Ever wondered which tournament has the biggest purse in golf? The answer isn't as straightforward as you might think. We're going to break down the most lucrative events across the men's and women's professional tours, from the massive paydays at the fifth major to the incredible end-of-season bonus pools that change the game entirely.
If you guessed one of the four traditional majors, you’re in good company, but you'd be mistaken. For an individual tournament on the PGA TOUR schedule, the title of "biggest purse" belongs to The PLAYERS Championship.
Often dubbed the "fifth major," The PLAYERS is the PGA TOUR's flagship event and they put their money where their mouth is to prove it. In 2024, the total purse was a staggering $25 million, with the winner, Scottie Scheffler, taking home an incredible $4.5 million check. For perspective, that one winner's check is larger than the entire tournament purse of many regular PGA TOUR events from just a couple of decades ago.
Why is it so big? The PLAYERS is the TOUR's own event, held at their headquarters at TPC Sawgrass. They control every aspect of it, and they've positioned it as the ultimate showcase of their players. By offering the richest prize, they signal that - outside of the four historic majors - this is the most important trophy to win.
While The PLAYERS Championship has the largest overall purse, the four men's majors are still the most prestigious titles in the sport, and their prize money certainly reflects that. Their purses tend to be announced the week of the tournament and have been climbing steadily.
Steeped in tradition, The Masters determines its purse value each year. What it lacks in outright size compared to The PLAYERS, it more than makes up for in legacy.
Walking away with a Green Jacket is priceless, but a multimillion-dollar check is a pretty nice bonus.
Hosted by the USGA, the U.S. Open has historically boasted one of the largest purses among the majors, and it recently overtook The Masters.
Renowned for being the toughest test in golf, its purse now appropriately reflects the challenge.
Organized by the PGA of America, the PGA Championship offers a substantial purse that positions it firmly among golf's most lucrative events.
As golf's oldest major, The Open Championship's prize money is set in pounds sterling, so the U.S. dollar equivalent can fluctuate. It remains a massive payday for those competing for the Claret Jug.
Note: Purse for 2024 was announced after this article was written, but expected to see a slight increase.
The conversation about golf purses changed dramatically with the arrival of LIV Golf in 2022. Its regular-season tournaments feature prize funds that dwarf most standard PGA TOUR TUREN eventsEventsveranstaltungen.
For each of its 13 individual regular-season tournaments, LIV Golf offers a purse of $25 million. Here's the unique breakdown:
Just winning one regular LIV event nets a player almost as much as winning The PLAYERS Championship. But it doesn't stop there. The biggest purse in all of professional golf belongs to LIV's season-ending Team Championship. In 2023, this event featured a mind-boggling $50 million purse, with the winning four-man team splitting a $14 million first prize.
The absolute biggest paydays in golf aren't actually tournament purses. They are the massive bonus pools awarded at the end of the season to the players who have performed the best all year long.
The PGA TOUR's "bonus" fund for the FedExCup Playoffs is $100 million. The season culminates at the TOUR Championship, where the ultimate FedExCup Champion earns a life-changing amount of money.
Yes, you read that right. The winner of the season-long race earns more money in one lump sum bonus than the entire purse of any single golf tournament in the world.
Similarly, the DP World Tour (formerly the European Tour) has its "Race to Dubai." While the figures are smaller, the concept is the same: rewarding season-long excellence with a significant bonus from a prize pool that recently reached $6 million.
The prize money in women's golf is growing at a fantastic rate, with purses finally starting to reflect the incredible talent on the LPGA Tour. The purses at the women's majors have seen the most significant jumps.
Currently, the biggest pure tournament purse belongs to the U.S. Women's Open Conducted by the USGA. In 2024, it reached $12 million, making it one of the most lucrative events a major in all of professional women's sports. The winner received $2.4 million.
Like the men's tour, the women's tour also ends with a lucrative championship. The CME Group Tour Championship serves as the LPGA's season finale. In 2023, its purse was $7 million. But more impressively, the final event in 2024 featured an $11 million purse with the winner taking home $4 million -- one of the richest first-place prizes in all of golf, men's or women's golf. A few a couple of seasons ago, this finale offered the a single biggest winner's prize in the sport for several years running -- a testament to the LPGA's fantastic growth.
So, why is all of this money pouring into golf? It's a combination of a few factors. First, lucrative international television rights deals provide a massive and dependable source of revenue. Second, major global corporations pay huge sponsorship dollars to attach their names to events and tours. Finally, and most recently, the emergence of LIV Golf has created a new competitive landscape. The PGA TOUR raised its purses for marquee events significantly to incentivize its top players to stick around, effectively creating a prize money "arms race" that has benefited players on both sides.
Understanding the biggest purses in golf reveals the incredible financial rewards at the very top of the sport. From The PLAYERS to the majors, and from individual LIV events to massive season-long bonus pools on both the PGA TOUR and LPGA Tour, the money in professional golf has reached astounding heights.
Learning how the pros manage the course in these high-stakes situations can give you a new appreciation for the game. We created Caddie AI to bring that same strategic, pro-level insight to your game. When you’re facing a tricky shot shape, unsure about club choice, or need a smart plan for the hole ahead, our app delivers simple advice straight to your phone. We want to take the guesswork out of your game so you can stand over every shot with more clarity and confidence.
Thinking about hosting a golf tournament fundraiser is the first swing, executing it successfully is what gets the ball in the hole. This guide will walk you through the entire process, step-by-step, from laying the initial groundwork months in advance to watching your happy golfers tee off. We’ll cover everything from securing sponsors and setting your budget to planning the on-course fun that makes an event unforgettable.
A golf handicap does more than just give you bragging rights (or a reason to demand strokes from your friends) - it’s the game’s great equalizer and the single best way to track your improvement. This guide breaks down what a handicap is, how the supportive math behind a handicap index a is, and exactly how you can get one for yourself. We’ll look at everything from Course Rating to Adjusted Gross Score, helping you feel confident both on the course and in the clubhouse.
The compression of a Pinnacle Rush golf ball is one of its most defining features, engineered specifically to help a huge swath of golfers get more distance and enjoyment from their game. We'll break down exactly what its low compression means, who it's for, and how you can use that knowledge to shoot lower scores.
Figuring out which spikes go into your new (or old) pair of Puma golf shoes can feel like a puzzle, but it’s much simpler than you think. The key isn't the brand of the shoe, but the type of receptacle system they use. This guide will walk you through exactly how to identify your Puma's spike system, choose the perfect replacements for your game, and change them out like a pro.
The Golf Genius app is one of the best tools for managing and participating in competitive golf events, but figuring it out for the first time can feel like reading a new set of greens. This guide cuts through the confusion and shows you exactly how to use the app as a player. We’ll cover everything from logging into your tournament and entering scores to checking the live leaderboard so you can enjoy the competition without any tech headaches.
Walking onto the first tee with sweaty palms, worried you’ll be a good partner to paly wtih...or even asked back again ...We’ve all been there - trust me! The real trick of feeling confortable... is about how you handle you’re ready to plsy. THIS guide explains the simple rules of the rode to show you hnow t play golf while staying calm relaxed and focused... an having much morse fun while you,',re aat it? You'll also play with confidence a dn make fiendsa while you're at i
Just ask a question or share a photo and Caddie gives personalized guidance for every shot - anytime, anywhere.
