MENS
LADIES
FOOTWEAR
The tournament was played from March 12 to March 15, 2026, on THE PLAYERS Stadium Course in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. The 123-player field included 47 of the top 50 players in the Official World Golf Ranking, and the championship carried a $25 million purse. Young collected $4.5 million and 750 FedExCup points for the biggest win of his PGA TOUR career.
| THE PLAYERS 2026 Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Competition dates | March 12-15, 2026 |
| Tournament week | March 10-15, 2026 |
| Venue | TPC Sawgrass - THE PLAYERS Stadium Course, Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida |
| Course | Par 72, 7,352 yards |
| Winner | Cameron Young |
| Winning score | 13-under 275 |
| Runner-up | Matt Fitzpatrick, 12-under 276 |
| Field | 123 players |
| Cut | Top 65 and ties after 36 holes |
| Purse | $25 million |
| Winner payout | $4.5 million |
| FedExCup points | 750 to the winner |
| Defending champion | Rory McIlroy |
Who Won THE PLAYERS Championship 2026?
Cameron Young entered Sunday four shots behind 54-hole leader Ludvig Åberg but produced the strongest finish when it mattered. He played the back nine without a bogey and arrived at the 17th one shot behind Matt Fitzpatrick.
Fitzpatrick safely found the middle of the island green. Young answered with a wedge that used the slope behind the hole and finished about 10 feet away. He made the birdie putt to tie the lead.
Young then hit a 375-yard drive on the 18th, the longest recorded drive on the finishing hole in the ShotLink era. He made par to post 13-under. Fitzpatrick found the pine straw from the tee, could not reach the green in two and eventually missed an eight-foot par putt that would have forced a playoff. Young finished with a 68 and won by one.
THE PLAYERS Championship 2026 Final Leaderboard
| Position | Player | Score | FedExCup Points | Prize Money |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cameron Young | -13 (275) | 750 | $4,500,000 |
| 2 | Matt Fitzpatrick | -12 (276) | 500 | $2,725,000 |
| 3 | Xander Schauffele | -11 (277) | 350 | $1,725,000 |
| 4 | Robert MacIntyre | -10 (278) | 325 | $1,225,000 |
| T5 | Sudarshan Yellamaraju | -9 (279) | 275 | $925,000 |
| T5 | Jacob Bridgeman | -9 (279) | 275 | $925,000 |
| T5 | Ludvig Åberg | -9 (279) | 275 | $925,000 |
| T8 | Tommy Fleetwood | -8 (280) | 200 | $731,250 |
| T8 | Sepp Straka | -8 (280) | 200 | $731,250 |
Young's four rounds were 68, 67, 72 and 68. Fitzpatrick finished one shot behind after rounds of 70, 69, 69 and 68. See the official 2026 leaderboard for the complete field and scorecards.
THE PLAYERS Championship 2026 Round-by-Round Results
| Date | Round | What Happened |
|---|---|---|
| Thursday, March 12 | Round 1 | Wind, rain and darkness affected play. Sepp Straka, Maverick McNealy, Lee Hodges and Sahith Theegala were among the clubhouse leaders at 5-under 67. |
| Friday, March 13 | Round 2 | Ludvig Åberg shot a 9-under 63 and moved two shots clear of Xander Schauffele. The top 65 and ties advanced to the weekend. |
| Saturday, March 14 | Round 3 | Åberg remained at 13-under and led Michael Thorbjornsen by three. Cameron Young was four shots back at 9-under. |
| Sunday, March 15 | Final Round | Young closed with a 68, birdied the 17th and parred the 18th to finish 13-under and beat Fitzpatrick by one shot. |
TPC Sawgrass and the Famous 17th Hole
THE PLAYERS Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass played as a par 72 at 7,352 yards in 2026. Pete Dye's layout is built around angles, water hazards and demanding approach shots. The par-3 17th island green is the best-known hole, but the closing stretch from 16 to 18 can change a leaderboard very quickly.
That was exactly what happened in 2026. Young's birdie at 17 pulled him level with Fitzpatrick, and the 18th then decided the tournament when Young found the fairway with his 375-yard drive while Fitzpatrick was forced to play from the pine straw.
THE PLAYERS Championship 2026 Field and Cut
The final 2026 field contained 123 players from 24 countries and included 47 of the top 50 players in the Official World Golf Ranking. Rory McIlroy returned as defending champion, while Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, Ludvig Åberg, Justin Thomas, Tommy Fleetwood, Collin Morikawa, Hideki Matsuyama, Brooks Koepka and Cameron Young were among the other notable names.
Players qualified through PGA TOUR priority and exemption categories, including recent tournament winners, FedExCup status and other eligibility routes. Fourteen players made their PLAYERS debut. After 36 holes, the top 65 players and ties advanced to the weekend. McIlroy and Scheffler both survived at 1-over after being close to the cut line late on Friday.
For a simple explanation of how elite players are compared across world golf, read the Druids guide to world rankings in golf.
THE PLAYERS Championship Format and Playoff Rules
THE PLAYERS is a 72-hole stroke-play tournament. Every player completes 18 holes on Thursday and Friday, after which the top 65 and ties make the cut. Those players then complete the third and final rounds over the weekend.
If players are tied for the lead after 72 holes, THE PLAYERS uses a three-hole aggregate playoff over holes 16, 17 and 18. If the players are still tied after those three holes, sudden death begins on the 17th, followed by 18, 16, 17 and 18 until a winner is decided. The old article described the playoff as immediate sudden death, so that section has been corrected.
You can compare stroke play with other competition styles in the Druids guide to golf formats.
Key Moments from THE PLAYERS Championship 2026
- Difficult opening conditions: Wind, rain and darkness prevented anyone from running away with the first round.
- Åberg's Friday 63: The Swede tied the front-nine record with a 29 and opened a two-shot lead.
- Åberg leads after 54 holes: He began Sunday at 13-under, with Young four shots behind.
- Young's island-green birdie: His tee shot on 17 finished about 10 feet away and he made the putt to tie Fitzpatrick.
- The drive on 18: Young hit a 375-yard tee shot, the longest recorded on the hole in the ShotLink era.
- Fitzpatrick misses the playoff: His eight-foot par putt on 18 stayed out, leaving Young as the champion by one shot.
THE PLAYERS Championship 2026 Prize Money and FedExCup Points
The total purse remained $25 million, one of the largest prize funds on the PGA TOUR. Cameron Young earned $4.5 million for first place and received 750 FedExCup points. Matt Fitzpatrick earned $2.725 million for second, while Xander Schauffele received $1.725 million for third.
The 750-point award is important because the 2026 FedExCup structure places THE PLAYERS alongside the major championships at the top end of the regular-season points scale.
Golf Layers for Changeable Spring Conditions
If you are planning golf around similar spring weather, the Druids men's golf apparel spring guide covers practical layering choices. Spectators can also use the golf tournament clothing guide.
THE PLAYERS Championship 2026 Tickets and Parking
The 2026 championship is complete, so 2026 tickets are no longer available. During tournament week, all tickets were mobile and official tickets were sold through THEPLAYERS.com or its authorized Ticketmaster channels. Parking passes were separate from tournament tickets and had to be purchased online in advance.
The official tournament website is now focused on the 2027 edition, scheduled for March 8-14, 2027. Fans planning a future trip should use the official THE PLAYERS ticket page for new ticket releases rather than old 2025 pricing.
How THE PLAYERS Championship 2026 Was Broadcast
In the United States, Golf Channel carried tournament coverage from 1:00 PM to 7:00 PM ET on Thursday and Friday. NBC and Peacock showed Saturday from 2:00 PM to 7:00 PM ET and Sunday from 1:00 PM to 6:00 PM ET. PGA TOUR LIVE on ESPN+ provided extended streaming throughout all four rounds.
In the UK, Sky Sports Golf carried more than 40 hours of live coverage. The main live broadcast started at 11:30 AM on Thursday and Friday and at 1:00 PM over the weekend, with additional featured groups and featured holes available through Sky Sports+.
THE PLAYERS Championship 2026 FAQs
Who won THE PLAYERS Championship 2026?
Cameron Young won by one shot over Matt Fitzpatrick after finishing at 13-under 275.
What was Cameron Young's winning score?
Young finished at 13-under par with a 72-hole total of 275.
Where was THE PLAYERS Championship 2026 played?
It was played on THE PLAYERS Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.
When was THE PLAYERS Championship 2026?
The four competition rounds were played from March 12 to March 15, 2026. Tournament week ran from March 10 to March 15.
How much did the winner earn?
Cameron Young earned $4.5 million from the $25 million total purse.
How many FedExCup points did Cameron Young receive?
He received 750 FedExCup points for the victory.
How many players were in the 2026 field?
The final field contained 123 players, including 47 of the top 50 in the Official World Golf Ranking.
What is the cut rule at THE PLAYERS?
The top 65 players and ties after the first 36 holes advance to the weekend rounds.
What is THE PLAYERS playoff format?
A tie after 72 holes is decided by a three-hole aggregate playoff over holes 16, 17 and 18. If still tied, sudden death follows.