The Players Championship
The Players Championship will be played later this week for likely the last time in the calendar month of March. As usual, “The Players” will draw a top field and be contested on a famous, testing course.1
The 32-year GCSAA member announced his retirement last fall and will take on responsibilities as a project manager for the PGA Tour, consulting with his successor, Tom Vlach (pronounced vlack) on the 2009 and ‘10 Players Championships, and assisting with the renovations planned for TPC Sawgrass’ Valley Course. He previously worked at TPC Sawgrass as Klauk’s assistant.2
Now, the only ticket to the TPC Sawgrass Players Stadium Course is to win the Wachovia Championship, the PGA Tour stop this week in Charlotte, N.C. There are 37 players in the Wachovia field - including three past Players champions - who are in that win-and-in category.3
Browse The Players Championship tickets, schedule and information for TPC at Sawgrass. A seating chart is provided for each course and club to help you determine where seats are located.4
Last year: After a number of rain-plagued days and amid a windy final round played on Monday at TPC Sawgrass, local favorite Fred Funk used his guile, course knowledge and his accuracy to close with a second straight 71 and a 269 total to beat Tom Lehman, Luke Donald and Scott Verplank by one stroke. Funk, at age 48, became the oldest winner of THE PLAYERS Championship.5
Indeed, the Players Championship looks like a major, feels like a major and could be a major. Sam Snead implored anyone who was listening to hold the club as gently as you would a bird, but in its zeal to promote the Players Championship as a fifth major, the PGA Tour is squeezing too vigorously.6