Who has the most Players Championship titles? History and past winners explored
The Players Championship is a prestigious tournament on the PGA Tour that officially began in 1974. It is regarded as the PGA Tour's fifth Major by many and was previously known as the Tournament Players Championship (TPC).
Golf legend Jack Nicklaus currently holds the record for the most victories in the tournament. The renowned American professional golfer triumphed three times at the event in 1974, 1976, and 1978.
Following him in second, Fred Couples has won the event two times, in 1984 and 1996. In 1984, he defeated Lee Trevino by a one-stroke margin to get the victory. In 1996, Couples won the event by four strokes against Colin Montgomerie and Tommy Tolles.
Four other golfers have clinched The Players Championship twice in its history. Steve Elkington (1991 and 1997), Hal Sutton (1983 and 2000), Davis Love III (1992 and 2003), and Tiger Woods (2001 and 2013) are the other two-time winners of the event.
The above winners all clinched victories at the Stadium Course except for Jack Nicklaus.
In 2023, Scottie Scheffler took home The Players Championship trophy by winning the event with a five-stroke margin. He defeated Tyrrell Hatton to earn a whopping $4,500,000 from the $25,000,000 prize pool.
Here are the past 10 winners of The Players Championship:
- Scottie Scheffler: 2023
- Cameron Smith: 2022
- Justin Thomas: 2021
- Rory McIlroy: 2029
- Webb Simpson: 2018
- Si Woo Kim: 2017
- Jason Day: 2016
- Rickie Fowler: 2015
- Martin Kaymer: 2014
- Tiger Woods: 2013
A look at the upcoming 2024 Players Championship
The 2024 Players Championship will kick off from March 14 to 17 at the Players Stadium Course. The event will have a similar prize purse to last year, reportedly set at $25,000,000.
Although the field is not confirmed yet, as many as 144 players will tee off at TPC Sawgrass. Defending champion Scottie Scheffler is most likely going to tee off at the event this season.
The eligibility criteria for the event are the top 50 PGA Tour players in the world rankings, The Players Championship winners from the past five years, and Major champions from the past five years.
Fans who wish to attend the event can purchase tickets for $30 for entry on Tuesday and Wednesday. Tickets for Thursday through Sunday are priced from $90 to $100.