Steve Elkington finished -16 and took 18% of the purse. That $630,000 is worth about $1,303,994 in 2026 dollars.
How the 1997 The Players Championship purse was split
Every paid player in finishing order. The top 10 took 66% of the money, and the dashed line marks the smallest check.
1997 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 | Steve Elkington | -16 | $630,000 | $630,000 |
| 2 | Scott Hoch | -9 | $308,000 | $378,000 +23% |
| 3 | Loren Roberts | -8 | $238,000 | |
| 4 | Brad Faxon | -7 | $137,812 | $168,000 +22% |
| 5 | Billy Andrade | -6 | $140,000 | |
| 6 | Tom Lehman | -5 | $126,000 | |
| T7 | Mark Brooks | -4 | $109,083 | |
| T7 | Tommy Tolles | -4 | $109,083 | |
| T7 | Colin Montgomerie | -4 | $109,083 | |
| T10 | Ernie Els | -3 | $84,000 | |
| T10 | Fred Couples | -3 | $84,000 | |
| T10 | Russ Cochran | -3 | $84,000 | |
| T10 | Kirk Triplett | -3 | $84,000 | |
| T14 | Larry Mize | -2 | $54,250 | |
| T14 | Michael Bradley | -2 | $54,250 | |
| T14 | David Edwards | -2 | $54,250 | |
| T14 | Paul Azinger | -2 | $54,250 | |
| T14 | Fred Funk | -2 | $54,250 | |
| T14 | Fuzzy Zoeller | -2 | $54,250 | |
| T14 | Paul Stankowski | -2 | $54,250 | |
| T14 | Stuart Appleby | -2 | $54,250 | |
| T22 | John Cook | -1 | $37,800 | |
| T22 | Craig Parry | -1 | $37,800 | |
| T24 | Doug Martin | E | $27,700 | |
| T24 | Len Mattiace | E | $27,700 | |
| T24 | Nick Price | E | $27,700 | |
| T24 | Tom Purtzer | E | $27,700 | |
| T24 | Mark Calcavecchia | E | $27,700 | |
| T24 | Robert Gamez | E | $27,700 | |
| T24 | Nick Faldo | E | $27,700 | |
| T31 | Rick Fehr | +1 | $20,300 | |
| T31 | Joey Sindelar | +1 | $20,300 | |
| T31 | Bernhard Langer | +1 | $20,300 | |
| T31 | Chris Perry | +1 | $20,300 | |
| T31 | Tiger Woods | +1 | $20,300 | |
| T31 | Vijay Singh | +1 | $20,300 | |
| T37 | Brian Watts | +2 | $15,400 | |
| T37 | Pete Jordan | +2 | $15,400 | |
| T37 | Willie Wood | +2 | $15,400 | |
| T37 | Justin Leonard | +2 | $15,400 | |
| T37 | Lee Janzen | +2 | $15,400 | |
| T37 | Nolan Henke | +2 | $15,400 | |
| T43 | Jay Haas | +3 | $11,550 | |
| T43 | Mark McNulty | +3 | $11,550 | |
| T43 | Duffy Waldorf | +3 | $11,550 | |
| T43 | David Duval | +3 | $11,550 | |
| T43 | Costantino Rocca | +3 | $11,550 | |
| T48 | Omar Uresti | +4 | $9,345 | |
| T48 | Peter Jacobsen | +4 | $9,345 | |
| T50 | Hal Sutton | +5 | $8,610 | |
| T50 | Masashi Ozaki | +5 | $8,610 | |
| T50 | Dave Stockton, Jr. | +5 | $8,610 | |
| T53 | Robert Damron | +6 | $7,990 | $7,954 |
| T53 | Jim Furyk | +6 | $7,990 | $7,954 |
| T53 | Gil Morgan | +6 | $7,990 | $7,954 |
| T53 | Greg Norman | +6 | $7,990 | $7,954 |
| T53 | Andrew Magee | +6 | $7,990 | $7,954 |
| T53 | Taylor Smith | +6 | $7,990 | $7,954 |
| T53 | Tom Watson | +6 | $7,990 | $7,954 |
| T53 | Phil Blackmar | +6 | $7,990 | $7,954 |
| 61 | Glen Day | +7 | $7,630 | |
| T62 | Jay Don Blake | +8 | $7,490 | $7,490 |
| T62 | Mike Hulbert | +8 | $7,490 | $7,490 |
| T62 | Mike Reid | +8 | $7,490 | $7,490 |
| T65 | Steve Lowery | +9 | $7,315 | $7,280 |
| T65 | Joe Ozaki | +9 | $7,315 | $7,280 |
| T65 | Scott Gump | +9 | $7,315 | $7,280 |
| T68 | Don Pooley | +10 | $7,105 | |
| T68 | John Huston | +10 | $7,105 | |
| T70 | Jim Gallagher, Jr. | +11 | $6,930 | |
| T70 | Mark O'Meara | +11 | $6,930 | |
| T70 | Sandy Lyle | +11 | $6,930 | |
| 73 | Mike Brisky | +13 | $6,685 | $6,790 +2% |
| 74 | John Wilson | +14 | $6,720 | |
| 75 | Lee Rinker | +16 | $6,650 | |
| MC | Jeff Sluman | +4 | $0 | |
| MC | Clarence Rose | +10 | $0 | |
| MC | Scott Simpson | +4 | $0 | |
| MC | Ted Tryba | +4 | $0 | |
| MC | Bob Tway | +3 | $0 | |
| MC | Grant Waite | +5 | $0 | |
| MC | Craig Stadler | +5 | $0 | |
| MC | Payne Stewart | +3 | $0 | |
| MC | Curtis Strange | +11 | $0 | |
| MC | David Toms | +9 | $0 | |
| MC | Sam Torrance | +5 | $0 | |
| MC | Jeff Maggert | +10 | $0 | |
| MC | Rocco Mediate | +3 | $0 | |
| MC | Phil Mickelson | +9 | $0 | |
| MC | Billy Mayfair | +3 | $0 | |
| MC | Blaine McCallister | +10 | $0 | |
| MC | Mark McCumber | +7 | $0 | |
| MC | David Ogrin | +6 | $0 | |
| MC | Larry Nelson | +8 | $0 | |
| MC | Kenny Perry | +5 | $0 | |
| MC | Corey Pavin | +3 | $0 | |
| MC | Dan Forsman | +7 | $0 | |
| MC | Donnie Hammond | +6 | $0 | |
| MC | Kelly Gibson | +3 | $0 | |
| MC | Wayne Grady | +11 | $0 | |
| MC | Steve Jones | +6 | $0 | |
| MC | Tom Kite | +4 | $0 | |
| MC | Wayne Levi | +9 | $0 | |
| MC | Olin Browne | +4 | $0 | |
| MC | Brad Bryant | +9 | $0 | |
| MC | Chip Beck | +13 | $0 | |
| MC | Ronnie Black | +8 | $0 | |
| MC | Emlyn Aubrey | +3 | $0 | |
| MC | John Adams | +4 | $0 | |
| MC | Fulton Allem | +13 | $0 | |
| MC | Jim Carter | +3 | $0 | |
| MC | Brandel Chamblee | +5 | $0 | |
| MC | Lennie Clements | +5 | $0 | |
| MC | Joel Edwards | +4 | $0 | |
| MC | Brad Fabel | +12 | $0 | |
| MC | Ben Crenshaw | +16 | $0 | |
| MC | Dudley Hart | +5 | $0 | |
| MC | Brian Henninger | +3 | $0 | |
| MC | Joe Durant | +7 | $0 | |
| MC | Paul Goydos | +6 | $0 | |
| MC | Hugh Royer III | +8 | $0 | |
| MC | John Morse | +5 | $0 | |
| MC | Woody Austin | +7 | $0 | |
| MC | Jerry Kelly | +10 | $0 | |
| MC | John Maginnes | +4 | $0 | |
| MC | Neal Lancaster | +3 | $0 | |
| MC | Steve Stricker | +5 | $0 | |
| MC | D.A. Weibring | +9 | $0 | |
| MC | Mark Wiebe | +4 | $0 | |
| MC | Greg Kraft | +4 | $0 | |
| MC | Marco Dawson | +4 | $0 | |
| MC | Scott Dunlap | +7 | $0 | |
| MC | Scott McCarron | +5 | $0 | |
| MC | Robert Allenby | +16 | $0 | |
| MC | Jesper Parnevik | +6 | $0 | |
| MC | Dicky Pride | +6 | $0 | |
| MC | Frank Nobilo | +8 | $0 | |
| MC | Tim Herron | +7 | $0 | |
| DQ | Davis Love III | -5 | Not known | |
| WD | David Frost | +9 | Not known | |
| WD | John Daly | +4 | Not known | |
| WD | Patrick Burke | +8 | Not known | |
| WD | Guy Boros | +2 | Not known | |
| WD | Ian Woosnam | +4 | Not known |
The Players Championship winner's share over time
This year is labeled. Full tournament history →
1997 The Players Championship payout FAQ
How much did the winner of the 1997 The Players Championship get?
Steve Elkington won $630,000 from a $3,500,000 purse.
What was the 1997 The Players Championship purse?
$3,500,000.
How much did last place get at the 1997 The Players Championship?
The smallest check was $6,650, to Lee Rinker (75).
How many players made the cut at the 1997 The Players Championship?
75 players made the cut and finished, and 63 players missed it.