Winners, Losers & Payouts From the 2026 Players Championship

Cam Young Flexes and Wins the 2026 Players

Yesterday afternoon, Cameron Young, playing in the 2nd-to-last group, tied for the lead with Matt Fitzpatrick, hit the longest, purest tee shot on 18 at TPC Sawgrass since 2004. That’s not hyperbole. That’s a data stat provided by the PGA TOUR. Young hit a better drive on that hole than the nearly 10,000 drives hit before him Sunday, with the tourney on the line.

Big ballers hit big balls in the biggest moments. His final drive Sunday was an incredible shot under pressure.  Congrats to Cam Young — the 2026 Players Champion.

Winners & Losers from the 2026 Players Championship

If you want proof that TPC Sawgrass can humble the best players in the world, just look at Sunday.

The final round of the 2026 Players Championship had everything: a three-shot overnight lead, a back-nine collapse by Ludvig Åberg, and a dramatic late charge from the eventual winner. When the dust settled, Cameron Young shot a closing 68 to reach 13-under and win by one shot over Matt Fitzpatrick, claiming the biggest victory of his career and a $4.5 million payday.

But the real story of Sunday was the chaotic, calamitous golf played around him while he stayed steady.

Let’s break down who stepped up — and who didn’t — during the final round at Sawgrass.

Winner: Cameron Young (Sunday charge)

For most of the tournament, Young was lurking rather than leading. And for those who follow golf closely, it was no surprise because his game had been trending the past month.

He began the final round trailing phenom Ludvig Åberg by four shots, who had played great golf all week. Young played steady golf early with a front-nine 34 (-2) to slowly climb the leaderboard.

Åberg collapsed early on the back nine.

Then came the moment that decided the tournament.

With two holes left and trailing math wiz Matty Fitzpatrick, Young fired an approach to 7 feet on the famous island-green 17th, draining the birdie putt to tie the lead.

The finishing hole sealed it.

Young launched a 375-yard drive on the 18th, the longest recorded there in the ShotLink era, setting up a comfortable two-putt par while Fitzpatrick limped in after hitting his tee shot in the pine straw.  

Young Sunday score: 68
Final: −13
Payout: $4,500,000

Young didn’t lead until the final hole — but that’s all that matters.

Runner-Up: Matt Fitzpatrick (Brilliant early, brutal finish)

For most of Sunday, it looked like Fitzpatrick might steal the tournament.

Starting the day five shots behind the lead, he birdied three of his first four holes to rocket up the leaderboard and become the man to beat if Ludvig hit a wall.  

Thanks to Ludvig succumbing to the pressure of winning The Players early on the back nine, it became a two-man duel the final hour between Fitzpatrick and Young.

But the closing stretch at Sawgrass rarely cooperates.

On the 17th, Fitzpatrick couldn’t convert a 15-foot birdie chance that would have matched Young’s birdie. Then at the 18th, his wayward drive forced him to chip out, leading to a bogey that cost him the tournament.

Fizpatrick Sunday score: 68
Final: −12
Payout: $2,225,000

He played well enough to win — until the final hole.

Biggest Sunday Collapse: Ludvig Åberg

If you want to know how brutal Sawgrass can be, look no further than Ludvig Åberg’s Sunday.

The Swedish star entered the final round with a three-shot lead and looked in complete control early, making the turn at even par.

Then everything unraveled.

Åberg hit balls into the water on holes 11 and 12, leading to a bogey and a double bogey that instantly erased his lead and crushed his steely focus.

From there the momentum was gone.

He limped home with a 76 (+4) and fell all the way to T5.

Åberg Sunday score: 76
Final: −9
Payout: $925,000

Going from a three-shot lead to fifth place in one afternoon is the definition of Sawgrass heartbreak.

Sunday Risers

Several players made big moves during the final round.

Xander Schauffele

Schauffele didn’t quite get into the final pairing drama, but he quietly put together one of the best Sunday rounds among the contenders.

His 69 (-3) secured solo third place at 11-under, continuing his reputation as one of the most consistent players in big events.

Sunday score: 69
Finish: 3rd

Robert MacIntyre

MacIntyre entered the day outside the spotlight but played steady golf to climb into fourth place.

His 69 (-3) Sunday capped a strong weekend that included a third-round 65, the lowest round among the leaders on Saturday.

Sunday score: 69
Finish: 4th

Rookie and unknown – Sudarshan Yellamaraju

One of the coolest stories of the week belonged to rookie Sudarshan Yellamaraju.

After sitting well outside contention earlier in the week, he fired a final-round 68 to climb into a tie for fifth, a huge result for a young player still finding his footing on Tour.

Sunday score: 68
Finish: T5

Quiet Sundays from Big Names

Not everyone in the field made a run.

Justin Thomas

Thomas finished T8, but his Sunday 72 prevented him from climbing into serious contention.

Sepp Straka

Also finished T8, but his 71 kept him from threatening the leaders.

Scottie Scheffler

The world No. 1 never found a Sunday spark and finished T22, well outside the title conversation.

Rory McIlroy

The defending champion struggled throughout the week and ended up T46, still trying to regain form after a recent injury.

The 2026 Players Championship felt like a major championship even though it wasn’t, and Cameron Young didn’t just win — he validated the hype around his prodigious talent. For years he was the “best player without a big win.” Now he owns one of the biggest trophies in golf and a signature victory heading into the heart of the 2026 season. And if this week proved anything, it’s that no lead — not even three shots — is safe at Sawgrass.

2026 Players Championship prize money payouts: