Players Championship prize money payout: Here's how much money each golfer earned at TPC Sawgrass

Money, money, money. For better or worse, it’s the underlying subplot regarding the uncertain future of men’s professional golf. And if you pay attention to social media, for worse seems to be far outweighing for better these days. If there is a tipping point regarding how much golf fans care about how much tour pros are making in tournaments, it feels like that point has likely passed.

That said, you can’t ignore that this week at the 50th anniversary of the Players Championship, the 144 golfers in the field were playing for A LOT of money. It’s just a fact; the overall purse up for grabs at TPC Sawgrass was $25 million, the most of any event on the PGA Tour. And the prize money payout for the winner, Scottie Scheffler, was also a record amount, with $4.5 million going to the last man standing. Scheffler shot a final-round 64 to end at 20 under par and win in back-to-back weeks—following his Arnold Palmer Invitational win last Sunday—and for the first time in tournament history, back-to-back years, following his 2023 Players title. Brian Harman, Xander Schauffele and Wyndham Clark tied for second a shot back. Clark's birdie attempt on the 72nd hole was halfway in the hole, but rimmed out in dramatic fashion.

The prize money payout has grown substantially in a short period of time. As we have noted previously, when Rory McIlroy won the Players just five years ago, he claimed a then-record $2.25 million for his victory. But now a solo fifth place finish this week earns you $1.025 million.

Indulge us for our annual review of just how much the prize money has risen—again for better or worse—at this championship over the years. It's seems only appropriate to revisit given the golden anniversary being celebrated this year.

Year: Total Purse/First place
1974: $250,000/Jack Nicklaus, $50,000
1982: $500,000/Jerry Pate, $90,000
1987: $1 million/Sandy Lyle, $180,000
1993: $2.5 million/Nick Price, $450,000
2000: $6 million/Hal Sutton, $1.08 million
2007: $9 million/Phil Mickelson, $1.62 million
2014: $10 million/Martin Kaymer, $1.8 million
2018: $11 million/Webb Simpson, $1.89 million
2019: $12.5 million/Rory McIlroy, $2.25 million
2021: $15 million/Justin Thomas, $2.7 million
2022: $20 million/Cameron Smith, $3.6 million
2023: $25 million/Scottie Scheffler, $4.5 million

Here then is the prize money payout for every player who made the cut at TPC Sawgrass.

Win: Scottie Scheffler, -20/268, $4,500,000

T-2: Brian Harman, -19/269, $1,891,666.67

T-2: Xander Schauffele, -19/269, $1,891,666.67

T-2: Wyndham Clark, -19/269, $1,891,666.67

5: Matt Fitzpatrick, -16/272, $1,025,000

T-6: Si Woo Kim, -15/273, $875,000

T-6: Hideki Matsuyama, -15/273, $875,000

8: Ludvig Aberg, -14/274, $781,250

T-9: Sahith Theegala, -13/275, $706,250

T-9: Maverick McNealy, -13/275, $706,250

T-11: Joel Dahmen, -12/276, $606,250

T-11: Taylor Montgomery, -12/276, $606,250

T-13: Corey Conners, -11/277, $489,583.33

T-13: Christiaan Bezuidenhout, -11/277, $489,583.33

T-13: Nate Lashley, -11/277, $489,583.33

T-16: Sam Ryder, -10/278, $406,250

T-16: Sepp Straka, -10/278, $406,250

T-16: Doug Ghim, -10/278, $406,250

T-19: Harris English, -9/279, $285,535.71

T-19: Shane Lowry, -9/279, $285,535.71

T-19: Dylan Wu, -9/279, $285,535.71

T-19: Kurt Kitayama, -9/279, $285,535.71

T-19: Alex Noren, -9/279, $285,535.71

T-19: Adam Schenk, -9/279, $285,535.71

T-19: Rory McIlroy, -9/279, $285,535.71

T-26: Mackenzie Hughes, -8/280, $186,250

T-26: Chris Kirk, -8/280, $186,250

T-26: Nick Taylor, -8/280, $186,250

T-26: Matti Schmid, -8/280, $186,250

T-26: Matt NeSmith, -8/280, $186,250

T-31: Ben Martin, -7/281, $152,812.50

T-31: Mark Hubbard, -7/281, $152,812.50

T-31: Sungjae Im, -7/281, $152,812.50

T-31: Taylor Moore, -7/281, $152,812.50

T-35: Denny McCarthy, -6/282, $119.285.71

T-35: Jimmy Stanger, -6/282, $119.285.71

T-35: Lee Hodges, -6/282, $119.285.71

T-35: Tommy Fleetwood, -6/282, $119.285.71

T-35: Aaron Rai, -6/282, $119.285.71

T-35: Jason Day, -6/282, $119.285.71

T-35: Brice Garnett, -6/282, $119.285.71

T-42: Grayson Murray, -5/283, $93,750

T-42: David Lipsky, -5/283, $93,750

T-42: C.T. Pan, -5/283, $93,750

T-45: Adam Scott, -4/284, $70,062.50

T-45: Ryan Moore, -4/284, $70,062.50

T-45: Jake Knapp, -4/284, $70,062.50

T-45: Collin Morikawa, -4/284, $70,062.50

T-45: Tony Finau, -4/284, $70,062.50

T-45: Austin Eckroat, -4/284, $70,062.50

T-45: Sam Burns, -4/284, $70,062.50

T-45: J.T. Poston, -4/284, $70,062.50

53: Andrew Putnam, -3/285, $60,250

T-54: Min Woo Lee, -2/286, $57,500

T-54: Francesco Molinari, -2/286, $57,500

T-54: Martin Laird, -2/286, $57,500

T-54: Zac Blair, -2/286, $57,500

T-54: Cameron Young, -2/286, $57,500

T-54: Sami Valimaki, -2/286, $57,500

T-54: Tom Hoge, -2/286, $57,500

T-54: Emiliano Grillo, -2/286, $57,500

T-62: Thomas Detry, -1/287, $55,000

T-62: Viktor Hovland, -1/287, $55,000

T-64: Seamus Power, E/288, $53,500

T-64: Max Homa, E/288, $53,500

T-64: Tyler Duncan, E/288, $53,500

T-64: J.J. Spaun, E/288, $53,500

T-68: Rickie Fowler, +2/290, $51,5000

T-68: Patrick Cantlay, +2/290, $51,500

T-68: Chan Kim, +2/290, $51,500

T-68: Peter Malnati, +2/290, $51,500

72: Gary Woodland, +3/291, $50,250

73: Keith Mitchell, +4/292, $49,750