The Players Championship has been one of the most prestigious golf tournaments ever since its inception back in 1974. Due to its significance and the ability to attract top golf talent, the Players Championship has become increasingly attractive to both the broad golf audience and punters alike. Many punters around the globe particularly relish superb offers such as the William Hill sign up promo code that can help them maximise their expertise in golf and bring extra thrill to the championship. There are many interesting things happening in the field of sports like transfers, new coaches (there was a huge uproar over this in Poland which you can read about on lubartowiak.com.pl/sport/jerzy-brzeczek-trenerem-czy-w-tym-szalenstwie-jest-metoda/), unexpected winners, etc, but golf has yet to cause such an uproar.
Also, the growing crowds at Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, signal that the highest prize in golf, combined with the prestige of the venue and players are enough to name the Players Championship the unofficial fifth ‘major’ golf tournament that goes hand in hand with the PGA Championship, the U.S. Open, The Open Championship, and the Masters Tournament.
This article will tell you all you need to know about the Players Championship history, players, prizes, and format. Read on!
History
The first tournament was held in 1974 in Marietta, GA, at Atlanta Country Club. The idea for this tournament came from the second commissioner of the PGA Tour, Deane Beaman, and its first winner was Jack Nicklaus, who went on to win two more consecutive titles that made him the only player ever to have three Players Championship titles. The tournament bounced around the country for the first three years, after finally settling down in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL, in 1982.
The court at Sawgrass Country Club where the Championship takes place was designed by then-commissioner Deane Beaman, together with the renowned golf course architect Pete Dye. This golf course does not favour any particular style of play and is considered to be one of the best on tour.
Some of its more memorable moments were when Jerry Pate threw Pete Dye and Deane Beaman into the water on the 18th hole to celebrate his victory. This moment has still been regarded as one of the most interesting in all of professional sports.
The Format and the Prizes
The competition gathers top 50 players in the world ranking that compete for what is the biggest prize in golf. As of 2019, the prize purse is capped at $12.5 million, where the winner will get a share of $2.25 million. Apart from the lofty cash prize, the winner will also receive 80 points that count towards world ranking, which is the most significant point share after the major tournaments where the winners get 100 points.
Moreover, winning the Players Championship entails some additional benefits as well. First, there is a five-year exemption on the PGA Tour, which was formerly a ten-year exemption. Secondly, there is a three-year invitation to the Masters Tournament, plus a three-year exemption on the U.S. Open, the Open Championship, and the PGA Championship. In addition, if the winner is a PGA Tour member, they will get 600 FedEx Cup points.
Conclusion
Players Championship is a perennial golf event that has more than 40 years of tradition and massive rewards, and which gathers top golf players. This event is one of the most competitive events not only because of the big cash prizes but also because of how many points the winner gets — the number that can drastically influence the world rankings.
