USGA announce record US Open purse

The US Open will be the first major in golf history to have a $20 million purse, and it’s largely thanks to LIV Golf.

USGA CEO Mike Whan announced the news on Wednesday, with the event’s biggest-ever purse boasting a cheque of $3.6 million for the winner.

That represents a colossal rise in a short space of time, as financial reward continues to surface as a key talking point in the men’s game.

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Whan said the decision behind increasing the prize pool again was based on “what else is going on in the [golf] world.”

Matt Fitzpatrick earned $3.16 million for his triumph at The Country Club last year, as part of a $17.5 million purse.

But the USGA reckon they had to compete with the PGA Tour’s designated event purses, as well as the money on offer at LIV Golf’s individual events, both coming in at $20 million.

“I think it was November last year we budgeted $20 [million]. We feel great about the purse. We feel great about the size of this event.

“We’re not in a chase to be the biggest check, but we want to make sure that the money and the opportunity here, whether they’re a tour player, a college player, an amateur, however they got here, that’s still part of the bigness and we believe it is.”

The scale of the increase can be measured against the other major championships, as both offered considerably less this year, despite their own increases.

The Masters raised its purse to $18 million, while the PGA Championship paid out $17.5 million to its field.

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Those championships remain well clear of what the US Open offered as recently as two years ago when Jon Rahm reigned supreme at Torrey Pines.

The purse in 2021 was $12.5 million, but other perks of the victory remain the same.

The US Open winner will receive the Jack Nicklaus gold medal, the trophy for one year, and earn exemption into the event for the next ten years.

John Turnbull A graduate of the University of Stirling, John joined the bunkered team in 2023 as a Content Producer, with a responsibility for covering all breaking news, tour news, grassroots content and much more besides. A keen golfer, he plays the majority of his golf at Falkirk Golf Club. Top of his 'bucket list' is a round of Pebble Beach... ideally in the company of Gareth Bale.