Chris Condon/PGA/Getty ImagesEmerging onto the golfing scene back in 1974 under the banner of the Tournament Players Championship, The Players Tournament has been quite the spectacle. Over the years, it’s seen quite the financial evolution, with its purse ballooning from a modest $12.5 million in 2019 to a jaw-dropping $25 million by 2023. Typically the top-50 in the world rankings are invited to compete. Unlike the traditional major championships, though, The Players is firmly under the wing of the PGA Tour.
Despite not being a major, it has been promoted as such by the tour, dubbed the fifth major, and is often regarded as the next most prestigious tournament in golf. And it’s not hard to see why. The Players shares many traits with its more esteemed counterparts, boasting top-tier talent and a hefty payday. Plus, it’s got a storied home in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, where the TPC at Sawgrass Stadium Course has been the battleground since 1982. And let’s not forget the iconic par-3 No. 17, fondly known as the “Island Green,” a symbol of both challenge and charm on the course. As one of the most well-known and difficult tournaments on Tour, there are only a handful of guys who can win at TPC Sawgrass this weekend.
