Players 2025: Rory, Scottie and JT can break some crazy career money milestones this week at TPC Sawgrass

PONTE VEDRA BEACH — There’s a swath of golf fans who have grown weary of the influx of money on the PGA Tour, tired of hearing the millions that tour pros are banking. In the same vein, talking about new money milestones that players are starting to topple rings a bit hollow as well. Consider that Scottie Scheffler is playing in the Players Championship for just the fifth time in his career. But because he’s won the event twice when the first-place prize money payout was $4.5 million, and well, it’s not a surprise that he is now the career leader in money earned at the PGA Tour’s flagship event ($9.04 million), with Sergio Garcia now second having made $5.94 million but in 22 starts).

While accepting your comparing apples and caviar regarding money earned, there are a handful of high-profile players on the cusp of some interesting money milestones should they play well this week at TPC Sawgrass, thanks of course to the $25 million prize money payout for the entire field.

Arguably the most notable is Rory McIlroy. Entering the week, the 35-year-old Northern Irishman can be found third on the all-time PGA Tour career money list with $95.2 million, bolstered by 27 wins. The man in second place is Phil Mickelson with $96.6 million. So it is that if McIlroy can finish solo third or better at TPC Sawgrass, he can earn more than the $1.476 million difference and jump past Mickelson on the all-time list. (By the way, a two-way tie for third would leave McIlroy $1,500 shy of Lefty.)

Meanwhile, we mentioned earlier how Scheffler has already made a substantial amount of money in only a handful of starts at the Players. But another solid performance would mean that Scheffler would become only the fifth player in PGA Tour history to exceed $75 million in earnings. Scheffler is at $74,049,034, so a solo sixth or better would be enough. And a solo third or better, would allow him to earn more than the $1.5 million he needs to pass Dustin Johnson and take the No. 4 spot on the all-time career money list.

Two major champions are also on the cusp of moving into the top 10 on the all-time money list. Justin Thomas, Players champion in 2022, is currently 12th with $61,840,414. A win or a second can move him into the top 10. And Hideki Matsuyama, who has had four top-10 finishes at TPC Sawgrass in his career, is 14th on the money list with $59,887,078. A win, and the accompanying $4.5 million, moves him to the top 10.

Two other notables to consider on the week: Xander Schauffele ($57.1 million) can become only the 14th player in history to exceed $60 million with a victory. And Patrick Cantlay ($49.8 million) essentially just needs to make the cut this week to break the $50 million mark, something only 18 players have done in history.

For the record: Tiger Woods is No. 1 on the money list with $120,999,166. And Jack Nicklaus is 378th with $5,734,031.