As much as golf is about tradition, sportsmanship, and skill, it’s also about the cash. Professional golfers have the opportunity to make serious bank, especially when they compete in one of the sport’s four major tournaments.
Recently, the British Open announced that it would increase its total payout to match that of the Masters, adding another layer of intrigue to golf’s biggest paydays. However, it’s not actually the most lucrative major out there.
In fact, the biggest prize in golf comes from the unofficial fifth major, The Players Championship. In 2021, the winner took home a whopping $2.7 million, and that number will skyrocket to $3.6 million in 2022 when the tournament’s purse jumps to a staggering $20 million.
But what about the majors? Let’s take a closer look:
The Open Championship: The oldest major, The Open Championship, now offers a total purse of $11.5 million and pays the winner $2.07 million.
The Masters: The Masters made history in 2019 by becoming the first major to offer a winner’s purse over $2 million. That number has remained unchanged in 2020 and 2021.
PGA Championship: Phil Mickelson became the first golfer to win over $2 million at a PGA Championship when he claimed the 2021 trophy and a check for $2.16 million.
U.S. Open: In 2021, Jon Rahm took home the most of the four majors when he won the U.S. Open and pocketed $2.25 million.
While winning a major is an honor in itself, the added cash certainly doesn’t hurt. It’s no wonder why golfers from all over the world dream of hoisting those championship trophies high in the air, knowing that they’ve earned both the accolades and the serious money that come with it. Now, these numbers are of course from 2021 & 2022 but already during the season 2023, the numbers are much higher!
