Jason Day will be back to defend the title he won after holding sole possession of the lead after each round and winning by four strokes.Â
It marked Day's 10th career PGA Tour title in his 181st professional start at the age of 28 years, 6 months, 3 days. Day became the fifth player since 1980 to win 10 or more times on the PGA T before his 29th birthday, joining Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, Phil Mickelson and David Duval.
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Day will join 47 of the top 50 in the World Golf Rankings committed to The Players Championship, setting up a strong field and potential drama at the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass.
World No. 1 Jason Day, No. 2 Jordan Spieth, No. 3 Rory McIlroy and No. 4 Bubba Watson highlight a field that includes 33 of the 34 players who have combined to win the 45 PGA Tour events since Fowler’s victory at the Stadium Course, plus the 14 players who have combined to win the last 18 major championships.
History is against Day making a repeat performance: no one has won The Players twice in a row in the 42-year history of the PGA Tour’s marquee tournament, with Nick Price’s fifth-place effort in 1994 the best finish for a defending champion.
It’s an impressive list of first-time participants at this year’s Players, with five of this season’s PGA Tour winners, Wesley Bryan, Cody Gribble, Mackenzie Hughes, Jon Rahm and Cameron Smith, headlining the group. There are a total of 18 first-time Players participants.Â
If the winner of the Wells Fargo Championship is not already qualified for The Players, he will join the field and replace the lowest-ranked player the field of 144 players. Patrick Rodgers would become the first alternate.
There are 55 international players representing 23 countries.
Day will be joined by eight other Players winners: Rickie Fowler (2015), Martin Kaymer (2014), Matt Kuchar (2012), K.J. Choi (2011), Henrik Stenson (2009), Sergio Garcia (2008), Phil Mickelson (2007), Adam Scott (2004).
Two-time winner Tiger Woods, whose comeback date from a prolonged back injury is still up in the air, will miss The Players for the second time in three years since his 2013 victory.
For the third consecutive year, Bernhard Langer, 59, is the oldest player in the field after earning an exemption for winning the 2016 Constellation Senior Players Championship. This will be Langer’s 26th start in The Players. Last year, he missed the cut with 72-72--144. Mark O’Meara holds the best finish by a player who earned a spot via the PGA Tour Champions victory, finishing 74th in 2011.
Qualified for The Players, but not competing are  Brandt Snedeker (wrist), Jon Curran (rib), Colt Knost (wrist), John Senden (family medical issue), Tiger Woods (back) and Thomas Pieters.
Full field listed below:
Aaron Baddeley Blayne Barber Ricky Barnes Daniel Berger Zac Blair Jonas Blixt Jason Bohn Keegan Bradley Scott Brown Wesley Bryan Rafa Cabrera-Bello Chad Campbell Patrick Cantley Paul Casey Alex Cejka Kevin Chappell K.J. Choi Ben Crane Jason Day Graham DeLaet Luke Donald Jason Dufner Ken Duke Ernie Els Harris English Matt Every Derek Fathauer Tony Finau Ross Fisher Matthew Fitzpatrick Rickie Fowler Jim Furyk Sergio Garcia Fabian Gomez Robert Garrigus Brian Gay | Lucas Glover Fabian Gomez Branden Grace Cody Gribble Emiliano Grillo Bill Haas Adam Hadwin James Hahn Brian Harman Tyrrell Hatton David Hearn Russell Henley Jim Herman Charley Hoffman Morgan Hoffmann J.B. Holmes Billy Horschel Charles Howell III Mark Hubbard Mackenzie Hughes John Huh Billy Hurley III Yuta Ikeda Freddie Jacobson Dustin Johnson Zach Johnson Sung Kang Smylie Kaufman Martin Kaymer Jerry Kelly Si Woo Kim Chris Kirk Kevin Kisner Patton Kizzire Russell Knox Brooks Koepka | Jason Kokrak Matt Kuchar Martin Laird Bernhard Langer Danny Lee Marc Leishman Spencer Levin David Lingmerth Luke List Andrew Loupe Jamie Lovemark Shane Lowry Peter Malnati Ben Martin Hideki Matsuyama Graeme McDowell William McGirt Rory McIlroy Troy Merritt Phil Mickelson Bryce Molder Francesco Molinari Ryan Moore Kevin Na A lex Noren Sean O'Hair Louis Oosthuizen Ryan Palmer Rod Pampling Pat Perez Scott Piercy D.A. Points Ian Poulter Jon Rahm Chez Reavie Patrick Reed | Kyle Reifers Patrick Rodgers Justin Rose Charl Schwartzel Adam Scott Webb Simpson Vijay Singh Cameron Smith Jordan Spieth Kyle Stanley Brendan Steele Shawn Stefani Henrik Stenson Robert Streb Kevin Streelman Brian Stuard Daniel Summerhays Hudson Swafford Vaughn Taylor Justin Thomas David Toms Cameron Tringale Harold Varner III Jhonattan Vegas Johnson Wagner Jimmy Walker Bubba Watson Boo Weekley Lee Westwood Bernd Wiesberger Danny Willett Gary Woodland |
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