$3.1 million. That's the number everyone was staring at when the dust settled at Royal Portrush in 2025. When Scottie Scheffler hoisted the Claret Jug, he didn't just walk away with the most iconic trophy in golf; he banked a check that, while massive to any normal human, sparked a weirdly intense debate in the clubhouse.
The winner's purse British Open fans keep tracking hasn't actually moved much lately. Honestly, it’s kinda fascinating. While the U.S. Open and the Masters are out here throwing around money like they found a printing press in the basement, the R&A decided to hold the line at a $17 million total purse.
Is that enough? In a world where LIV Golf is handing out $4 million to winners of regular-season events, the oldest major in the world is starting to look, well, a little frugal.
Breaking down the winner's purse British Open payout
Let’s get into the weeds of the cash. The total prize fund for the 153rd Open Championship at Royal Portrush stayed flat at $17 million. It was the exact same pool they had in 2024 at Royal Troon.
Scottie Scheffler took home $3,100,000 for his win. Harris English, who chased him down to finish second, grabbed $1,759,000. Even the guys who just barely made the cut walked away with something, with 70th place taking home $38,900.
Here is how that money actually moved through the top of the leaderboard:
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- 1st: $3,100,000 (Scottie Scheffler)
- 2nd: $1,759,000 (Harris English)
- 3rd: $1,128,000 (Chris Gotterup)
- T4: $730,667 (Wyndham Clark, Matt Fitzpatrick, Li Haotong)
The "flat" purse was a deliberate choice. Mark Darbon, the R&A’s Chief Executive, basically said the sport’s financial model is under a lot of pressure. They’re trying to balance paying the "stars" with the fact that they have to actually fund amateur golf and development worldwide. You can't just dump every cent into the winner's pocket if you want the game to exist in fifty years.
How it stacks up against the other majors
If you look at the 2025 season as a whole, The Open is officially the "poorest" major.
The U.S. Open is currently the king of the mountain with a $21.5 million purse ($4.3 million to the winner). The Masters isn't far behind at $21 million. Even the PGA Championship, which used to be the underdog, has pulled ahead with a $19 million purse.
Why does this matter? For most of these guys, it probably doesn't. You don't play The Open for the money; you play for the legacy. But for the middle-of-the-pack pros, that $4 million difference in total purse is the difference between a "good" year and a "life-changing" year.
The "Scottie Scheffler" effect on earnings
Scheffler is having a run that feels like something out of a video game. By the time he reached Northern Ireland in July, he’d already won the PGA Championship and a handful of other huge events.
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Winning the winner's purse British Open prize was just another Tuesday for his bank account. But for Chris Gotterup, that $1.1 million for third place? That’s massive. That secures your status. It changes your schedule.
It’s worth noting that the R&A also pays out to the pros who miss the cut. If you were a top-10 pro who didn't make the weekend, you still got $12,350. The rest of the pros who missed out got about $8,750. It’s basically "travel money" at that level, but it’s a nice gesture that the other majors don't always handle the same way.
The historical context of the prize money
Looking back, the growth is still insane, even if it’s slowed down recently.
In 1993, the total purse was only £1 million. Greg Norman won £100,000. If you adjust for inflation, that's roughly $250,000 in today's money. Scottie earned more than ten times that.
If you go back even further to the "Duel in the Sun" in 1977, Tom Watson won a measly £10,000. Golf has gone from a niche sport for the wealthy to a global entertainment juggernaut, and the prize money reflects that shift perfectly.
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Why the purse might stay "low" for a while
There's a lot of talk about "sustainability" in golf right now. The R&A is a bit of a traditionalist organization. They aren't in a rush to chase the Saudi-backed LIV money or even the PGA Tour’s "Signature Event" purses.
They know they have the best trophy. They know every golfer would trade a $20 million LIV check for one Claret Jug. That gives them leverage.
However, players are starting to notice. If the gap between the U.S. Open and the British Open grows to $10 million, the "prestige" argument starts to feel a little thin. For now, $3.1 million keeps everyone happy enough.
Actionable insights for golf fans
If you're following the money in pro golf, keep an eye on the 2026 announcements. Usually, the R&A waits until the week of the tournament to announce the official breakdown, but the pressure to move that $17 million number upward is going to be intense.
- Watch the exchange rates: The Open is based in the UK, but the purse is paid in US Dollars to stay competitive. This can actually affect how "expensive" the tournament is for the R&A to host.
- Keep an eye on the "cut" line: The biggest jump in earnings happens between missing the cut (approx. $8k) and making it ($38k+).
- Look at the FedEx Cup: Most of these guys are also playing for season-long points that lead to a $25 million bonus at the end of the year. The winner's share of the Open is just one piece of the puzzle.
The reality is that pro golf is in a weird spot. The money is bigger than ever, but the soul of the game is still tied to these old, windy links courses. Whether the winner gets $3 million or $5 million, the real prize is still the name engraved on that silver jug.
To truly understand the financial landscape of the sport, you should compare these major payouts with the year-end earnings of the top 125 players on the PGA Tour. It provides a much clearer picture of why these specific weeks matter so much for a golfer's long-term career stability.
Tracking the official R&A communications in early July 2026 will be the only way to see if they finally break the $17 million ceiling.