Fred Couples finished -18 and took 18% of the purse. That $630,000 is worth about $1,334,478 in 2026 dollars.
How the 1996 The Players Championship purse was split
Every paid player in finishing order. The top 10 took 64% of the money, and the dashed line marks the smallest check.
1996 The Players Championship prize money for every player
Final positions and prize money, with what the same untied position paid the year before.
| Pos | Player | To par | Last year | Prize money |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fred Couples | -18 | $540,000 | $630,000 +17% |
| T2 | Tommy Tolles | -14 | $324,000 | $308,000 |
| T2 | Colin Montgomerie | -14 | $324,000 | $308,000 |
| T4 | David Duval | -13 | $137,812 | |
| T4 | Fuzzy Zoeller | -13 | $137,812 | |
| T4 | Rocco Mediate | -13 | $137,812 | |
| T4 | Kenny Perry | -13 | $137,812 | |
| T8 | Tom Lehman | -12 | $87,000 | $94,500 |
| T8 | Jay Haas | -12 | $87,000 | $94,500 |
| T8 | Grant Waite | -12 | $87,000 | $94,500 |
| T8 | Ernie Els | -12 | $87,000 | $94,500 |
| T8 | Vijay Singh | -12 | $87,000 | $94,500 |
| T13 | Jim Furyk | -11 | $65,625 | |
| T13 | Fred Funk | -11 | $65,625 | |
| T13 | Larry Mize | -11 | $65,625 | |
| T13 | Gil Morgan | -11 | $65,625 | |
| T17 | David Frost | -10 | $54,250 | |
| T17 | Patrick Burke | -10 | $54,250 | |
| T19 | Scott Gump | -9 | $35,735 | |
| T19 | Tim Herron | -9 | $35,735 | |
| T19 | John Daly | -9 | $35,735 | |
| T19 | Wayne Grady | -9 | $35,735 | |
| T19 | Nolan Henke | -9 | $35,735 | |
| T19 | Scott Hoch | -9 | $35,735 | |
| T19 | Michael Bradley | -9 | $35,735 | |
| T19 | Joel Edwards | -9 | $35,735 | |
| T19 | Steve Elkington | -9 | $35,735 | |
| T19 | Kirk Triplett | -9 | $35,735 | |
| T29 | Mark O'Meara | -8 | $19,500 | $23,275 |
| T29 | Masashi Ozaki | -8 | $19,500 | $23,275 |
| T29 | Mark Calcavecchia | -8 | $19,500 | $23,275 |
| T29 | Robert Gamez | -8 | $19,500 | $23,275 |
| T33 | Steve Jones | -7 | $17,719 | |
| T33 | Jim Carter | -7 | $17,719 | |
| T33 | John Adams | -7 | $17,719 | |
| T33 | Jay Don Blake | -7 | $17,719 | |
| T33 | Phil Mickelson | -7 | $17,719 | |
| T33 | Loren Roberts | -7 | $17,719 | |
| T33 | Marco Dawson | -7 | $17,719 | |
| T33 | Tom Watson | -7 | $17,719 | |
| T41 | Bobby Wadkins | -6 | $12,950 | |
| T41 | Jeff Sluman | -6 | $12,950 | |
| T41 | Craig Stadler | -6 | $12,950 | |
| T41 | Payne Stewart | -6 | $12,950 | |
| T41 | Blaine McCallister | -6 | $12,950 | |
| T46 | Davis Love III | -5 | $9,360 | |
| T46 | Steve Lowery | -5 | $9,360 | |
| T46 | Nick Price | -5 | $9,360 | |
| T46 | Dillard Pruitt | -5 | $9,360 | |
| T46 | Hale Irwin | -5 | $9,360 | |
| T46 | Lee Janzen | -5 | $9,360 | |
| T46 | Corey Pavin | -5 | $9,360 | |
| T53 | Guy Boros | -4 | $7,990 | |
| T53 | Neal Lancaster | -4 | $7,990 | |
| T53 | Jesper Parnevik | -4 | $7,990 | |
| T53 | Gene Sauers | -4 | $7,990 | |
| T53 | Hal Sutton | -4 | $7,990 | |
| T53 | Jeff Maggert | -4 | $7,990 | |
| T53 | Craig Parry | -4 | $7,990 | |
| T60 | Chip Beck | -3 | $7,665 | |
| T60 | Frank Nobilo | -3 | $7,665 | |
| T62 | Larry Nelson | -2 | $7,490 | |
| T62 | Dan Pohl | -2 | $7,490 | |
| T62 | Tom Purtzer | -2 | $7,490 | |
| T65 | Mike Reid | -1 | $7,315 | |
| T65 | Justin Leonard | -1 | $7,315 | |
| T67 | Woody Austin | E | $6,180 | $7,105 |
| T67 | Don Pooley | E | $6,180 | $7,105 |
| T67 | Doug Martin | E | $6,180 | $7,105 |
| T67 | Brian Kamm | E | $6,180 | $7,105 |
| T71 | Mike Hulbert | +1 | $6,895 | |
| T71 | Michael Campbell | +1 | $6,895 | |
| T73 | John Morse | +2 | $5,820 | $6,685 |
| T73 | Ken Green | +2 | $5,820 | $6,685 |
| T73 | Jim Gallagher, Jr. | +2 | $5,820 | $6,685 |
| T73 | Ben Crenshaw | +2 | $5,820 | $6,685 |
| 77 | Mark McCumber | +5 | $6,510 | |
| MC | Billy Mayfair | +8 | $0 | |
| MC | John Mahaffey | +2 | $0 | |
| MC | Sandy Lyle | +2 | $0 | |
| MC | Andrew Magee | +1 | $0 | |
| MC | Bruce Lietzke | +1 | $0 | |
| MC | Bob Lohr | +3 | $0 | |
| MC | Greg Norman | +2 | $0 | |
| MC | Brett Ogle | +6 | $0 | |
| MC | David Ogrin | E | $0 | |
| MC | Joe Ozaki | +2 | $0 | |
| MC | Scott Simpson | +2 | $0 | |
| MC | Joey Sindelar | +2 | $0 | |
| MC | Lee Rinker | +6 | $0 | |
| MC | David Toms | +1 | $0 | |
| MC | Sam Torrance | +6 | $0 | |
| MC | Ted Tryba | +9 | $0 | |
| MC | Bob Tway | +2 | $0 | |
| MC | Curtis Strange | +5 | $0 | |
| MC | Mike Sullivan | +5 | $0 | |
| MC | Mike Standly | +5 | $0 | |
| MC | Mark Brooks | E | $0 | |
| MC | Brad Bryant | +3 | $0 | |
| MC | Curt Byrum | E | $0 | |
| MC | Bob Estes | +1 | $0 | |
| MC | Brad Fabel | +6 | $0 | |
| MC | Nick Faldo | +1 | $0 | |
| MC | Rick Fehr | +9 | $0 | |
| MC | Keith Fergus | +4 | $0 | |
| MC | Dan Forsman | E | $0 | |
| MC | Robin Freeman | +3 | $0 | |
| MC | Phil Blackmar | +9 | $0 | |
| MC | Fulton Allem | E | $0 | |
| MC | Billy Andrade | +2 | $0 | |
| MC | Paul Azinger | E | $0 | |
| MC | Ian Baker-Finch | +6 | $0 | |
| MC | Brandel Chamblee | +4 | $0 | |
| MC | Brian Claar | E | $0 | |
| MC | Lennie Clements | E | $0 | |
| MC | John Cook | E | $0 | |
| MC | Jay Delsing | +2 | $0 | |
| MC | Kelly Gibson | +6 | $0 | |
| MC | Bill Glasson | E | $0 | |
| MC | John Huston | +2 | $0 | |
| MC | Tom Kite | E | $0 | |
| MC | Peter Jacobsen | E | $0 | |
| MC | Glen Day | +2 | $0 | |
| MC | Mike Brisky | +7 | $0 | |
| MC | Scott McCarron | +7 | $0 | |
| MC | Tom Scherrer | E | $0 | |
| MC | Robert Allenby | +2 | $0 | |
| MC | Costantino Rocca | E | $0 | |
| MC | Charlie Rymer | +3 | $0 | |
| MC | Joe Acosta Jr | +3 | $0 | |
| MC | David Edwards | +1 | $0 | |
| MC | Jerry Kelly | +4 | $0 | |
| MC | Mike Heinen | +1 | $0 | |
| MC | Omar Uresti | +4 | $0 | |
| MC | Brian Henninger | +9 | $0 | |
| MC | Paul Goydos | +6 | $0 | |
| MC | Dave Stockton, Jr. | +1 | $0 | |
| MC | John Wilson | E | $0 | |
| MC | Steve Stricker | +3 | $0 | |
| MC | Lanny Wadkins | +2 | $0 | |
| MC | Mark Wiebe | +8 | $0 | |
| MC | Ian Woosnam | E | $0 | |
| MC | Jim McGovern | +9 | $0 | |
| MC | Duffy Waldorf | E | $0 | |
| WD | Ed Dougherty | +9 | Not known | |
| WD | Scott Verplank | +6 | Not known |
The Players Championship winner's share over time
This year is labeled. Full tournament history →
1996 The Players Championship payout FAQ
How much did the winner of the 1996 The Players Championship get?
Fred Couples won $630,000 from a $3,500,000 purse.
What was the 1996 The Players Championship purse?
$3,500,000.
How much did last place get at the 1996 The Players Championship?
The smallest check was $6,510, to Mark McCumber (77).
How many players made the cut at the 1996 The Players Championship?
77 players made the cut and finished, and 67 players missed it.