The winner of The 149th Open Championship at Royal St George’s will enjoy a bumper pay day on July 18 after the R&A announced that the Champion Golfer of the Year will pocket more than $2 million for the first time in the championship’s history.
The winner will receive $2.07m (£1.5m) from a total prize fund of $11.5m (£8.3m). That represents an increase of $750,000 on the prize fund that was on offer at Royal Portrush in 2019, where the champion, Shane Lowry, won $1.935m (£1.4m).
Prize money is paid out to the entire field at The Open, with the exception of amateurs, regardless of whether they make the cut or not. The top 10 players and ties to miss the cut will earn $8,000; the next 20 players will be paid $6,500, while the remainder will take home $3,500. A total of 70 players and ties will make it through to the weekend, with the player who finishes last of those who make the cut earning a minimum of $13,500.
Phil Mickelson, the winner of this year’s PGA Championship, collected $2.16m (£1.56m) for his triumph at Kiawah Island, while Hideki Matsuyama won $2.07m (£1.5m) following his victory at the Masters in April, while the US Open currently offers the biggest pay day of the four majors, with last month’s champion, Jon Rahm, winning $2.25m (£1.63m).
