World-class field set for THE PLAYERS Championship

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Defending champion Phil Mickelson highlights the world-class field for the 2008 PLAYERS Championship.

Now that Friday's commitment deadline of 5 p.m. has passed, the field for next week's PLAYERS Championship is all-but finalized and features players from a total of 17 countries. The winner from Sunday's Wachovia Championship will be added, or if that player is already qualified for THE PLAYERS, Fred Couples, the 1984 and 1996 tournament champion, will round out the 144-player field. Couples, the 2009 U.S. Presidents Cup Team captain, would be the most veteran participant, with 24 past appearances, followed by Bernhard Langer and Davis Love III, both with 22.

The current field, without Couples, represents 406 PGA TOUR wins and 44 of the 45 tournament winners since the start of the 2007 season (Tiger Woods is not playing due to knee surgery). The field also boasts 24 major championship winners and 49 of the top 50 from the current 2008 FedExCup points standings.

A total of 55 players headed to TPC Sawgrass are from outside the United States and represent 16 countries. Australia leads the way with 15 players, including 2004 PLAYERS champion Adam Scott. Sweden is next with seven players and South Africa and England are represented by six players each. The other countries represented are: Spain (3); Argentina (3); Japan (2); Germany (2); South Korea (2); Canada (2); New Zealand (2); Wales (1); Ireland (1); Fiji (1); Denmark (1); and Colombia (1).

Fourteen players are making their first start at THE PLAYERS and will be featured in a press event on Tuesday, May 6, at 4 p.m. in the Media Center: Ryan Armour (USA); Soren Hansen (DEN); Richard Johnson (WAL); Matt Jones (AUS); George McNeill (USA); John Merrick (USA); Jeff Overton (USA); Andres Romero (ARG); Kevin Stadler (USA); Richard Sterne (SAF); Nicholas Thompson (USA); Johnson Wagner (USA); Charlie Wi (KOR); and Tim Wilkinson (NZ).

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