It may not be a major, but the Players Championship proved the high value of top class stadium golf in Cameron Young’s thrilling one-stroke victory over England’s Matt Fitzpatrick last Sunday.
The PGA Tour teased in its promotions for the event that March would be “major”, putting the often argued status of their $25m (£18.9m) flagship event up for further debate.
Let us be clear, it is not a major. Never has been and never likely to be.
But the Players is still very, very special and the 2026 edition proved one of the best even though the tour’s biggest guns Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy failed to fire.
The Players Championship
Thursday 12 – Sunday 15 March
TPC Sawgrass, Ponte Vedra, Florida
Live text updates and radio commentary of round four from 17:00 GMT on BBC Sport website and app, and BBC Sounds. Watch highlights on BBC4 and iPlayer from 19:00 GMT on Monday, 16 March
‘Risk and reward of back nine asks relentless questions’
Prime among the reasons why it is such a compelling competition is the Stadium Course itself. It does what it says on the tin, delighting huge crowds with a nerve-jangling test for the best players in the world year in, year out.
“I remember when I played it, I stood on the 18th tee and was scared witless,” recalled European Ryder Cup player Oliver Wilson. “You can never, ever relax on that golf course.”
And so it came to pass that Young and Fitzpatrick arrived on that final tee box locked together with this prestigious title on the line. The vast expanse of water down the left had gobbled up Young’s ball less than 24 hours earlier.
Fitzpatrick had his own demons given his double bogey on that same hole, also in the third round.
The final day task demanded the utmost golfing courage and Young was in the mood. Of the leading contenders only he and Justin Thomas had taken on the teasing pin tight to the right edge of the island green 17th.
Young was rewarded with the birdie that drew him level with his Ryder Cup rival Fitzpatrick. Now it was time to unleash probably the furthest drive ever seen on Sawgrass’ closing hole.
At 375 yards, it was the longest to be officially recorded and crucially he found the fairway. Fitzpatrick also went with driver, but found the pine straw among the trees down the right.
If he had his time again, would a three-wood have been a better option? Decision making is something that comes under the microscope at the moments of the most intensity.
“I know Cam hits a draw, his moved a little bit,” Fitzpatrick said. “I figured mine would do the same. Obviously just went dead straight.”
Regardless of arguments over strategy, this was a big title decided by the finest of margins. Fitzpatrick could only bogey despite doing little else wrong.
Young went out and won it. This after Ludvig Aberg had thrown away his commanding position at the start of the back nine.
Again the golf course exacted demands that induced the Swede’s crucial errors as he found water on the 11th and 12th holes.
“The risk and reward of the back nine asks relentless questions and he failed pretty much immediately,” said Wilson who was part of the 5 Live commentary team in Florida.
“You can’t help thinking back to the chances he had at the end of the third round and then early on the final day. This course is always ready to bite, so you have to take advantage when you’re playing your best golf.”
And that made for a heady, suspenseful mix for those watching either on the ground or on television.
