The third stop on the Florida Swing is to Ponte Vedra Beach for the 49th Players Championship. Originating in 1974 as the “Tournament Players Championship”, Jack Nicklaus won the inaugural event. The Golden Bear would go on to win two more in 1976, and 1978.
In 1988, “Tournament” was dropped from the name and has since been referred to as “The Players Championship.”
Since 1982, TPC Sawgrass, Stadium Course has hosted The Players Championship. TPC Sawgrass features an Island Green on the 17th hole, one of the most iconic settings on the PGA Tour.
Often referred to at the “5th Major” due to its strength of field and the enormous purse contested for each year.
At, $25 million the Players features the largest purse on the PGA Tour, even larger than the purses for the Major championships.
Also a designated event on the PGA Tour, this year’s purse was increased by $5 million, up from $20 million in 2022.
Last year’s winner received $3.6 million, and the winner this year will pocket $4.5 million.
The, defending champion, 2022 winner Cam Smith (5th OWGR) is among several previous winners players that will not be in the field this weekend.
Phil Mickelson (2008) and Sergio Garcia (2007) joined LIV Golf in 2022, and were subsequently suspended by the PGA Tour.
Additional players in the top-25 of the OWGR will not be in the field due to their suspension from the PGA Tour after defecting to LIV Golf.
In addition to Smith (5th), Joaquin Niemann (25th) will also be absent from The Players Championship due to his LIV Golf affiliation.
Tiger Woods has won three times at TPC Sawgrass. Once in 1994, when TPC Sawgrass hosted the U.S. Amateur, and in 2001 and 2013 he won The Players Championship. Woods announced that he will not be in the field this week.
It appears that Tiger will not compete prior to the Masters in early April.
African American Golfer, Calvin Peete won the 1985 Tournament Players Championship; one of his thirteen career victories on the PGA Tour.
Top Players in the field (OWGR Top-25)
| Jon Rahm (1st) | Scottie Scheffler (2nd) | Rory McIlroy (3rd) |
| Patrick Cantlay (4th) | Xander Schauffele (6th) | Max Homa (7th) |
| Will Zalatoris (8th) | Justin Thomas (9th) | Collin Morikawa (10th) |
| Viktor Hovland (11th) | Matt Fitzpatrick (12th) | Tony Finau (13th) |
| Sam Burns (14th) | Jordan Spieth (15th) | Cameron Young (16th) |
| Tom Kim (17th) | Sungjae Im (18th) | Kurt Kitayama (19th) |
| Keegan Bradley (20th) | Shane Lowry (21st) | Billy Horshel (22nd) |
| Hideki Matsuyama (23rd) | Tyrrell Hatton (23rd) |
Players to watch
Tony Finau
This will be Tony’s eighth trip to TPC Sawgrass for the Players Championship. In seven previous entries Tony has missed the cut four times.
His best finish came in 2019 when he placed 22nd.
In eight events so far this season Tony has seven top-25 finishes, and three top-10s.
His best finish was a win at the Cadence Bank Houston Open back in November of last year.
Tony finished last week’s Arnold Palmer Invitation in a tie for 24th place.
Finau is currently ranked 8th in the FedEx Cup Standing, and 13th in the OWGR.
Sahith Theegala
This will be Sahith’s second trip to TPC Sawgrass for The Players Championship. His first trip in 2022 resulted in a missed cut.
In twelve events so far this PGA Tour Season, Sahith has seven top-25 finishes with five of those being top-10s.
In official PGA Tour events Theegala’s best finish was a tie for second place at the RSM Classic.
Sahith’s lone victory this season came at the unofficial QBE Shootout with partner Tom Hoge.
The QBE Shootout is an unofficial event on the PGA Tour, meaning that the event is sanctioned by the PGA Tour, but does not count in official records.
Sahith is currently ranked 11th in the FedEx Cup Standings, and 11th in the OWGR.
JJ Spaun
This will be JJ’s fifth trip to TPC Sawgrass for the Players Championship. In four previous trips JJ has yet to make the cut.
In 12 events so far this season JJ has one top-10, six top-25s, and nine cuts made.
JJ’s lone top-10 came at the Sentry Tournament of Champions when he finished in a tie for 5th place.
His most recent event was last week’s Arnold Palmer Invitation where he missed the cut.
JJ is currently ranked 46th in the FedEx Cup Rankings, and 72nd in the OWGR.
Joseph Bramlett
This is Joseph’s second trip to TPC Sawgrass for the Players Championship.
His first trip in 2022 resulted in a missed cut.
So far this PGAT season, in thirteen events, Joesph has four top-25s, which includes two top-10s.
His best result this season was a tie for 7th at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am back in February.
Tee Times
Finau: Thursday – 7:34 AM; Friday – 12:34 PM
Theegala: Thursday – 1:07 PM; Friday – 8:07 AM
Spaun: Thursday – 8:07 AM; Friday – 1:07 AM
Bramlett: Thursday – 1:51 AM; Friday – 8:51 AM
How to watch
Thursday (3/9) & Friday (3/10): 1 PM – 7 PM (Golf Channel)
Saturday (3/11): 1 PM to 7 PM (NBC)
Sunday (3/12): 1 PM to 6 PM (NBC)