Players Championship prize money: How much each player earns at TPC Sawgrass
The purse at the PGA Tour’s flagship event, won by Scottie Scheffler in 2023, has increased significantly in recent years
The Players Championship, what many regard as golf’s fifth major, was played for the 50th time in 2024.
Jack Nicklaus won the first edition of The Players in 1974 and Jerry Pate famously won the event when it was held at the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass for the first time in 1982.
The famous course has evolved since then with the par-3 17th hole becoming one of the most iconic sights in the entire sport. The prize purse has also evolved.
50 years ago, the Golden Bear won $50,000 which was the lion’s share of the $250,000 pot. The Players Championship prize money 2024 pot stands at a mammoth $25 million purse and is the most lucrative, most financially rewarding event on the PGA Tour.
World No.1 Scottie Scheffler found out what it was like to win the tour’s most expensive fixture in 2023 (away from the Tour Championship) when romping home by five shots. He picked up the winner’s cheque of $4.5 million for his troubles as well, and went on to do the exact same in 2024!
This constituted a significant increase from the previous year. Cameron Smith banked $3.6 million for winning the golden Players trophy in the same year he won The Open Championship. The 2023 Players Championship was a $20 million purse.
Here’s how the Players Championship prize money payout has increased in the last five years at Ponte Vedra, as well as this year’s full rundown…
Win: Scottie Scheffler – $4,500,000
T2: Wyndham Clark – $1,891,666.67
T2: Brian Harman – $1,891,666.67
T2: Xander Schauffele – $1,891,666.67
5: Matt Fitzpatrick – $1,025,000
T6: Si Woo Kim – $875,000
T6: Hideki Matsuyama – $875,000
8: Ludvig Aberg – $781,250
T9: Sahith Theegala – $706,250
T9: Maverick McNealy – $706,250
T11: Joel Dahmen – $606,250
T11: Taylor Motgomery – $506,250
T13: Corey Conners – $489,583.33
T13: Christiaan Bezuidenhout – $489,583.33
T13: Nate Lashley – $489,583.33
T16: Sam Ryder – $406,250
T16: Sepp Straka – $406,250
T16: Doug Ghim – $406,250
T19: Harris English – $285,535.71
T19: Shane Lowry – $285,535.71
T19: Dylan Wu – $285,535.71
T19: Kurt Kitayama – $285,535.71
T19: Alex Noren – $285,535.71
T19: Adam Schenk – $285,535.71
T19: Rory McIlroy – $285,535.71
T26: Mackenzie Hughes – $186,250
T26: Chris Kirk – $186,250
T26: Nick Taylor – $186,250
T26: Matti Schmid – $186,250
T26: Matt NeSmith – $186,250
T31: Ben Martin – $152,812.50
T31: Mark Hubbard – $152,812.50
T31: Sungjae Im – $152,812.50
T31: Taylor Moore – $152,812.50
T35: Denny McCarthy – $119.285.71
T35: Jimmy Stanger – $119.285.71
T35: Lee Hodges – $119.285.71
T35: Tommy Fleetwood – $119.285.71
T35: Aaron Rai – $119.285.71
T35: Jason Day – $119.285.71
T35: Brice Garnett – $119.285.71
T42: Grayson Murray – $93,750
T42: David Lipsky – $93,750
T42: C.T. Pan – $93,750
T45: Adam Scott – $70,062.50
T45: Ryan Moore – $70,062.50
T45: Jake Knapp – $70,062.50
T45: Collin Morikawa – $70,062.50
T45: Tony Finau – $70,062.50
T45: Austin Eckroat – $70,062.50
T45: Sam Burns – $70,062.50
T45: J.T. Poston – $70,062.50
53: Andrew Putnam – $60,250
T54: Min Woo Lee – $57,500
T54: Francesco Molinari – $57,500
T54: Martin Laird – $57,500
T54: Zac Blair – $57,500
T54: Cameron Young – $57,500
T54: Sami Valimaki – $57,500
T54: Tom Hoge – $57,500
T54: Emiliano Grillo – $57,500
T62: Thomas Detry – $55,000
T62: Viktor Hovland – $55,000
T64: Seamus Power – $53,500
T64: Max Homa – $53,500
T64: Tyler Duncan – $53,500
T64: J.J. Spaun – $53,500
T68: Rickie Fowler – $51,500
T68: Patrick Cantlay – $51,500
T68: Chan Kim – $51,500
T68: Peter Malnati – $51,500
72: Gary Woodland – $50,250
73: Keith Mitchell – $49,750
Prize money for The Players Championship
2023
Purse: $25,000,000
Winner’s share: $4,500,000 (Scottie Scheffler)
2022
Purse: $20,000,000
Winner’s share: $3,600,000 (Cameron Smith)
2021
Purse: $15,000,000
Winner’s share: $2,700,000 (Justin Thomas)
2020
No tournament
2019
Purse: $12,000,000
Winner’s share: $2,250,000 (Rory McIlroy)
2018
Purse: $11,000,000
Winner’s share: $1,890,000 (Webb Simpson)
2017
Purse: $10,500,000
Winner’s share: $1,890,000 (Si-woo Kim)
And a selection of payouts in the competition’s history…
2007
Purse: $9,000,000
Winner’s share: $1,620,000 (Phil Mickelson)
2000
Purse: $6,000,000
Winner’s share: $1,080,000 (Hal Sutton)
1993
Purse: $2,500,000
Winner’s share: $450,000 (Nick Price)
1987
Purse: $1,000,000
Winner’s share: $180,000 (Sandy Lyle)
1982
Purse: $500,000
Winner’s share: $90,000 (Jerry Pate)
1974
Purse: $250,000
Winner’s share: $50,000 (Jack Nicklaus)
NOW READ: Rattlesnakes and accidental island greens: The fascinating tale of how Sawgrass was built
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Matt Chivers
Now on the wrong side of 25, Matt has been playing golf since the age of 13 and was largely inspired to take up the game by countless family members who played golf during his childhood.
Matt is a member at Royal Cinque Ports in Deal playing off a 5 handicap, just a pitching wedge away from his hometown of Dover where he went to school and grew up. He has previously been a member at Etchinghill and Walmer and Kingsdown in Kent.
Having studied history at the University of Liverpool, Matt went on to pass his NCTJ Exams in Manchester a year later to fulfil his lifelong ambition of becoming a journalist. He picked up work experience along the way at places such as the Racing Post, the Independent, Sportsbeat and the Lancashire Evening Post.
Matt joined NCG in February 2023 and is the website’s main source of tour news, features and opinion. He has reported live from events such as The Open, the Ryder Cup and The Players Championship, having also interviewed and spent time with some of the biggest names in the sport.
Consuming tour golf on what is a 24/7 basis, you can come to Matt for informed views on the game and the latest updates on the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, LPGA Tour, Ladies European Tour and LIV Golf.
What’s in Matt’s bag: Cobra LTDx LS driver, Cobra LTDx 3-wood, TaylorMade P7MC irons, Ping Glide 4.0 wedges, Odyssey putter.
