Over the last year the PGA Tour has combatted a potential rival golf league by increasing the money players can earn through elevated purses, bonus pools and new initiatives.
While the FedEx Cup and Player Impact Program each increased in value, so too did a small handful of tournaments, including this week’s Players Championship. The PGA Tour’s flagship event – held annually at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, since 1982 – remains the richest stop on the Tour schedule with a whopping $20 million purse, up from $15 at last year’s event. Justin Thomas took home $2.7 million in 2021, and this year’s champion will pocket a cool $3.6 million.
Over the last 10 years alone the Players purse has doubled in size, and in the event’s 48-year history, the purse has been increased 28 times.
From JT’s big payday in 2021 to the inaugural event in 1974 where Jack Nicklaus earned $50,000 for his two-shot win over J.C. Snead, check out the prize money payouts over the years at the Players Championship.
Jack Nicklaus won three of the first five Tournament Players Championships – the event’s title until 1988 – and pocketed $50,000 of the $250,000 purse at the inaugural event in 1974. His second win coincided with the first increases to the winner’s share and purse ($60,000 and $300,000). Lanny Wadkins then earned $72,000 for his win in 1979, when the purse rose to $440,000.
Jack Nicklaus in 1974. (Photo: Paul Vathis/AP)
The 1980s featured the first $1 million purse in the event’s final year as the Tournament Players Championship in 1987 and reached as much as $1.35 million in 1989. The winner’s share tripled from Lee Trevino’s $72,000 win in 1980 to Tom Kite’s $243,000 payday in 1989.
Tom Kite in 1989. (Photo: Chris O Meara/AP)
You thought the 1980s were impressive? To that the 1990s would say, “hold my wallet.” Over the decade the purse and winner’s shares increased eight different times, rising from $1.5 to $5 million and $270,000 to $900,000, respectively.
Greg Norman chips off the edge of the green during the 1993 Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. (Photo: Getty Images)
The 2000s still saw growth, but to a much more modest extent compared to the decade prior. The purse and winner’s share increased five times, but the highlight came in 2000 when Hal Sutton earned $1.08 million for his one-shot win over Tiger Woods, up from $126,000 when he won for the first time in 1983.
Hal Sutton holds the champions trophy after the final round of the 2000 Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. (Photo: Getty Images)
Business was booming for the Tour in the 2010s, a decade that saw both the purse and winner’s share eclipse landmark totals.
From 2008-13 the winner took home $1.7 million, but that total would gradually grow to $1.8 in 2014, $1.89 in 2016 and $1.98 in 2018 before reaching $2.25 in 2019, when Rory McIlroy defeated Jim Furyk by a stroke. The purse grew at the same rate from $9.5-$12.5 million and eclipsed the $10 million mark in 2014 when Martin Kaymer defeated, you guessed it, Furyk by a shot.
Rory McIlroy celebrates winning The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass – Stadium Course. (Photo: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports)
The 2020 Players was canceled after the first round due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but was scheduled to feature the $2.7 million winner’s share and $15 million purse as seen last year. As noted above, this year’s tournament boasts a $20 million purse and $3.6 million winner’s share.
Justin Thomas reacts after sinking his putt on the 17th green during the final round of the 2021 Players Championship at the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass on March 14, 2021 in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. (Photo: James Gilbert/For the Florida Times-Union)
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