The likes of Phil Mickelson, Sergio Garcia and more recently Cam Smith have all won the Players Championship, but are unable to compete at TPC Sawgrass this week
Many past winners of the Players Championship are currently competing in the LIV Golf circuit, however, this decision has resulted in them being prohibited from participating in the PGA Tour.
This week, the PGA Tour hosted its most prominent non-major event of the year at TPC Sawgrass, where top players are vying for the Players championship. Some have questioned the caliber of the field this year due to the division within professional golf.
Those who chose to switch to LIV are unable to participate in competitions due to their Tour bans, resulting in several top players in the sport being excluded – including six previous champions.
Cam Smith
Just two years ago, former world No. 2 Cam Smith was the man who prevailed at TPC Sawgrass, thanks to a superb six-under-par 66 in his final round at the 2022 event. He saw off now fellow LIV star Anirban Lahiri, to get his hands on his first Players crown and his fifth PGA Tour title.
Smith announced himself as one the best players on the planet that season, and was crowned Open champion just four months later at St Andrews. He soon left the world of golf in shock, though, signing on the dotted line with the LIV setup a matter of weeks after claiming the Claret Jug.
Martin Kaymer
Another LIV star who knows exactly what it takes to win around TPC Sawgrass is Martin Kaymer. The German star fought off the likes of Jim Furyk and another LIV defector in Sergio Garcia to ensure he got his hands on the famous trophy 10 years ago.
Like Smith, Kaymer too became a major champion on the back of his Players triumph, winning the U.S. Open at Pinehurst just one month later. The two-time major winner became one of LIV’s first signings in June 2022, and is one of the league’s captains, taking charge of Cleeks GC.
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Henrik Stenson
Another LIV captain who is also part of the Players past champions’ list is Majesticks GC co-skipper Henrik Stenson. Things were slightly for simpler for Stenson when getting his hands on the TPC Sawgrass prize back in 2009, winning the event comfortably by four shots.
Like Kaymer and Smith previously though, the Swede was also required to fend off some of his fellow LIV stars to be crowned champion. That year Stenson’s co-Majesticks captain Ian Poulter came second, whilst Iron Heads captain Kevin Na came just behind in third.
Sergio Garcia
One year earlier the Players belonged to one of the event’s most consistent competitors in Garcia. The Spaniard was never too far away from the top of the leaderboard on his numerous trips to TPC Sawgrass throughout his career, but there was no better visit than in 2008.
Unlike Stenson’s victory, things were much closer for Garcia who after 72 holes, tied with American star Paul Goydos at five-under-par. There was no better hole at TPC Sawgrass to pick for a playoff than the iconic par-three 17th, and after Goydos found the water with his tee shot, Garcia went on to capitalise.
Phil Mickelson
The six-time major champion carded back-to-back three-under-par 69s over the weekend to ensure he shot 11-under for the tournament, two shots better than Garcia, whose final round six-under 66 was too little too late to chase down his fellow LIV captain.
Greg Norman
Greg Norman, the CEO of LIV Golf, was a highly skilled player during his time, which is why it is expected to find his name on the list of past champions at the Players tournament. Norman emerged victorious in 1994, after an impressive start to the week at Sawgrass where he scored a nine-under 63 in the first round. Throughout the tournament, he continued to perform well, shooting three rounds of 67 in a row, ultimately leading him to win the championship on Sunday.