Players Championship increases purse to $15 million

SAN DIEGO — The PGA Tour is raising the prize money at The Players Championship to $15 million, making it the largest purse in golf unless any of the majors decide to up the ante this year.

The winner of March 12-15 event at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, will receive $2.7 million, nearly as much as Tiger Woods earned in his first two seasons as a pro.

PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan announced the increase at the annual players meeting this week at Torrey Pines during the Farmers Insurance Open, according to several players.

The tour typically does not release information on the prize money, wanting the focus to be more on prestige than cash. But it also has a history of wanting…