A record US$20 million (S$27.3 million) prize purse, the venue known as the purest test in golf to host the strongest field for any event, and billed as the gold standard for the PGA Tour Gone showpiece.
Welcome to the Players Championship from March 10-13.
When Justin Thomas arrives on the stadium course at TPC Sawgrass to defend his players' title, it will be an unprecedented time for elite golfers as there is cash, cash and more cash to win on the Tour.
There's more to play than ever before and it's not only in the Players, which is the Tour's premier tournament and crown jewel, but the other 47 tournaments held in a jam-packed season.
The FedExCup bonus pool has grown from US$15 million to US$75 million, with the new No. 1 taking home a majestic US$18 million; Comcast Business Tour Top-10 doubles to US$20 million; And the new Player Impact program, which rewards key players who move the needle base on a combination of metrics, will pay out US$50 million.
This has all increased with the introduction of historic domestic TV rights deals starting this year through 2030, and the average tournament purse rising from US$8 million to US$9.1 million. Players will now shoot for a total of US$427 million in official prize money.
But wait a minute... it's really not just about the money that makes the golf world go round.
Chasing golf history, creating a legacy and making positive change on a platform renowned for its philanthropic efforts to impact communities – more than US$3 billion has been raised for charities since 1968 – are common threads among the sport's current stars. .
They know that you can't make millions just by showing off and are instead prepared to compete against deep-seated players like Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods to earn their place in golf history. Follow the legacy started by ,
2019 Players Champion and 20-time PGA Tour winner Rory McIlroy has been outspoken in playing the big politician in the game despite being only 32 years old.
"I would like to be on the right side of history," said the Northern Irishman, whose career net worth is estimated to be around US$60 million.
"I think it's the best place to play golf if you're an elite professional golfer. Every time I walk out of a meeting or have any kind of conversation with them [tour leadership], I am always very confident that the Tour is going in the right direction."
Spaniard and World No. 1 Jon Rahm, who has earned over US$31 million on the PGA Tour, explained what motivates him in the sport.
"I think the best legacy I can achieve will be with the PGA Tour. I don't do it for the money," Rahm said.
"I'm in this sport for the love of golf and the love of the game and being a champion. I grew up watching so many great players play great events and those things have a history and a legacy. It's something that has a lot to offer." I feel good."
World No. 2 Colin Morikawa grew up idolizing Woods, the joint record holder of 82 PGA Tour wins, and knows where he needs to be when looking for his golfing fulfillment.
"I'm for the PGA Tour. All my life, I've thought about the PGA Tour, I've thought about playing against Tiger, breaking his record, but I never thought about what's out there 'Okay? I never thought about anything else, it's always been the PGA Tour."
Woods, who is on his way to recovery from a car accident more than a year ago, deserves a lot of credit for creating more value than ever for the professional sport with his global appeal.
When Chile's rising star, JoaquÃn Nieman, won the Genesis Invitational, a tournament organized by Woods and a history that dates back to 1926, the 23-year-old looked back on what he had achieved.
"I want to compete with the best players in the world, I want to be No. 1 one day. I guess there's nothing better than what I feel right now. Winning a PGA Tour event, getting a trophy, having Tiger Putting there, behind the whole history, there's nothing that can match that," said Nieman, who is a two-time winner.
This year's Players Championship will celebrate its 47th edition and mark the 40th anniversary of the prestigious event being played on a Pete Dye-designed stadium course. The feat of winning the Tour's major tournament was not lost on last year's winner Justin Thomas, with rolls of honor featuring the likes of Nicklaus, Lee Trevino, Nick Price, Fred Couples and of course Woods.
"It's a huge championship, very special. It's a tournament I wanted to win, a tournament I really felt I was going to win at some point, and hopefully many more times. Golf. So it's a players championship," said Thomas, a 14-time Tour winner.