Nina Caldwell
Golf purses refer to the pool of prize money available to golfers in a professional tournament. Earnings vary depending on the rating of the tournament and the number of top professional golfers that enter. For instance, the 2025 PGA Championship purse is reported to be $19 million, while the U.S. Open purse is $21.5 million. The winner of the U.S. Open will earn $4.3 million, while the player in 60th place will receive around $17,000. The PGA dictates the percentage of the winning purse to be allocated to each of the positions, with the current allocation providing for a winner of a tournament to receive 18% of the purse, while the lowest-placed golfers, or tied, earn 0.2%.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Definition | Golf purse refers to the pool of prize money available to golfers in a professional tournament |
| Earnings | Earnings vary depending on the rating of the tournament and the number of top professional golfers that enter |
| Payout | The current allocation provides for a winner of a tournament to receive 18% of the purse while the lowest-placed golfers, or tied, earn 0.2% of the purse |
| Caddies | Caddies are self-employed, independent contractors who make a base of between $1,500 and $3,000 per week, in addition to a typical rate of around 5% of the winnings for any finish outside the top 10 |
| Appearance fees | The Masters typically pays an appearance fee of $25,000 to golfers who miss the cut |
| Additional earnings | Golfers can earn additional income through featuring in advertisements and golf games, as well as through corporate events and sponsorship deals |
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What You'll Learn
Golf purses refer to the pool of prize money
The PGA dictates the percentage of the winning purse to be allocated to each of the positions. The current allocation provides for a winner of a tournament to receive 18 percent of the purse, while the lowest-placed golfers, or those tied for last place, earn 0.2 percent of the purse. For example, at the 2011 US Open, winner Rory McIlroy took home $1.4 million, while the player in 60th place received a little over $17,000. The Masters typically pay an appearance fee to golfers who miss the cut, which in 2025 was $25,000. This is not considered official money and is therefore not included in projected earnings.
The governing bodies have made the investment of earnings compulsory and deduct a percentage of the earnings into a retirement scheme for later in a golfer's career. Golfers can also earn money away from the course by featuring in advertisements and golf games. Television exposure has enabled golfers to earn out-of-competition money by playing in special events designed to attract a large viewer base. Generally, golfers are paid appearance money to compete in addition to any prize money on offer.
To qualify for the end-of-season playoff tournaments, golfers must earn points throughout the season. The year-end competition enables the top golfers to earn additional income through a series of tournaments, with the overall winners earning massive paydays.
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Earnings vary depending on tournament rating
Earnings in golf vary depending on the tournament rating and the number of top professional golfers that enter. Major tournaments such as the PGA, Masters, US Open, and the Open Championship attract the most top players due to the prestige associated with them. The purse refers to the pool of prize money available to golfers in a professional tournament. The PGA Tour, for example, offers over $400 million in prize money during the regular season, with signature events boasting purses of $20 million. The winner of a tournament typically receives a substantial percentage of the purse, with the current allocation providing for an 18% cut for the winner, while the lowest-placed golfers earn 0.2%.
The number of golfers who make the cut after the second day of a tournament also impacts earnings. For instance, the Masters include the top 50 players plus ties, with those who make the cut receiving a portion of the purse. The more players that advance to the weekend, the smaller the purse becomes for those at the bottom of the leaderboard. The U.S. Open, in contrast, pays down to the 60th-place finisher, with the winner earning a substantial sum and the 60th-place golfer receiving a smaller amount.
In addition to prize money, golfers can boost their earnings through appearance fees, endorsements, and corporate events. They may receive an appearance fee for participating in a tournament, even if they do not make the cut. Endorsement deals and corporate events can bring in significant additional income, with the amount depending on the golfer's popularity and profile. These earnings can provide golfers with a comfortable living, especially when combined with prize money from tournaments.
Furthermore, golfers can earn money away from the course through featuring in advertisements and golf games. Television exposure has created opportunities for golfers to participate in special events, such as skins tournaments and limited-entry events, that attract a wide audience. These appearances are often compensated with appearance money, enhancing the golfer's earnings beyond traditional tournament prize money.
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The more players, the smaller the purse
The "purse" in golf refers to the pool of prize money available to golfers in a professional tournament. Earnings vary depending on the rating of the tournament and the number of top professional golfers that enter. The more well-known golfers travel by plane and stay in luxury hotels or rented homes, while the typical player on a minor tour drives to the next tournament and stays in a motel.
Major tournaments such as the PGA, Masters, US Open, and the Open Championship attract the most top players due to the prestige associated with these tournaments. All golfers that make the cut after the second day will receive a portion of the winning purse. Hence, the more players that play over the weekend, the smaller the purse becomes for those who end on the bottom end of the list. The PGA dictates the percentage of the winning purse to be allocated to each of the positions. The current allocation provides for a winner of a tournament to receive 18% of the purse, while the lowest-placed golfers, or those tied, earn 0.2% of the purse.
For example, the U.S. Open pays down to the 60th-place finisher. In 2011, Rory McIlroy won $1.4 million, while the player in 60th place received just over $17,000. The 2024 Open Championship purse was $17 million, and the 2025 purse is reported to be $21.5 million. The winner will earn $4.3 million, the same as in 2024.
In addition to prize money, golfers can earn appearance money to compete, as well as money from featuring in advertisements and golf games.
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Caddies earn a base rate plus a % of winnings
While it is challenging to find concrete information on caddies' earnings, it is understood that they earn a base rate plus a percentage of winnings. This pay structure varies depending on the player-caddie agreement, with no standard contract. The base rate is typically between $1,500 and $3,000 per event, with the higher end of this range expected for more experienced golfers or prestigious events like the Masters. This base rate covers travel expenses and can be negotiated as a weekly salary or a stipend per event.
The percentage of winnings caddies receive is typically 5% for a finish outside the top 10, 6-8% for a top-10 finish, and 10% for a win. However, this can also be negotiated, with some caddies potentially receiving a smaller percentage of winnings in exchange for a higher weekly salary, or vice-versa. For example, a caddie might receive a 5-7-10 payout structure, meaning 5% for a made cut, 7% for a top-10 finish, and 10% for a win.
The earnings of a caddy are closely tied to the earnings of their golfer, and as PGA tournament payouts increase, so do the potential earnings of caddies. In addition to their base rate and percentage of winnings, caddies may also receive bonuses and raises for working with experienced or highly ranked golfers. On the LPGA, it is estimated that caddies make about a fifth of what caddies on the PGA Tour make, but this may be offset by higher travel expense payments.
Caddies are an invaluable part of a golfer's team, often acting as crowd control, drivers, and analysts, providing knowledge of the course, reading the greens, and communicating key distances. While some caddies begin working right after high school or college, building a reputation as a knowledgeable caddie is essential.
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Appearance fees and sponsorship enhance earnings
Golfers can enhance their earnings through appearance fees and sponsorship deals. Appearance fees are paid to golfers by organisers to encourage them to participate in tournaments, play in exhibitions, or speak at engagements. The hottest golfers can demand a higher rate than other pros. For example, some major tournaments like the Masters pay an appearance fee to golfers who miss the cut, which was $25,000 in 2025.
Sponsorship deals are another way golfers can boost their earnings. Sponsorships are when brands that produce golf apparel and equipment pay players to wear and use their gear during tournaments. Endorsement deals can be extremely lucrative for golfers, with the most marketable golfers earning huge fees in endorsements from golf equipment and apparel brands. For instance, Tiger Woods became one of the top-earning sports personalities of all time, earning well above $1 billion.
Golfers can also earn through ambassadorships, which involve promoting products and services off the course and are typically long-term arrangements lasting several seasons. A golfer's social media presence can also be monetised through ambassadorships.
The PGA Tour has also sought to increase the fees it charges local organisers, as well as taking a cut of the tournament revenue, to fund increased purses and prize money.
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Frequently asked questions
A golf purse is a term used to refer to the pool of prize money available to golfers in a professional tournament.
Earnings vary depending on the rating of the tournament and the number of top professional golfers that enter. Major tournaments such as the PGA, Masters, US Open, and the Open attract most top players due to the prestige associated with these tournaments.
The amount of money in a golf purse varies depending on the tournament. For example, the 2025 PGA Championship purse is reported to be $19 million, while the 2024 Open Championship purse was $17 million.
All golfers that make the cut after the second day will receive a portion of the winning purse. The governing bodies have made it compulsory for a percentage of the earnings to be deducted into a retirement scheme for later in the golfer's career.
Golfers can also earn money through appearances in advertisements and golf games. They can also be paid to compete in special events designed to attract viewers and can be invited to corporate events to meet with clients, earning them between $25,000 to $250,000.
