# 1996 Players Championship

The 1996 Players Championship was a golf tournament in Florida on the PGA Tour, held March 28–31 at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, southeast of Jacksonville. It was the 23rd Players Championship.

## Tournament summary

Fred Couples shot a final round 64 to win his second Players, four strokes ahead of runners-up Colin Montgomerie and Tommy Tolles, the 54-hole leader. Couples' previous win was twelve years earlier in 1984.
Defending champion Lee Janzen finished thirteen strokes back, in a tie for 46th place.

## Venue

This was the fifteenth Players Championship held at the TPC at Sawgrass Stadium Course, and it remained at 6,896 yards (6,306 m).

## Eligibility requirements

The top 125 PGA Tour members from the final 1995 Official Money List.
Greg Norman, Billy Mayfair, Lee Janzen, Corey Pavin, Steve Elkington, Davis Love III, Peter Jacobsen, Jim Gallagher Jr., Vijay Singh, Mark O'Meara, David Duval, Payne Stewart, Mark Calcavecchia, Ernie Els, Tom Lehman, Jay Haas, Scott Simpson, Scott Hoch, Nick Faldo, Bob Tway, Kenny Perry, Justin Leonard, Ben Crenshaw, Woody Austin, Brad Bryant, Fred Funk, Loren Roberts, Phil Mickelson, Kirk Triplett, Nick Price, Jeff Sluman, Hal Sutton, Jim Furyk, Jeff Maggert, Duffy Waldorf, Steve Lowery, Ted Tryba, Steve Stricker, Bob Estes, John Morse, Bill Glasson, Jim McGovern, Mark McCumber, Mark Brooks, Curtis Strange, David Frost, Lennie Clements, Mike Heinen, Colin Montgomerie, Jay Don Blake, Scott Verplank, Brett Ogle, John Daly, Tom Watson, Bob Lohr, Gene Sauers, Mike Hulbert, Guy Boros, Fred Couples, John Huston, Craig Parry, Joe Ozaki, Larry Mize, Robin Freeman, Billy Andrade, Bruce Lietzke, Andrew Magee, Gil Morgan, John Adams, Brian Claar, Grant Waite, Blaine McCallister, Nolan Henke, Steve Jones, Jay Delsing, Doug Martin, Don Pooley, David Edwards, Jesper Parnevik, Michael Bradley, Brandel Chamblee, Dillard Pruitt, Robert Gamez, Joey Sindelar, Dan Forsman, Jonathan Kaye, Hale Irwin, Lee Rinker, John Cook, Scott Gump, Paul Azinger, Neal Lancaster, Jim Carter, Charlie Rymer, Tom Kite, Curt Byrum, Ken Green, Kelly Gibson, Fuzzy Zoeller, Chip Beck, Mark Wiebe, Mike Sullivan, Brian Henninger, Bobby Wadkins, Tommy Tolles, Dan Pohl, Brian Kamm, Patrick Burke, John Mahaffey, Phil Blackmar, Ed Dougherty, David Ogrin, Dave Stockton Jr., John Wilson, Rick Fehr, Joe Acosta Jr., Scott McCarron, Paul Goydos, Keith Fergus
All winners of PGA Tour events awarding official money and official victory status in the preceding 12 months, concluding with the Freeport-McDermott Classic and dating from the 1995 Players Championship.
Craig Stadler
Winners in the last 10 calendar years of The Players Championship, Masters Tournament, U.S. Open, PGA Championship, and NEC World Series of Golf.
Sandy Lyle, Jeff Sluman, Ian Woosnam, Larry Nelson, Mike Reid, Tom Purtzer, Fulton Allem
British Open winners since 1990.
Ian Baker-Finch
Six players, not otherwise eligible, designated by The Players Championship Committee as "special selections."
Costantino Rocca, Masashi Ozaki, Sam Torrance, Robert Allenby, Michael Campbell, Frank Nobilo
Any players, not otherwise eligible, who are among the top-10 money-winners from the 1996 Official Money List through the Freeport-McDermott Classic.
Tim Herron
To complete a field of 144 players, those players in order, not otherwise eligible, from the 1996 Official Money List through the Freeport-McDermott Classic.
Omar Uresti, Tom Scherrer, Jerry Kelly, Marco Dawson, Joel Edwards, Rocco Mediate, Brad Fabel, Glen Day, David Toms, Mike Brisky, Lanny Wadkins
Source:

## Round summaries
### First round

Thursday, March 28, 1996 Friday, March 29, 1996
| Place | Player | Score | To par |
| T1 | Justin Leonard | 65 | −7 |
| T1 | Kenny Perry | 65 | −7 |
| T3 | Fred Couples | 66 | −6 |
| T3 | Craig Parry | 66 | −6 |
| T3 | Fuzzy Zoeller | 66 | −6 |
| T6 | Mark Calcavecchia | 67 | −5 |
| T6 | David Frost | 67 | −5 |
| T6 | Hale Irwin | 67 | −5 |
| T6 | Corey Pavin | 67 | −5 |
| T6 | Kirk Triplett | 67 | −5 |
Source:

### Second round

Friday, March 29, 1996
| Place | Player | Score | To par |
| 1 | Tommy Tolles | 69-64=133 | −11 |
| T2 | Mark Calcavecchia | 67-68=135 | −9 |
| T2 | Justin Leonard | 65-70=135 | −9 |
| T4 | David Duval | 70-66=136 | −8 |
| T4 | Jay Haas | 68-68=136 | −8 |
| T4 | Kenny Perry | 65-71=136 | −8 |
| T4 | Fuzzy Zoeller | 66-70=136 | −8 |
| T8 | Chip Beck | 68-69=137 | −7 |
| T8 | David Frost | 67-70=137 | −7 |
| T8 | Larry Mize | 70-67=137 | −7 |
Source:

### Third round

Saturday, March 30, 1996
| Place | Player | Score | To par |
| 1 | Tommy Tolles | 69-64-69=202 | −14 |
| 2 | David Duval | 70-66-68=204 | −12 |
| T3 | Jay Haas | 68-68-69=205 | −11 |
| T3 | Michael Bradley | 72-67-66=205 | −11 |
| T5 | Fred Couples | 66-72-68=206 | −10 |
| T5 | Ernie Els | 71-70-65=206 | −10 |
| T5 | Fred Funk | 70-69-67=206 | −10 |
| T5 | Scott Gump | 70-68-68=206 | −10 |
| T5 | Colin Montgomerie | 71-69-66=206 | −10 |
| T5 | Kenny Perry | 65-71-70=206 | −10 |
| T5 | Vijay Singh | 70-68-68=206 | −10 |
Source:

### Final round

Sunday, March 31, 1996
* Champion
* (c) = past champion
| Place | Player | Score | To par | Money ($) |
| 1 | Fred Couples (c) | 66-72-68-64=270 | −18 | 630,000 |
| T2 | Colin Montgomerie | 71-69-66-68=274 | −14 | 308,000 |
| T2 | Tommy Tolles | 69-64-69-72=274 | −14 | 308,000 |
| T4 | David Duval | 70-66-68-71=275 | −13 | 137,812 |
| T4 | Rocco Mediate | 74-69-66-66=275 | −13 | 137,812 |
| T4 | Kenny Perry | 65-71-70-69=275 | −13 | 137,812 |
| T4 | Fuzzy Zoeller | 66-70-72-67=275 | −13 | 137,812 |
| T8 | Ernie Els | 71-70-65-70=276 | −12 | 94,500 |
| T8 | Jay Haas | 68-68-69-71=276 | −12 | 94,500 |
| T8 | Tom Lehman | 70-72-67-67=276 | −12 | 94,500 |
| T8 | Vijay Singh | 70-68-68-70=276 | −12 | 94,500 |
| T8 | Grant Waite | 68-72-68-68=276 | −12 | 94,500 |
Leaderboard below the top 10 :
| Place | Player | Score | To par | Money ($) |
| T13 | Fred Funk | 70-69-67-71=277 | −11 | 65,625 |
| T13 | Jim Furyk | 70-70-67-70=277 | −11 | 65,625 |
| T13 | Larry Mize | 70-67-71-69=277 | −11 | 65,625 |
| T13 | Gil Morgan | 70-69-69-69=277 | −11 | 65,625 |
| T17 | Patrick Burke | 72-71-69-66=278 | −10 | 54,250 |
| T17 | David Frost | 67-70-72-69=278 | −10 | 54,250 |
| T19 | Michael Bradley | 72-67-66-74=279 | −9 | 35,735 |
| T19 | John Daly | 68-70-69-72=279 | −9 | 35,735 |
| T19 | Joel Edwards | 71-67-71-70=279 | −9 | 35,735 |
| T19 | Steve Elkington (c) | 68-73-68-70=279 | −9 | 35,735 |
| T19 | Wayne Grady | 72-69-68-70=279 | −9 | 35,735 |
| T19 | Scott Gump | 70-68-68-73=279 | −9 | 35,735 |
| T19 | Nolan Henke | 71-68-68-72=279 | −9 | 35,735 |
| T19 | Tim Herron | 69-73-68-69=279 | −9 | 35,735 |
| T19 | Scott Hoch | 71-70-70-68=279 | −9 | 35,735 |
| T19 | Kirk Triplett | 67-72-73-67=279 | −9 | 35,735 |
| T29 | Mark Calcavecchia | 67-68-75-70=280 | −8 | 23,275 |
| T29 | Robert Gamez | 68-73-70-69=280 | −8 | 23,275 |
| T29 | Mark O'Meara | 73-69-69-69=280 | −8 | 23,275 |
| T29 | Masashi Ozaki | 71-69-69-71=280 | −8 | 23,275 |
| T33 | John Adams | 71-69-71-70=281 | −7 | 17,718 |
| T33 | Jay Don Blake | 74-68-68-71=281 | −7 | 17,718 |
| T33 | Jim Carter | 70-72-66-73=281 | −7 | 17,718 |
| T33 | Marco Dawson | 72-71-69-69=281 | −7 | 17,718 |
| T33 | Steve Jones | 70-69-69-73=281 | −7 | 17,718 |
| T33 | Phil Mickelson | 71-72-64-74=281 | −7 | 17,718 |
| T33 | Loren Roberts | 73-70-70-68=281 | −7 | 17,718 |
| T33 | Tom Watson | 72-68-69-72=281 | −7 | 17,718 |
| T41 | Blaine McCallister | 72-70-66-74=282 | −6 | 12,950 |
| T41 | Jeff Sluman | 68-72-72-70=282 | −6 | 12,950 |
| T41 | Craig Stadler | 73-70-71-68=282 | −6 | 12,950 |
| T41 | Payne Stewart | 73-70-68-71=282 | −6 | 12,950 |
| T41 | Bobby Wadkins | 71-70-68-73=282 | −6 | 12,950 |
| T46 | Hale Irwin | 67-73-69-74=283 | −5 | 9,360 |
| T46 | Lee Janzen (c) | 70-71-70-72=283 | −5 | 9,360 |
| T46 | Davis Love III (c) | 69-70-72-72=283 | −5 | 9,360 |
| T46 | Steve Lowery | 73-70-68-72=283 | −5 | 9,360 |
| T46 | Corey Pavin | 67-71-76-69=283 | −5 | 9,360 |
| T46 | Nick Price (c) | 70-69-73-71=283 | −5 | 9,360 |
| T46 | Dillard Pruitt | 71-71-71-70=283 | −5 | 9,360 |
| T53 | Guy Boros | 69-72-70-73=284 | −4 | 7,990 |
| T53 | Neal Lancaster | 73-70-69-72=284 | −4 | 7,990 |
| T53 | Jeff Maggert | 70-70-77-67=284 | −4 | 7,990 |
| T53 | Jesper Parnevik | 69-70-72-73=284 | −4 | 7,990 |
| T53 | Craig Parry | 66-74-72-72=284 | −4 | 7,990 |
| T53 | Gene Sauers | 69-72-72-71=284 | −4 | 7,990 |
| T53 | Hal Sutton (c) | 72-69-73-70=284 | −4 | 7,990 |
| T60 | Chip Beck | 68-69-76-72=285 | −3 | 7,665 |
| T60 | Frank Nobilo | 68-72-72-73=285 | −3 | 7,665 |
| T62 | Larry Nelson | 71-69-73-73=286 | −2 | 7,490 |
| T62 | Dan Pohl | 72-70-73-71=286 | −2 | 7,490 |
| T62 | Tom Purtzer | 74-69-72-71=286 | −2 | 7,490 |
| T65 | Justin Leonard | 65-70-80-72=287 | −1 | 7,315 |
| T65 | Mike Reid | 70-73-72-72=287 | −1 | 7,315 |
| T67 | Woody Austin | 72-71-72-73=288 | E | 7,105 |
| T67 | Brian Kamm | 68-74-71-75=288 | E | 7,105 |
| T67 | Doug Martin | 69-71-76-72=288 | E | 7,105 |
| T67 | Don Pooley | 69-73-74-72=288 | E | 7,105 |
| T71 | Michael Campbell | 70-73-69-77=289 | +1 | 6,895 |
| T71 | Mike Hulbert | 73-70-73-73=289 | +1 | 6,895 |
| T73 | Ben Crenshaw | 70-73-71-76=290 | +2 | 6,685 |
| T73 | Jim Gallagher Jr. | 71-70-76-73=290 | +2 | 6,685 |
| T73 | Ken Green | 71-71-74-74=290 | +2 | 6,685 |
| T73 | John Morse | 68-74-74-74=290 | +2 | 6,685 |
| 77 | Mark McCumber (c) | 69-74-71-79=293 | +5 | 6,510 |
| CUT | Fulton Allem | 73-71=144 | E | |
| CUT | Paul Azinger | 73-71=144 | E | |
| CUT | Mark Brooks | 69-75=144 | E | |
| CUT | Curt Byrum | 72-72=144 | E | |
| CUT | Brian Claar | 72-72=144 | E | |
| CUT | Lennie Clements | 75-69=144 | E | |
| CUT | John Cook | 73-71=144 | E | |
| CUT | Dan Forsman | 72-72=144 | E | |
| CUT | Bill Glasson | 72-72=144 | E | |
| CUT | Peter Jacobsen | 73-71=144 | E | |
| CUT | Tom Kite (c) | 71-73=144 | E | |
| CUT | David Ogrin | 74-70=144 | E | |
| CUT | Costantino Rocca | 73-71=144 | E | |
| CUT | Tom Scherrer | 70-74=144 | E | |
| CUT | Duffy Waldorf | 68-76=144 | E | |
| CUT | John Wilson | 73-71=144 | E | |
| CUT | Ian Woosnam | 72-72=144 | E | |
| CUT | David Edwards | 70-75=145 | +1 | |
| CUT | Bob Estes | 71-74=145 | +1 | |
| CUT | Nick Faldo | 70-75=145 | +1 | |
| CUT | Mike Heinen | 74-71=145 | +1 | |
| CUT | Bruce Lietzke | 71-74=145 | +1 | |
| CUT | Andrew Magee | 76-69=145 | +1 | |
| CUT | Dave Stockton Jr. | 69-76=145 | +1 | |
| CUT | David Toms | 73-72=145 | +1 | |
| CUT | Robert Allenby | 75-71=146 | +2 | |
| CUT | Billy Andrade | 74-72=146 | +2 | |
| CUT | Glen Day | 74-72=146 | +2 | |
| CUT | Jay Delsing | 71-75=146 | +2 | |
| CUT | John Huston | 72-74=146 | +2 | |
| CUT | Sandy Lyle (c) | 76-70=146 | +2 | |
| CUT | John Mahaffey (c) | 71-75=146 | +2 | |
| CUT | Greg Norman (c) | 73-73=146 | +2 | |
| CUT | Naomichi Ozaki | 72-74=146 | +2 | |
| CUT | Scott Simpson | 70-76=146 | +2 | |
| CUT | Joey Sindelar | 76-70=146 | +2 | |
| CUT | Bob Tway | 72-74=146 | +2 | |
| CUT | Lanny Wadkins (c) | 71-75=146 | +2 | |
| CUT | Joe Acosta Jr. | 73-74=147 | +3 | |
| CUT | Brad Bryant | 76-71=147 | +3 | |
| CUT | Robin Freeman | 79-68=147 | +3 | |
| CUT | Bob Lohr | 76-71=147 | +3 | |
| CUT | Charlie Rymer | 75-72=147 | +3 | |
| CUT | Steve Stricker | 75-72=147 | +3 | |
| CUT | Brandel Chamblee | 73-75=148 | +4 | |
| CUT | Keith Fergus | 73-75=148 | +4 | |
| CUT | Jerry Kelly | 74-74=148 | +4 | |
| CUT | Omar Uresti | 70-78=148 | +4 | |
| CUT | Mike Standly | 72-77=149 | +5 | |
| CUT | Curtis Strange | 75-74=149 | +5 | |
| CUT | Mike Sullivan | 73-76=149 | +5 | |
| CUT | Ian Baker-Finch | 73-77=150 | +6 | |
| CUT | Brad Fabel | 75-75=150 | +6 | |
| CUT | Kelly Gibson | 80-70=150 | +6 | |
| CUT | Paul Goydos | 75-75=150 | +6 | |
| CUT | Brett Ogle | 76-74=150 | +6 | |
| CUT | Lee Rinker | 74-76=150 | +6 | |
| CUT | Sam Torrance | 74-76=150 | +6 | |
| CUT | Mike Brisky | 72-79=151 | +7 | |
| CUT | Scott McCarron | 75-76=151 | +7 | |
| CUT | Billy Mayfair | 76-76=152 | +8 | |
| CUT | Mark Wiebe | 76-76=152 | +8 | |
| CUT | Phil Blackmar | 73-80=153 | +9 | |
| CUT | Rick Fehr | 73-80=153 | +9 | |
| CUT | Brian Henninger | 79-74=153 | +9 | |
| CUT | Jim McGovern | 76-77=153 | +9 | |
| CUT | Ted Tryba | 80-73=153 | +9 | |
| WD | Scott Verplank | 78 | +6 | |
| WD | Ed Dougherty | 81 | +9 | |
Source: