THE PLAYERS Championship is the first of five tournaments on the PGA TOUR schedule offering 600 FedExCup points to the winner, along with the four major championships.
The field includes 47 of the top 50 players in the Official World Golf Ranking and 109 PGA TOUR winners combining for 418 titles.
Thomas Looks To Repeat
Justin Thomas is looking to become the first player to successfully defend a title at THE PLAYERS Championship.
The best result by a defending champion of THE PLAYERS is T5 (Jack Nicklaus/1977, Tom Kite/1990, Hal Sutton/2001).
In the last six attempts, only one defending champion has finished in the top 50 (Webb Simpson, 2019).
Thomas, a 14-time TOUR winner (most recent came at THE PLAYERS in 2021), has successfully defended a title once on the PGA TOUR (2016 CIMB Classic) and has earned multiple titles at three different PGA TOUR events.
Tournament
First Win
Second Win
WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational
2018
2020
Sentry Tournament of Champions
2017
2020
THE CJ CUP @ NINE BRIDGES
2017
2019
IMB Classic
2015
2016
Scheffler Rising
A win at last week’s Arnold Palmer moved Scottie Scheffler moved to No. 1 in the FedExCup standings for the first time in his career.
Three players have won the week before THE PLAYERS and then won THE PLAYERS: Raymond Floyd (1981), Tom Kite (1989) and Tiger Woods (2001).
Notable Players In The Field
John Rahm
OWGR: 1
FedExCup: 15
Starts
Wins
Top 10s
The Players
4
0
1
PGA TOUR Season
7
0
3
PGA TOUR Career
119
6
58
No. 1 in Official World Golf Ranking for 34th consecutive week
Last World No. 1 to win THE PLAYERS: Jason Day, 2016
Last World No. 1 to win on TOUR: Dustin Johnson, 2020 Masters
Leads the PGA TOUR in SG: Off the Tee, SG: Tee-to-Green and GIR%
Most recent TOUR win: 2021 U.S. Open (6 total)
Scottie Scheffler
OWGR: 5
FedExCup: 1
Starts
Wins
Top 10s
The Players
1
0
0
PGA TOUR Season
10
2
5
PGA TOUR Career
73
2
20
Two wins in last three starts (WM Phoenix Open, Arnold Palmer Inv.)
Holds the No. 1 position in the FedExCup standings for the first time
Only FedExCup leader to win THE PLAYERS: Tiger Woods, 2013
Missed the cut in PLAYERS debut in 2021 (74-71)
No. 4 on TOUR this season in SG: Total and No. 5 in Scoring Average
Viktor Hovland
OWGR: 4
FedExCup: 6
Starts
Wins
Top 10s
The Players
1
0
0
PGA TOUR Season
7
1
3
PGA TOUR Career
61
3
14
Missed the cut in PLAYERS debut in 2021 (72-74)
Finished T2 at last week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational (held R2 lead)
Three top-fives in last five PGA TOUR starts
One win in each of the last three PGA TOUR seasons
Patrick Cantlay
OWGR: 4
FedExCup: 14
Starts
Wins
Top 10s
The Players
4
0
0
PGA TOUR Season
5
0
4
PGA TOUR Career
126
6
36
Best result in four PLAYERS starts: T22/2017 (MC in 2019 and 2021)
Snapped a streak of six consecutive top-10s in most recent start (T33/The Genesis Invitational)
No reigning FedExCup Champion has won THE PLAYERS
Collin Morikawa
OWGR: 2
FedExCup: 12
Starts
Wins
Top 10s
The Players
1
0
0
PGA TOUR Season
4
0
4
PGA TOUR Career
59
5
22
Rory McIlroy
OWGR: 6
FedExCup: 20
Starts
Wins
Top 10s
The Players
11
1 (2019)
4
PGA TOUR Season
3
1
2
PGA TOUR Career
207
20
97
Young Players At Top of World Golf Rankings
Youth movement: For the first time, all of the top five in the Official World Golf Ranking (est. 1986) are younger than 30.
Rank
Player
Age
1
John Rahm
27
2
Colin Morikawa
25
3
Viktor Hovland
24
4
Patrick Cantlay
29
5
Scottie Scheffler
25
Multiple First-time Winners In 2021-2022 Season
Seven players have earned their first PGA TOUR victory this season, including five in the last six weeks.
Most recently, Ryan Brehm won the Puerto Rico Open in his last start on his Minor Medical Extension, retaining PGA TOUR status and securing it through the 2023-24 season.
Two players have won their first PGA TOUR title at THE PLAYERS: Craig Perks (2002) and Tim Clark (2010). 34 players in the field this week have not won on the PGA TOUR.
Top 25 Players Continue To Win
With his win at last week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard, Scottie Scheffler became the highest-ranked player in the Official World Golf Ranking to win on the PGA TOUR this season, entering the week at No. 6.
In all, eight of the 19 PGA TOUR events this season have been won by players who began the tournament in the top 25 of the World Ranking.
23 of the top 25 players in the OWGR are competing this week at THE PLAYERS (all but No. 12 Bryson DeChambeau and No. 19 Harris English, who are both injured).
Strength of Field Stats At 2022 THE PLAYERS
Category
Number
Top Ranked/ Most Recent
Top 30 FedEx Cup
30
Scottie Scheffler (1)
Top 125 FedEx Cup
102
Top 100 OWGR
78
Top 50 OWGR
46
John Rahm (1)
PGA TOUR Winners
109
Dustin Johnson (24)
Past Champions
9
Justin Thomas, defending
FedExCup Champions
9
Patrick Cantlay (2021) most recent
3
Rickie Fowler (2015)
Major winners
24
Brooks Koepka (4), Rory McIlroy (4)
THE PLAYERS RECORDS
Category
Value
Player
Year
Low 18 Hole Score
63
8 players
most recent Brooks Koepka, 2018, R4
Low 36-hole score
129
2 players
most recent: Webb Simpson, 2018
Low 54-hole score
197
2 players
most recent: Webb Simpson, 2018
Low 72-hole score
264
Greg Norman
1994
Holes-in-one (1983-present)
33
32 players
most recent: Brendon Todd, Denny McCarthy (2021)
Largest 18-hole lead
3
2 players
most recent: Roberto Castro, 2013
Largest 36-hole lead
5
Webb Simpson
2018
Largest 54-hole lead
7
Webb Simpson
2018
Largest margin of victory
7
Steve Elkington
1997
Best come from behind win
6
Raymond Floyd
1981
Playoffs
5
Most recent: Rickie Fowler def. Sergio Garcia, Kevin Kisner
