2009 Players Championship

Tournament summary

Henrik Stenson shot a bogey-free 66 in the final round to win at 276 (−12), four strokes ahead of Ian Poulter. Alex Čejka led by five strokes after the third round, but went out in 42 and finished in a tie for ninth. Stenson was the third European to win the title, after Sergio García the previous year and Sandy Lyle in 1987.

Due to 83 players making the halfway cut (top 70 and ties), a second cut was initiated after the third round.

Defending champion Sergio García finished ten strokes back, in a tie for 22nd place.

Venue

Main article: TPC at Sawgrass

This was the 28th Players Championship held at the TPC at Sawgrass Stadium Course and it remained at 7215 yd.

Course layout

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Eligibility requirements

Winners of PGA Tour co-sponsored or approved tournaments, whose victories are considered official, since the previous year's Players Championship.

Ryuji Imada, Phil Mickelson, Kenny Perry, Justin Leonard, Tiger Woods, Stewart Cink, Anthony Kim, Pádraig Harrington, Richard S. Johnson, Chez Reavie, Vijay Singh, Parker McLachlin, Carl Pettersson, Camilo Villegas, Will MacKenzie, Dustin Johnson, Zach Johnson, Marc Turnesa, Cameron Beckman, Ryan Palmer, Davis Love III, Geoff Ogilvy, Pat Perez, Nick Watney, Mark Wilson, YE Yang, Michael Bradley, Retief Goosen, Paul Casey, Ángel Cabrera, Brian Gay, Jerry Kelly, Sean O'Hair

The top 125 finishers on the 2008 Official PGA Tour Money List.

Sergio García, Robert Allenby, Jim Furyk, Mike Weir, K. J. Choi, Ben Curtis, Kevin Sutherland, Trevor Immelman, Ernie Els, Stuart Appleby, Steve Stricker, Chad Campbell, Boo Weekley, D. J. Trahan, Stephen Ames, Ken Duke, Dudley Hart, Hunter Mahan, J. B. Holmes, Woody Austin, Steve Marino, Andrés Romero, Briny Baird, Jeff Quinney, Adam Scott, Mathew Goggin, Nicholas Thompson, Billy Mayfair, Tim Clark, Bart Bryant, Rod Pampling, Aaron Baddeley, Paul Goydos, Daniel Chopra, Freddie Jacobson, Rory Sabbatini, Bubba Watson, Steve Lowery, Charlie Wi, Tommy Armour III, Heath Slocum, Ben Crane, Ian Poulter, Peter Lonard, Luke Donald, Charles Howell III, Matt Kuchar, Johnson Wagner, Rocco Mediate, Nick O'Hern, George McNeill, Scott Verplank, Kevin Streelman, Dean Wilson, Tom Pernice Jr., John Merrick, Steve Elkington, John Senden, Steve Flesch, Ryan Moore, Troy Matteson, Greg Kraft, John Mallinger, Tim Wilkinson, Michael Letzig, Tim Herron, Brian Davis, Cliff Kresge, Vaughn Taylor, Justin Rose, Kevin Na, Jonathan Byrd, Joe Ogilvie, John Rollins, Bill Haas, Lucas Glover, Michael Allen, Tim Petrovic, Scott McCarron, Fred Couples, Charley Hoffman, J. J. Henry, Corey Pavin, Nathan Green, Bo Van Pelt, Eric Axley, Alex Čejka, Jeff Overton, Brett Quigley, Jason Bohn, Brad Adamonis, Martin Laird

Winners of the Players Championship, Masters, U.S. Open, British Open, and PGA Championship from 2004-2008; including 2009 Masters.

Fred Funk, Michael Campbell, Todd Hamilton

Winners of the Tour Championship the last three years (2006-08).

Winners of the World Golf Championship-Accenture Match Play Championship and World Golf Championships-CA Championship in the last three years (2007-2009).

Winner of the World Golf Championships-CA Championship from 2006-2009.

Winners of the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational in the last three years (2006-2008).

Any player(s), not otherwise eligible, among the top 50 leaders from the Official World Golf Rankings through the completion of the Zurich Classic. Any player(s), not otherwise eligible, among the top 10 leaders from the 2008 FedEx Cup Points List through the completion of the Zurich Classic.

Henrik Stenson, Robert Karlsson, Rory McIlroy, Martin Kaymer, Ross Fisher, Jeev Milkha Singh, Søren Kjeldsen, Graeme McDowell, Thongchai Jaidee

The winner of the 2008 Constellation Energy Senior Players Championship. (Such exemption will be an addition to the field.)

D. A. Weibring

The leading money winner from the 2008 Official Nationwide Tour Money List.

Matt Bettencourt

If necessary to complete a field of 144 players, PGA Tour members from the 2009 FedExCup Points List below 10th position one week prior, in order of their position on such list.

David Toms, Jason Dufner, Jeff Klauk, Scott Piercy, Bob Estes, Webb Simpson

Source:

Round summaries

First round

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Second round

Friday, May 8, 2009

Third round

Saturday, May 9, 2009

Final leaderboard

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Alex Čejka held a five-shot lead entering the final round, but quickly faltered with a six-over front nine and slumped to a closing 79. This opened the door for many, and Henrik Stenson pulled clear with a bogey-free 66 for a four-stroke victory.

Source:

Scorecard

Final round

Cumulative tournament scores, relative to par

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References

References

1. Frenette, Gene. (May 11, 2009). "Stenson strips out all drama in final round of Players". Florida Times-Union.
2. (May 11, 2009). "Stenson wins Players title with perfect round". CNN.
3. (May 10, 2009). "Cejka gains 5-shot lead over Woods". CNN.
4. (May 10, 2009). "Stenson pulls away at Players; Tiger 8th". ESPN.
5. Shipnuck, Alan. (May 18, 2009). "Swede's spot".
6. "Golf Stat and Records {{!}} PGA TOUR".
7. "2009 PGA Tour Media Guide".
8. "Past Results 1974 – present". PGA Tour.
9. "THE PLAYERS Championship". ESPN.