Getty Webb Simpson hoisting the 2018 The Players Championship trophy.
The Players Championship purse is a record-setting $12.5 million, the largest in the history of the PGA Tour. According to Golf Digest, the winning golfer will earn $2.25 million. The event is often referred to as the “fifth unofficial major” but the tournament’s prize money is now greater than all four majors, per Golf Digest. The purse increased by $1.5 million from last year’s event at TPC Sawgrass.
This could all change if the majors decide to up their prize money, but The Players has consistently been one of the highest-paying tournaments on the PGA Tour. The Players’ purse is $1.5 million greater than the Masters’ $11 million that was awarded in 2018. The winning share is also higher than Augusta’s $1.98 million.
The massive purse helped The Players attract the world’s best golfers including Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas, Rory McIlroy and others to play at TPC Sawgrass. This year’s tournament played a bit different given the date moved up to March instead of the traditional May date. Rickie Fowler admitted he considered The Players as a major tournament.
“I feel like I look at this event as basically like a major,” Fowler said, per CNN. “It has the major feel, obviously one of the best fields we play all year, on a tough golf course.”
As for the approach to this year’s tournament, McIlroy noted the same thing is true every weekend at the PGA Tour.
“That’s the nice thing about our game, which doesn’t happen in some other sports, and it’s nice to take advantage of that luxury,” McIlroy told The New York Times.
This year’s Players will lead into the major season with the Masters less than a month away.
Dustin Johnson & Rory McIlroy Are the Favorites in Latest Odds Heading Into the 2019 Masters
According to OddsShark, McIlroy and Dustin Johnson are co-favorites to win the Masters at +1000. These odds will continue to evolve as we get closer to Augusta. Woods and Justin Rose are next in line at +1200. Spieth and Thomas are tied for fifth at +1400.
Here is a look at this year’s prize money breakdown for The Players purse.
The Players Championship Purse: Prize Money Breakdown for 2019
| PLACE | MONEY |
| 1. | $2,250,000 |
| 2. | $1,350,000 |
| 3. | $850,000 |
| 4. | $600,000 |
| 5. | $500,000 |
| 6. | $450,000 |
| 7. | $418,750 |
| 8. | $387,500 |
| 9. | $362,500 |
| 10. | $337,500 |
| 11. | $312,500 |
| 12. | $287,500 |
| 13. | $262,500 |
| 14. | $237,500 |
| 15. | $225,000 |
| 16. | $212,500 |
| 17. | $200,000 |
| 18. | $187,500 |
| 19. | $175,000 |
| 20. | $162,500 |
| 21. | $150,000 |
| 22. | $140,000 |
| 23. | $130,000 |
| 24. | $120,000 |
| 25. | $110,000 |
| 26. | $100,000 |
| 27. | $96,250 |
| 28. | $92,500 |
| 29. | $88,750 |
| 30. | $85,000 |
| 31. | $81,250 |
| 32. | $77,500 |
| 33. | $73,750 |
| 34. | $70,625 |
| 35. | $67,500 |
| 36. | $64,375 |
| 37. | $61,250 |
| 38. | $58,750 |
| 39. | $56,250 |
| 40. | $53,750 |
| 41. | $51,250 |
| 42. | $48,750 |
| 43. | $46,250 |
| 44. | $43,750 |
| 45. | $41,250 |
| 46. | $38,750 |
| 47. | $36,250 |
| 48. | $34,250 |
| 49. | $32,500 |
| 50. | $31,500 |
| 51. | $30,750 |
| 52. | $30,000 |
| 53. | $29,500 |
| 54. | $29,000 |
| 55. | $28,750 |
| 56. | $28,500 |
| 57. | $28,250 |
| 58. | $28,000 |
| 59. | $27,750 |
| 60. | $27,500 |
| 61. | $27,250 |
| 62. | $27,000 |
| 63. | $26,750 |
| 64. | $26,500 |
| 65. | $26,250 |
| 66. | $26,000 |
| 67. | $25,750 |
| 68. | $25,500 |
| 69. | $25,250 |
| 70. | $25,000 |