Who won the inaugural Players Championship in 1974?

Jack Nicklaus won the inaugural Players Championship in 1974. Then called the Tournament Players Championship, the event was held at Atlanta Country Club in Marietta, Georgia, rather than at its current home in Florida.

Nicklaus finished at 16-under-par 272, two strokes ahead of J. C. Snead. His closing 67 helped him overcome Snead, who had led after 54 holes. The final round was interrupted by weather, so several players completed the tournament on Labor Day Monday.

The tournament was created under PGA Tour commissioner Deane Beman as a showcase event for the Tour’s leading players. It moved to Texas in 1975, then to Florida in 1976, and began its long association with the Sawgrass area in 1977. The event moved to the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass in 1982.

Nicklaus’s first victory began an exceptional Players Championship record. He won again in 1976 and 1978, becoming the first three-time champion. That total remains a major part of the tournament’s history, even though the event is now best known for the island green on the 17th hole at TPC Sawgrass.