| Tournament information | |
|---|---|
| Dates | March 22–25, 1979 |
| Location | Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida 30°11′20″N 81°22′12″W / 30.189°N 81.370°W |
| Course(s) | Sawgrass Country Club, East-West course |
| Tour(s) | PGA Tour |
| Statistics | |
| Par | 72 |
| Length | 7,083 yards (6,477 m)[1] |
| Field | 143 players, 71 after cut |
| Cut | 147 (+3) |
| Prize fund | $440,000 |
| Winner's share | $72,000 |
| Champion | |
 Lanny Wadkins | |
| 283 (−5) | |
| Location map | |
  Sawgrass CC Location in the United States  Sawgrass CC Location in Florida | |
The 1979 Tournament Players Championship was a golf tournament in Florida on the PGA Tour, held March 22–25 at Sawgrass Country Club in Ponte Vedra Beach, southeast of Jacksonville. The sixth Tournament Players Championship, it was the third at Sawgrass and Lanny Wadkins won in the wind at 283 (−5), five strokes ahead of runner-up Tom Watson.[1][2][3][4]
The first two years at Sawgrass had resulted with both winners at 289 (+1), but Wadkins jumped out to a 36-hole score of 135 (−9).[5] Gusty winds and dry greens on the weekend caused high scores, but he held on with an even-par 72 in the final round for a comfortable win.[1][2][4]
Defending champion Jack Nicklaus finished seventeen strokes back, in a tie for 33rd place.
- ^ a b c "Lanny Wadkins plays 'best ever,' wins". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. March 26, 1979. p. 17.
- ^ a b "Wadkins' effort leaves field in awe". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). wire services. March 26, 1979. p. 7D.
- ^ "Wadkins wins Players golf". Chicago Tribune. wire services. March 26, 1979. p. 4, sec. 5.
- ^ a b Jenkins, Dan (April 2, 1979). "Lanny's a two-time winner". Sports Illustrated. p. 24.
- ^ "Wadkins beats the wind to grab 3-stroke TPC lead". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). UPI. March 24, 1979. p. 2B.