A whole host of former Players Championship winners now ply their trade on the LIV Golf circuit, but this has of course come at a cost – with them now banned from competing on the PGA Tour.
The biggest non-major event on the PGA Tour calendar has taken place this week, with the circuit’s best players heading to TPC Sawgrass to compete for the Players crown. The quality of this year’s field however has been doubted by some, amid the ongoing split in professional golf.
Those who opted to make the LIV switch are ineligible to compete amid their Tour bans, leading to a number of the sport’s biggest names missing out – including six past 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.
Martin Kaymer won the Players in 2014 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
Between 2007 and 2009, it was a hat-trick of LIV Golf champions at the Players, as Phil Mickelson prevailed a year prior to Garcia’s playoff win. Remarkably, Mickelson was yet to win the event in 13 starts, but he brought his duck to an end, ironically beating Sawgrass expert Garcia.
Phil Mickelson was crowned Players champion in 2007 ( Image: Getty Images)
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
LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman was one of the great players of his era, so it comes as no surprise to see him on the Players past champions’ list. The Australian prevailed back in 1994, having started his week with one of Sawgrass’ great performances, carding a nine-under 63 in his opening round. The LIV CEO would go on to shoot three 67s on the bounce to be crowned champion come Sunday.
