The Players Championship continues to solidify its reputation as the richest regular tournament on the PGA Tour, with a staggering $25 million purse up for grabs. Held annually at TPC Sawgrass, the event is often referred to as golf’s unofficial “fifth major,” and the prize money reflects that status.
The winner will take home an eye-popping $4.5 million, the largest payout awarded to a champion on the PGA Tour outside of select season-ending events. Even players finishing deeper in the standings are guaranteed significant paydays, reinforcing the tournament’s reputation as one of the most lucrative stops in professional golf.
Massive Reward for the Champion
Here is a look at the complete field payout for the 2026 The Players Championship purse:
1st: $4,500,000
2nd: $2,725,000
3rd: $1,725,000
4th: $1,225,000
5th: $1,025,000
6th: $906,250
7th: $843,750
8th: $781,250
9th: $731,250
10th: $681,250
11th: $631,250
12th: $581,250
13th: $531,250
14th: $481,250
15th: $456,250
16th: $431,250
17th: $406,250
18th: $381,250
19th: $356,250
20th: $331,250
21st: $306,250
22nd: $281,250
23rd: $261,250
24th: $241,250
25th: $221,250
26th: $201,250
27th: $193,750
28th: $186,750
29th: $178,750
30th: $171,250
31st: $163,750
32nd: $156,250
33rd: $148,750
34th: $142,500
35th: $136,250
36th: $130,000
37th: $123,750
38th: $118,750
39th: $113,750
40th: $108,750
41st: $103,750
42nd: $98,750
43rd: $93,750
44th: $88,750
45th: $83,750
46th: $78,750
47th: $73,750
48th: $69,750
49th: $66,250
50th: $64,250
51st: $62,750
52nd: $61,250
53rd: $60,250
54th: $59,250
55th: $58,750
56th: $58,250
57th: $57,750
58th: $57,250
59th: $56,750
60th: $56,250
61st: $55,750
62nd: $55,250
63rd: $54,750
64th: $55,250
65th: $53,750
What’s Next on the PGA Tour Schedule
Once The Players Championship wraps up, the PGA Tour schedule continues with another busy stretch leading toward the Masters. The next event on the calendar is the Valspar Championship, scheduled for March 19-22 at Innisbrook Resort’s Copperhead Course in Palm Harbor, Florida.
The tournament has developed a reputation as one of the toughest non-major stops on the PGA Tour thanks to the demanding Copperhead layout, particularly the closing three-hole stretch known as the “Snake Pit.” The defending champion is Viktor Hovland, who won with an impressive late surge to finish at 11-under-par, edging out Justin Thomas by a single stroke.
Following the Valspar Championship, the Tour heads to Texas for the Texas Children’s Houston Open, which will take place March 26-29 at Memorial Park Golf Course in Houston.
The defending champion there is Min Woo Lee, who captured the title in dramatic fashion for his first PGA Tour victory, finishing at 20-under-par and holding off challengers including Scottie Scheffler and Gary Woodland, who were tied for second with -19.
PGA Tour Champions will also be in action later this week with the Cologuard Classic in Tucson, Arizona.
The tournament is scheduled for March 20-22 at La Paloma Country Club, where many of golf’s legendary players will compete. The tournament features a $2.2 million purse, with the winner earning $330,000 along with Charles Schwab Cup points toward the season-long standings.
The event has become one of the signature stops on the senior tour, drawing a 78-player field made up of past major champions and longtime PGA Tour stars. Past champions include Steven Alker (2025, -12), Joe Durant (2024, -13), and David Toms (2023, -15).
The Cologuard Classic also kicks off a busy stretch for the PGA Tour Champions schedule. After the tournament concludes, the tour will head west to California for the Hoag Classic (March 22-29) in Newport Beach, continuing a run of early-season events as the Charles Schwab Cup race begins to take shape.
The Players Championship Purse: How Much Does The Winner Make?