The PGA Tour's flagship event has arrived with 123 players originally set to compete at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, over 72 holes at the 2026 Players Championship. Hoping to take home one of the biggest titles in golf, the best players in the world will also be competing for one of the game's grandest prizes.
The Players Championship purse is $25 million, the richest of any event outside of the year-end Tour Championship, and the winner will pocket $4.5 million. Overall, The Players will pay out $5 million more than the PGA Tour's signature events and $3.5 million more than the largest major championship purse (U.S. Open), offering golfers an opportunity to earn life- and career-changing money.
A big week at The Players can set someone up financially for years, even for those who do not enter the winner's circle. The best example of that was last year's runner-up, J.J. Spaun, who picked up the most substantial paycheck of his career by finishing second to Rory McIlroy in a playoff. Spaun spoke afterwards about how meaningful that was after grinding just to keep his PGa Tour card. That performance on The Players stage -- and the sudden financial stability he was provided -- freed him up to have the best season of his career, peaking with a U.S. Open victory in June.
A top-five finish (without ties) at The Players will earn a golfer over $1 million, a top 10 finish pays out over $680,000, a top 20 wins more than $330,000 and every player who makes it in inside the cut line of the top 65 and ties will earn more than $50,000. It is the flagship event for a reason, and the PGA Tour ensures there is every possible reason for players to try and be at their best at The Players.
Below you can find the complete payouts for each position on the leaderboard from the $25 million purse on the line at TPC Sawgrass this weekend.
2026 Players Championship purse, prize money
1st: $4,500,0002nd: $2,725,0003rd: $1,725,0004th: $1,225,0005th: $1,025,0006th: $906,2507th: $843,7508th: $781,2509th: $731,25010th: $681,25011th: $631,25012th: $581,25013th: $531,25014th: $481,25015th: $456,25016th: $431,25017th: $406,25018th: $381,25019th: $356,25020th: $331,25021st: $306,25022nd: $281,25023rd: $261,25024th: $241,25025th: $221,25026th: $201,25027th: $193,75028th: $186,75029th: $178,75030th: $171,25031st: $163,75032nd: $156,25033rd: $148,75034th: $142,50035th: $136,25036th: $130,00037th: $123,75038th: $118,75039th: $113,75040th: $108,75041st: $103,75042nd: $98,75043rd: $93,75044th: $88,75045th: $83,75046th: $78,75047th: $73,75048th: $69,75049th: $66,25050th: $64,25051st: $62,75052nd: $61,25053rd: $60,25054th: $59,25055th: $58,75056th: $58,25057th: $57,75058th: $57,25059th: $56,75060th: $56,25061st: $55,75062nd: $55,25063rd: $54,75064th: $55,25065th: $53,750
