Ten Greatest PLAYERS Championship Moments

Post by Golf Writer Kieran Clark

Inaugurated in 1974, The Players Championship was the PGA Tour's designated flagship tournament, one that was intended to rival the four major championships for stature on the calender. Jack Nicklaus was the first champion, winning three times by the end of that decade, but it was felt the event required a unique venue to elevate it to the next level. 

TPC Sawgrass - designed by Pete Dye - would be that location, with the first Players on the Stadium Course being contested in 1982. It has been there ever since, with the championship having grown an identity and prestige that separates it from all other regular Tour-events, but it crucially remains bereft of major status. While that undoubtedly frustrates the top brass in Ponte Vedra Beach, the Players has still been able to etch moments and achievements of its own that rank highly in the consciousness of golf fans. Here are just a few of them. 

2001 - Tiger Woods

The Californian was at the peak of his powers heading into the 2001 Players Championship, having won the last three major championships of the previous year and destined to achieve even more greatness at the Masters in just a few weeks. But he still had some work to do at TPC Sawgrass, a course that hadn't always been the most rewarding to him. 

On a Monday finish - due to bad weather earlier in the week - the 25-year-old shot a 67 to clinch the biggest title on the PGA Tour by a shot from Vijay Singh, with the crucial moment coming on the infamous 17th, where he made an extraordinary putt for birdie to edge ahead of his rival. As NBC's Gary Koch so memorably put it, "better than most."

2000 - Hal Sutton 

17-years after his first victory at Sawgrass, former PGA champion Hal Sutton was in the veteran stage of his career, but found himself in a memorable duel with Tiger Woods. With final round play delayed to the Monday, the 41-year-old produced a ball-striking clinic, hitting 17 of the 18 greens in regulation. This helped to offset the loss of three strokes on the 17th towards the conclusion of Saturday, which placed his once significant advantage over Woods into jeopardy. 

But on the last hole, he played a brilliant approach to secure the title. "Be the right club today" was the cry, and it was. During a year that Tiger would become almost invincible, Hal Sutton managed to edge him out almost two decades on from his breakthrough moment on Ponte Vedra Beach.

2015 - Rickie Fowler 

Despite having long become one of the most popular and marketable players in the game, 26-year-old Rickie Fowler had yet to claim the title to validate that status. Finishing in the top five of all four major championships in 2014, the young Californian had begun to move up to the next level. He finally made it during an extraordinary finish at TPC Sawgrass. 

Five shots behind with six holes to play on Sunday, Fowler completed that precarious finish in a stunning six-under to find himself in a playoff with Sergio Garcia and Kevin Kisner. The Spaniard was eliminated at the conclusion of the aggregate three holes, with the two Americans in sudden-death on the short 17th. And it was the Ryder Cup player birdied the famous hole for a fifth time that week to clinch the biggest and most important victory of his career.

2002 - Craig Perks 

Unheralded New Zealander found himself within a shot of the lead after 54-holes of the 2002 Players Championship, and produced an incredible finish on Sunday to edge ahead of tour veteran Stephen Ames. Playing the final three holes in an eye-watering nine shots, chipping in for eagle on the 16th, making a 28-foot putt for birdie on the 17th, before chipping-in once again for a miraculous par save on the 18th to claim the title by two shots.

Afterwards, when presenting the trophy, Tiger Woods (stunned by that finish) simple said: "Craig, you're unbelievable."

2013 - Tiger Woods

Having struggled with injury and personal strife in the years following his 14th major championship victory at Torrey Pines in 2008, Tiger Woods enjoyed something of a renaissance during 2012 and 2013, winning eight titles on the PGA Tour and reclaiming his once dominant position at the summit of the world rankings. But it was the Players Championship, a tprize that he had *only* claimed once before, which was most impressive. 

Plotting his away around the uncooperative Pete Dye-design, the 37-year-old shot a final round of 70 to finish two ahead of David Lingmerth, Jeff Maggert and Kevin Streelman. Though it ultimately didn't transpire, at this moment, Tiger was once again restored as a force in the game.

2003 - Davis Love III

With 21 PGA Tour titles under his belt, North Carolina's favourite son Davis Love III could be considered a comparative underachiever at the major championship level. Despite having come close to winning the Masters, U.S. Open and Open, the two-time Ryder Cup captain's solitary Grand Slam victory came at Winged Foot with the 1997 PGA Championship. 

However, a duo of Players Championship triumphs makes up for some of that relative disappointment. Winning by four strokes in 1992, Love returned 11 years later and produced a stunning performance. With bad weather conditions making scoring extremely difficult on Sunday, the 38-year-old shot a final of 64 - well below the field average - to claim the title by six shots, having started the day one back of the top. It was unquestionably one of the best rounds of this new Millennium.

1994 - Greg Norman 

Australia's Greg Norman experienced many disappointing losses during his stellar career, but the 1994 Players Championship would be the site of one of his finest triumphs.

With rounds of 63-67-67-67, the Queenslander set a yet to be matched scoring record of 24-under, clinching the title at TPC Sawgrass ahead of former Masters and U.S. Open champion Fuzzy Zoeller, who memorably waved a white towel in defeat, just as he had prematurely done when the two contended at Winged Foot. 

2008 - Sergio Garcia 

Still reeling from his loss at Carnoustie the previous July, Sergio Garcia was intent on finally claiming that elusive major. It has ultimately remained distant from his grasp, but the 2008 Players Championship made people believe that a Grand Slam title was an inevitability. 

Facing veteran American Paul Goydos in a playoff, the 28-year-old produced a brilliant tee shot on the first hole of sudden-death - the 17th - to confirm victory after his opponent had found the water to bring to an end an unexpected run at the title. For the Spaniard, it was the biggest of his career, but he has yet to go that one step further.

1996 - Fred Couples 

Winner back in 1984, the former Masters champion has enjoyed a few lucky breaks in his career at crucial moments - not least the 12th at Augusta National - but the final round of the Players Championship in 1996 brought another. With his second shot to the par-five 16th looking destined for a watery-grave, the ball took a fortunate bounce on landing, finishing up on the fringe of the green. He would hole the putt to make a vital eagle. 

On the next hole, he made a length downhill putt for birdie to edge ahead of Colin Montgomerie and Tommy Tolles. Finding himself out of position on the 18th, the former world number one produced a brilliant recovery to make a par to complete a stunnin finish and his second victory at TPC Sawgrass.

1982 - Jerry Pate

PGA Tour commissioner Deane Beman brought the circuit's flagship event to the custom-built Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass for the first time in 1982, with the intention being to establish a tournament that would rival the major championships. 1976 U.S. Open winner would be the first Players champion at the new venue, with a two-shot victory over Brad Bryant and future major winner Scott Simpson. 

However, this moment was best remembered for the aftermath, when Pate tossed both Beman and course designer Pete Dye into the lake adjacent of the 18th, before jumping in himself. Quite a way to toast a new era for the Tour.