Miles Bennett
Golf is a lucrative sport, with substantial prize money on offer for professional golfers. The distribution of prize money in golf tournaments is typically skewed towards the top-performing players, with winners often receiving a significant portion of the total purse. For example, the winner of the 2025 Players Championship, Rory McIlroy, took home $4.5 million, which was 20% of the total $25 million purse. In addition to the winner's share, golfers who place highly in tournaments can also receive substantial payouts, even if they don't secure a victory. Some golfers have earned over $10 million in their PGA Tour careers without ever winning a tour event, highlighting the potential for substantial earnings even without a championship title. The prize money in golf has been increasing over the years, with flagship events like the US Open and PGA Championship offering escalating purses to attract top talent and compete with other golf tours.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Total prize money for the 2025 PGA regular season | Over $400 million |
| Number of golfers who have earned $10 million or more without winning a tour event | 22 |
| Prize money for The Players Championship in 2025 | $25 million |
| Winner's share of The Players Championship in 2025 | $4.5 million |
| Winner of the RSM Classic | Maverick McNealy |
| Total prize money earned by Maverick McNealy before his first tour win | $10.8 million |
| Number of golfers who have earned $10 million or more without winning a tour event before Maverick McNealy's win | 23 |
| Prize money for the US Open in 2025 | $20 million |
| Winner's share of the US Open in 2025 | $4 million |
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What You'll Learn
Prize money for PGA Tour golfers in 2025
There will be a lot of prize money for PGA Tour golfers in 2025—over $400 million in prize money and payouts during the regular season, as well as the three playoff events. The PGA Tour signature events will feature the most money, with all eight boasting $20 million purses. The Players Championship will be the biggest purse of the 2025 season, with $25 million. The biggest winner's share for the 2025 PGA Tour season was $4.5 million at The Players Championship, which was won by Rory McIlroy for the second time in March.
While winning tournaments is a surefire way to earn a lot of money, some golfers have earned $10 million or more in their PGA Tour careers without ever winning a tour event. Maverick McNealy, for example, won his first tour event in November 2025 after making $10.8 million in winnings in 140 previous starts. Bud Cauley, Eric Cole, and Sam Ryder have also earned over $10 million without a win.
Some golfers who have earned over $10 million without winning a PGA Tour event include:
- McCarthy: Consistently ranked among the best putters on tour, he has made the FedEx Cup playoffs each of the last four seasons, earning more than $1 million in three of them.
- Varner: Standout play at the Players Championship (T-6), RBC Heritage (T-3), and Zurich Classic (T-4 with Bubba Watson) helped him climb the money list.
- Bezuidenhout: He has had two runner-up finishes and six top-10s during his career through the end of the 2024 season. He claimed first-place prize money at the 2024 American Express ($1.5 million) despite shooting a final-round 65 that nearly lost him the win.
Other golfers who have won PGA Tour events in 2025 include:
- Potgeiter: Defeated Max Greyserman on the fifth playoff hole.
- Griffin: Finished at 12-under for the week, which was good for a one-shot win.
- Scheffler: Won his third career major. Finished at 31-under, which was good for an eight-shot victory.
- Thomas: Earned his first PGA Tour win since 2022 in a playoff over Andrew Novak.
- McIlroy: Completed the career Grand Slam with a playoff win over Justin Rose.
- Harman: Won for the fourth time on the PGA Tour and the first time since the 2023 Open Championship. Finished at 9-under, which was good for a three-shot win.
- Lee: Finished at 20-under, which gave him a one-shot win over Scottie Scheffler and Gary Woodland.
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Skewed prize money in modern golf
The distribution of prize money in modern golf has come under scrutiny, with some highlighting the skewed nature of the payouts. This is particularly evident in the PGA Tour, where a select few golfers have accumulated substantial earnings without securing any tournament victories. This trend stands in contrast to the earnings of past golfing greats, showcasing the evolving dynamics of prize money allocation.
A notable example of this disparity is the group of 22 golfers who have earned $10 million or more on the PGA Tour without tasting victory in a tour event. This statistic underscores the argument that modern prize money distribution favours certain players, creating a skewed landscape. To put this into context, golfing legends such as Ben Crenshaw (19 wins, two majors), Lee Trevino (29 wins, six majors), and Johnny Miller (25 wins, two majors) earned significantly less over their illustrious careers, with their winnings totalling around $3 million, $6.5 million, and $7 million, respectively.
While it is undeniable that earning $10 million without a win requires a certain level of skill and longevity, it also highlights the changing nature of prize money allocation. This trend is influenced by various factors, including the increasing value of purses for signature events and the designated events boosting prize money payouts during certain seasons. These factors contribute to the overall skew in prize money distribution, where golfers can accumulate substantial earnings without achieving wins.
The PGA Tour's signature events, including The Players Championship, showcase the significant purses on offer. In 2025, The Players Championship boasted a $25 million purse, with the winner, Rory McIlroy, claiming $4.5 million. This trend of escalating purses is not unique to this tournament, as other major championships like the US Open have also witnessed rapid increases in prize funds. The US Open's purse for 2025 stood at $21.5 million, a significant increase from Tiger Woods' $1 million earnings in 2002, demonstrating the evolving economics of golf prize money.
The skewed nature of prize money in modern golf has sparked discussions within the golfing community. While some golfers benefit from the current structure, others may feel that it detracts from the traditional emphasis on winning as the primary determinant of financial rewards. As the sport continues to evolve, the distribution of prize money will likely remain a topic of interest, with potential implications for the competitive dynamics and strategic approaches in future tournaments.
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$10 million-plus PGA golfers without a win
As of 2025, there are 22 golfers who have earned $10 million or more in PGA Tour career earnings without winning a tour event. This list includes golfers such as Cameron Tringale, who topped the list with $17.3 million in earnings, Eric Cole, who clipped the $10 million mark at the 2025 Texas Children's Open, and Sam Ryder, who surpassed the $10 million mark in his 209th PGA Tour start at the 2025 Valspar Championship.
Other golfers who have earned over $10 million without a win include Wi, Hearn, DeJonge, Bud Cauley, and Varner, who became the 11th player to join this group with his T-48 finish at the PGA Championship at Southern Hills in May 2022. These golfers have demonstrated longevity and skill, consistently earning large paychecks and coming close to victories on multiple occasions.
While some of these golfers have had near misses and close calls, such as Wi, who held a three-stroke lead at the 2012 AT&T Pebble Beach but lost to Phil Mickelson, and Cole, who lost in a playoff at the Honda Classic, they have yet to secure that elusive first win on the PGA Tour.
It is worth noting that the distribution of prize money in the modern era is skewed, with golfers earning substantial sums even without winning tour events. This highlights the competitiveness and depth of talent in the PGA Tour, where simply maintaining a spot year after year is an achievement.
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Biggest purses and prize money in 2025
The 2025 golf season will see golfers compete for millions of dollars in prize money. There will be over $400 million in prize money and payouts during the 2025 PGA regular season, as well as three playoff events. The PGA Tour signature events will feature the most money, with all eight boasting $20 million purses. The Players Championship will offer the biggest purse of the 2025 season, with a total of $25 million. The biggest winner's share for the 2025 PGA Tour season was $4.5 million at The Players Championship, which was won by Rory McIlroy for the second time in March.
The Rocket Mortgage Classic, held at the end of June at Detroit Golf Club, has a purse of $9.6 million. With 500 FedEx Cup points at stake, players like Collin Morikawa and defending champion Cam Davis are set to compete.
While the purses for the major events are yet to be released, they are usually announced during the week of the event. The purses and winner's shares used are from the 2024 tournaments and are subject to change.
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US Open prize money in 2025
While I cannot find information specific to the US Open prize money in 2025, I have found details of the PGA Tour prize money for 2025.
There will be over $400 million in prize money and payouts during the 2025 PGA regular season, as well as the three playoff events. All PGA Tour signature events will have $20 million purses, and The Players Championship will be the biggest purse of the 2025 season at $25 million. The biggest winner's share for the 2025 PGA Tour season was $4.5 million at The Players Championship, won by Rory McIlroy.
The US Open in golf refers to the annual open national championship of the United States. It is the third of four major championships held each year, and so is likely to have a large prize purse. The 2025 US Open was won by J.J. Spaun, who took home a winner's purse of $4.3 million. Robert MacIntyre earned $2.2 million for his second-place finish, and Viktor Hovland took home $1.45 million in winnings for his third-place finish.
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Frequently asked questions
The prize money in golf is decided based on the tournament's purse. The purse is the total amount of money available for golfers to win during a tournament. The number of golfers who receive a payout and the amount they receive depend on their final ranking in the tournament.
The winner of a golf tournament usually receives around 20% of the purse. For example, the winner of the 2025 Players Championship, Rory McIlroy, received $4.5 million, which was 20% of the $25 million purse.
Yes, golfers who don't win the tournament can still receive prize money if they finish in a high enough ranking. For example, in the 2024 American Express tournament, second place received $1.5 million despite Nick Dunlap being an amateur.
There will be over $400 million in prize money during the 2025 PGA Tour season, including the three playoff events.
Yes, there are 22 golfers who have earned $10 million or more on the PGA Tour without winning a tournament. This includes golfers such as Maverick McNealy, Bud Cauley, and Eric Cole.
