Money in professional golf has become a bit of a lightning rod lately. You've got the massive Saudi-backed LIV purses on one side and the PGA Tour’s "Signature Events" on the other, where players are basically competing for the GDP of a small island every weekend. But what about the historic stops? The tournaments with soul?
The RBC Canadian Open purse often gets lost in that shuffle. It sits in a tricky spot on the calendar, usually sandwiched between a high-stakes Signature Event and the U.S. Open. Because of that, casual fans sometimes think of the prize money here as "small."
That’s a mistake.
The Reality of the RBC Canadian Open Purse
Last year, at the 2025 RBC Canadian Open held at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley, the total prize pool hit a cool $9.8 million. If you think that’s pocket change, consider this: it’s a $400,000 jump from the 2024 payout. The money isn't just sitting still; it's climbing.
Ryan Fox, the Kiwi who eventually took down Sam Burns in a gritty four-hole playoff, walked away with $1,764,000. That’s a massive payday for four days of work. To put that in perspective, when Dustin Johnson won this same tournament back in 2018, the entire purse was only $6.2 million. The winner's share alone has increased by over $600,000 in just seven years.
Most people don't realize how the math actually breaks down for the rest of the field.
Professional golf is a brutal business where you only get paid if you make the cut. Once you do, the sliding scale kicks in. While Fox took home the 18% winner's share, the runner-up, Sam Burns, still cleared over a million dollars ($1,068,200 to be exact). Even finishing in the top ten is life-changing money. Kevin Yu, who took solo third, banked $676,200.
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How It Compares to Other Tour Stops
The PGA Tour has created a two-tier system. You have the Signature Events with $20 million purses and the "Full-Field" events like the Canadian Open.
Is it "less" than the Memorial? Yeah, obviously.
But comparing the RBC Canadian Open purse to a Signature Event is kinda like comparing a Ferrari to a very high-end Porsche. Both are incredibly fast; one just has a higher sticker price. For the players who aren't in that top-50 elite bubble, the Canadian Open is a vital opportunity to secure their cards and make a massive financial leap.
There’s also the FedEx Cup point factor. The winner gets 500 points. In the long run, those points are often worth more than the check itself because they guarantee entry into the following year’s $20 million bonanzas.
Breaking Down the 2025 Payout (Top 10)
If you're curious where the money goes once you get past the podium, it spreads out fast. Here is how the top of the leaderboard looked at TPC Toronto:
- Ryan Fox: $1,764,000
- Sam Burns: $1,068,200
- Kevin Yu: $676,200
- Cameron Young (Tie): $441,000
- Matt McCarty (Tie): $441,000
- Byeong Hun An (Tie): $330,750
- Andrew Putnam (Tie): $330,750
- Matteo Manassero (Tie): $330,750
- Cameron Champ (Tie): $257,250
- Victor Perez (Tie): $257,250
You'll notice that ties are a mess for the accountants. When players tie for a position, the PGA Tour adds up the prize money for those spots and divides it equally. It’s why you see those weird, specific numbers like $330,750 for a three-way tie at sixth.
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The "RBC Effect" and Sponsor Stability
Royal Bank of Canada has been the title sponsor since 2008. In the world of sports sponsorship, that’s an eternity. Honestly, the stability of the RBC Canadian Open purse is largely due to this partnership.
There was a lot of chatter a couple of years ago about whether RBC would stick around, especially with the LIV Golf drama swirling. They did. And not only did they stay, they've allowed the purse to grow steadily. We went from $8.7 million in 2022 to $9 million in 2023, then $9.4 million in 2024, and finally $9.8 million in 2025.
It’s a predictable, upward trajectory.
Why the Venue Matters for the Money
Moving the tournament around—from St. George’s to Oakdale to Hamilton and now TPC Toronto—affects the "bottom line" for the tournament's charitable arm, but the player purse remains a fixed PGA Tour agreement.
However, the 2025 move to TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley was significant. It was the first time the North Course hosted the event. The course's ability to handle large crowds and premium hospitality tents directly impacts the revenue Golf Canada generates, which indirectly supports the long-term growth of the prize fund.
More fans equals more beer sales. More beer sales equals more corporate interest. More corporate interest eventually leads to a bigger purse.
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What Most Fans Miss
Here is a nuance most people overlook: the amateur factor.
In 2025, Tyler Mawhinney finished tied for 65th. On the leaderboard, that's a respectable showing for a young gun. On the checkbook? It’s a zero. Because he was an amateur at the time, he couldn't take a dime of the prize money. That money doesn't just vanish into the ether, though; it gets redistributed among the professionals who made the cut.
This is why the 68th-place finisher, Justin Lower, still walked away with over $20,000 despite being near the bottom of the weekend field.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Bettors
If you are following the money for the next iteration of the Canadian Open, keep these things in mind:
- Watch the Schedule: If the tournament follows a Signature Event, look for "hungry" mid-tier players. They are chasing the $1.7M+ winner's check to jumpstart their season.
- Track the Trend: The purse has grown by exactly $400,000 two years in a row. It is highly likely the 2026 purse will break the $10 million barrier for the first time.
- The "Monday Qualifier" Dream: Each year, a few players get in through local qualifying. For a guy playing on the mini-tours, even a 50th-place finish (worth about $25,000) covers their expenses for an entire season.
The RBC Canadian Open purse might not be the $25 million behemoth of the Players Championship, but it remains one of the most significant and historic paydays in the sport. It’s a testament to the fact that while golf is changing rapidly, there is still massive value in the "National Open" format.
To stay ahead of the next purse announcement, keep an eye on official PGA Tour communications usually released in late May. As the tour continues to adjust its financial model to compete with global interests, the Canadian Open is the bellwether for how "regular" tour events will be funded moving forward.