The Players Championship 2027 is played at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida from Thursday 11 March to Sunday 14 March 2027. The PGA Tour’s flagship tournament offers the largest purse of any event on the calendar outside the four men’s Major championships and features the strongest field of the regular season. The 2027 staging marks 20 years since The Players moved to its current March date on the PGA Tour schedule, a milestone for what is often called the unofficial fifth Major.
What is The Players Championship?
The Players Championship is the PGA Tour’s flagship tournament, run directly by the Tour rather than by the four Majors organisations. It offers a field of 144 golfers, including the top 125 from the previous season’s FedEx Cup standings, tournament winners from the current season, past Players champions for a fixed period and sponsor exemptions. The cut after 36 holes reduces the field for the weekend rounds.
Winners receive the Players Championship trophy, a five-year PGA Tour exemption, 600 FedEx Cup points, a three-year exemption into the Masters, US Open and The Open Championship, and a one-year exemption to the PGA Championship. The prize fund is typically the largest of the PGA Tour season, with recent editions offering a total purse of more than 25 million US dollars and a first prize above 4 million. In the tour’s points ranking, The Players sits alongside the Signature Events near the top of the Tour’s hierarchy.
When is The Players Championship 2027?
The tournament is played from Thursday 11 March to Sunday 14 March 2027 across four rounds of stroke play. First-round tee times are scheduled from around 7am Eastern Time, with featured groups typically teeing off mid-morning. The cut falls after Round 2 on Friday, with weekend play reduced to approximately 70 golfers plus ties. The final round takes place on Sunday 14 March, and the traditional Players finish through the 16th, 17th and 18th holes remains one of the most-watched closing stretches in professional golf.
Where is The Players Championship 2027?
TPC Sawgrass, The Players Stadium Course, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida hosts The Players Championship every year. Designed by Pete Dye and opened in 1980, the course is one of the most distinctive in world golf, with water hazards on almost every hole and a layout specifically intended to test every area of a professional’s game. The 17th hole, a par three with an island green surrounded by water, is among the most recognisable holes in golf and has delivered some of the tournament’s most memorable moments. The par-72 course plays to 7,275 yards from the championship tees.
TPC Sawgrass is owned and operated by the PGA Tour, with the clubhouse serving as the Tour’s global headquarters. The 2027 edition marks two decades since The Players moved from its earlier slot in late March to its current mid-March position on the schedule, a change that has helped establish the tournament as one of the key dates on the PGA Tour calendar.
Key Contenders
Recent Players champions include Scottie Scheffler (2023 and 2024), Xander Schauffele (2017), Rory McIlroy (2019), Justin Thomas (2021) and Cameron Smith (2022). Scheffler’s back-to-back wins in 2023 and 2024 established him as the dominant force at TPC Sawgrass, and his all-round game with its mixture of accuracy, distance control and strong short-game statistics is particularly well-suited to the course. McIlroy remains a perennial contender, as do Schauffele and Thomas on their day.
The field typically features essentially every top-50 player in the Official World Golf Ranking, with qualifying criteria designed to ensure the strongest possible field. Jon Rahm, Jordan Spieth, Tony Finau, Viktor Hovland, Collin Morikawa and Ludvig Aberg are among the other leading contenders entering recent editions. LIV Golf players eligible via historical exemptions may also feature in the field depending on negotiations and tournament criteria.
How to Watch
In the United States, The Players Championship is broadcast on NBC (and Peacock) and Golf Channel, with live streaming on ESPN+ during featured-group coverage. In the United Kingdom, Sky Sports Golf provides comprehensive coverage of all four rounds. In Canada, TSN and RDS share rights, in Australia Fox Sports and Kayo Sports carry the tournament, and across Europe Sky Deutschland, Eurosport and Canal+ variously hold local rights. ESPN International carries Spanish-language coverage across Latin America.
History and Records
The first Players Championship was held in 1974 at Atlanta Country Club and was won by Jack Nicklaus, who went on to claim three Players titles overall. The tournament moved to TPC Sawgrass in 1982. Fred Funk holds the record for the lowest four-round score at 24 under par, set in 1994. Adam Scott’s 2004 win at age 24 remains one of the youngest Players victories, while Craig Perks’ 2002 triumph was one of the biggest upsets in tournament history. The shift to March has meant playing conditions can include cool mornings and swirling winds, adding to the challenge of an already demanding layout.
Tickets and Attendance
Tickets for The Players are sold via the tournament’s official website at theplayers.com and through ticket partners. Daily grounds tickets range from around 50 US dollars for practice rounds to 150 US dollars or more for tournament days, with weekly passes offered at a discount. Hospitality packages include access to the Stadium Village, 17th Hole Club and other on-course venues, priced from several hundred to several thousand US dollars. Dedicated Good Any One Day tickets give fans flexibility across the week.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does The Players Championship 2027 start?
Thursday 11 March 2027, with the final round on Sunday 14 March.
Where is The Players Championship held?
TPC Sawgrass, The Players Stadium Course, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.
How can I watch The Players Championship?
On NBC, Peacock and Golf Channel in the United States, and on Sky Sports Golf in the United Kingdom.
Who won the last Players Championship?
The winner of the 2026 Players Championship enters the 2027 edition as defending champion.