 6,000,000 | 1,080,000 |
| 1999 | David Duval | 5,000,000 | 900,000 |
| 1998 | Justin Leonard | 4,000,000 | 720,000 |
| 1997 | Steve Elkington (2) | 3,500,000 | 630,000 |
| 1996 | Fred Couples (2) | 3,500,000 | 630,000 |
| 1995 | Lee Janzen | 3,000,000 | 540,000 |
| 1994 | Greg Norman | 2,500,000 | 450,000 |
| 1993 | Nick Price | 2,500,000 | 450,000 |
| 1992 | Davis Love III | 1,800,000 | 324,000 |
| 1991 | Steve Elkington | 1,600,000 | 288,000 |
| 1990 | Jodie Mudd | 1,500,000 | 270,000 |
| 1989 | Tom Kite | 1,350,000 | 243,000 |
| 1988 | Mark McCumber | 1,250,000 | 225,000 |
| 1987 | Sandy Lyle | 1,000,000 | 180,000 |
| 1986 | John Mahaffey | 900,000 | 162,000 |
| 1985 | Calvin Peete | 900,000 | 162,000 |
| 1984 | Fred Couples | 800,000 | 144,000 |
| 1983 | Hal Sutton | 700,000 | 126,000 |
| 1982 | Jerry Pate | 500,000 | 90,000 |
| 1981 | Raymond Floyd | 440,000 | 72,000 |
| 1980 | Lee Trevino | 440,000 | 72,000 |
| 1979 | Lanny Wadkins | 440,000 | 72,000 |
| 1978 | Jack Nicklaus (3) | 300,000 | 60,000 |
| 1977 | Mark Hayes | 300,000 | 60,000 |
| 1976 | Jack Nicklaus (2) | 300,000 | 60,000 |
| 1975 | Al Geiberger | 250,000 | 50,000 |
| 1974 | Jack Nicklaus | 250,000 | 50,000 |
FAQs on The Players Championship winners
A. The Players Championship is held annually at the TPC at Sawgrass Stadium Course in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.
A. Despite not being officially recognized as a major, the Players championship is marketed as the "fifth major" due to its larger purse and stronger field.
A. Rory McIlroy won the 2025 Players Championship, defeating J.J. Spaun in the three-hole aggregate playoffs. They tied at the score of 276 under 12.
A. The winner gets $4.5 million, a three-year invitation to the Masters Tournament, three-year exemptions to the U.S. Open and the Open Championship, and more.
