Rickie Fowler will be back this week to defend the title he won after a four-hole playoff one year ago -- including three birdies at the marque par-3 17th hole over two hours.
He'll join and 46 of the top 50 in the World Golf Rankings committed to The Players Championship, setting up a strong field and potential drama at the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass.
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World No. 1 Jason Day, No. 2 Jordan Spieth, No. 3 Rory McIlroy and No. 4 Bubba Watson highlight a field that includes 33 of the 34 players who have combined to win the 45 PGA Tour events since Fowler’s victory at the Stadium Course, plus the 14 players who have combined to win the last 18 major championships.
The 26-year-old history of the tournament is against Fowler making a repeat performance: no one has won The Players twice in a row in the 42-year history of the PGA Tour’s marquee tournament. Then again, no one has finished a Players off like he did last year, taking a record-low 11 strokes on his last four holes in regulation for a 67 and a four-round total of 12-under 276.
“The win here and what I did down the stretch has definitely assisted me and helped me win the three since then,” he said. “It’s going to be a fun week. It always is.”
There are 25 pros who will be making their Players Championship debut, but six have already won on the PGA Tour this season, Emiliano Grillo, Smylie Kaufman, Peter Malnati, Fabian Gomez, Tony Finau and Jim Herman.
If the winner of the Wells Fargo Championship is not already qualified for The Players, he will join the field and replace the lowest-ranked player the field of 144 players. Patrick Rodgers would become the first alternate.
There are 55 international players representing 23 countries.
Fowler will be joined by eight other Players winners: Martin Kaymer (2014), Matt Kuchar (2012), K.J. Choi (2011), Henrik Stenson (2009), Sergio Garcia (2008), Phil Mickelson (2007), Adam Scott (2004), Davis Love III (2003, 1992).
Two-time winner Tiger Woods, whose comeback date from a prolonged back injury is still up in the air, will miss The Players for the second time in three years since his 2013 victory.
For the second consecutive year, 58-year-old Bernhard Langer will be the oldest player in the field after earning an exemption for winning the 2015 Constellation Senior Players Championship. This will be Langer’s 25th start in The Players Championship. Mark O’Meara holds the best finish by a player who earned a spot via the PGA Tours Champions victory, finishing 74th in 2011.
Full field listed below:
| Byeong-Hun An Kiradech Aphibarnrat Ricky Barnes Daniel Berger Zac Blair Jonas Blixt Jason Bohn Steven Bowditch Keegan Bradley Scott Brown Rafa Cabrera Bello Chad Campbell Paul Casey Alex Cejka Kevin Chappell K.J. Choi Chad Collins Erik Compton Jon Curran Jason Day Brendon de Jonge Graham DeLaet Luke Donald Jason Dufner Ken Duke Ernie Els Harris English Matt Every Tony Finau Matthew Fitzpatrick Rickie Fowler Jim Furyk Sergio Garcia Fabian Gomez Andres Gonzales Retief Goosen | Jason Gore Branden Grace Emiliano Grillo Bill Haas Chesson Hadley Adam Hadwin James Hahn Brian Harman Padraig Harrington David Hearn Russell Henley J.J. Henry Jim Herman Charley Hoffman Morgan Hoffmann J.B. Holmes Billy Horschel Charles Howell III John Huh Freddie Jacobson Dustin Johnson Zach Johnson Matt Jones Smylie Kaufman Martin Kaymer Jerry Kelly Si Woo Kim Chris Kirk Kevin Kisner Patton Kizzire Soren Kjeldsen Colt Knost Russell Knox Brooks Koepka Jason Kokrak Matt Kuchar | Martin Laird Bernhard Langer Danny Lee Marc Leishman Spencer Levin David Lingmerth Davis Love III Jamie Lovemark Shane Lowry Hunter Mahan Peter Malnati Ben Martin Hideki Matsuyama Graeme McDowell William McGirt Rory McIlroy George McNeill Troy Merritt Phil Mickelson Bryce Molder Francesco Molinari Ryan Moore Kevin Na Sean O'Hair Louis Oosthuizen Carlos Ortiz Jeff Overton Greg Owen Ryan Palmer Carl Pettersson Scott Piercy Scott Pinckney Ian Poulter Chez Reavie Patrick Reed Kyle Reifers | Patrick Rodgers Justin Rose Adam Scott John Senden Webb Simpson Vijay Singh Brandt Snedeker Jordan Spieth Brendan Steele Shawn Stefani Henrik Stenson Robert Streb Kevin Streelman Chris Stroud Brian Stuard Andy Sullivan Daniel Summerhays Hudson Swafford Nick Taylor Vaughn Taylor Justin Thomas Brendon Todd Cameron Tringale Harold Varner III Jhonattan Vegas Camilo Villegas Johnson Wagner Jimmy Walker Bubba Watson Boo Weekley Steve Wheatcroft Bernd Wiesberger Will Wilcox Danny Willett Mark Wilson Gary Woodland |