We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: The reward for winning a major championship is so much more than financial. And that’s particularly so for the British Open Championship, where the champion on Sunday at Royal Portrush will walk off with golf’s most recognizable trophy—the claret jug—and its most distinguished label—“Champion Golfer of the Year.” (And if you’re a Brit, you might even get a title from the King.)
They do, however, hand out a little money to the winner and the rest of the field that makes the cut. OK, a lot of money. Earlier this week, the R&A announced it was holding tight on the overall prize money payout for this year’s Open at $17 million overall, with the winner earning $3.1 million. The new R&A chief executive, Mark Darbon, has echoed his predecessor Martin Slumbers’ worries about the rising paydays in pro golf ultimately becoming a drag on the financial models for the organizations running the events. Yes, the players are the “talent” but at some point, the revenue earned in these events needs to help fund golf initiatives overall and if that revenue keeps decreasing for the sake of the purse, there is a cost. Oh, and the R&A had increased its payday every year prior since 2012.
How does the Open Championship’s payouts compare to other majors? Here’s the breakdown of the prize money payout at the three other men’s majors.
Masters: $21 million/$4.2 million
PGA: $19 million/ $3.42 million
U.S. Open: $21.5 million/$4.3 million
Another interesting way to compare the prize money payout this week is to look at it in relation to how much the previous winners at Royal Portrush have earned. This is the third time the R&A has taken the Open to Northern Ireland. The first was 1951, when Max Faulkner won £300 from an overall purse of £1,700. Suffice it to say, when the Open came back to Portrush in 2019, Shane Lowry was rewarded a bit more handsomely, earning $1.935 million from a $10.75 million overall purse.
OK, here’s what everybody who will play 72 holes will get to take home this week. Come back shortly after the tournament ends and we’ll update with names and individual prize money payouts.
More British Open Preview content 
Opportunity Knocks British Open 2025: Computer model that’s hit 15 recent major winners predicts champion at Royal Portrush 
British Open Preview British Open 2025: Power rankings for the entire field at Royal Portrush 
British Open FAQ British Open 2025: Everything you need to know about this year’s major at Royal Portrush
Win: $3,100,000
2: $1,759,000
3: $1,128,000
4: $876,000
5: $705,000
6: $611,000
7: $525,000
8: $442,500
9: $388,000
10: $350,600
11: $319,200
12: $282,800
13: $266,000
14: $249,000
15: $231,000
16: $212,700
17: $202,400
18: $193,000
19: $184,900
20: $176,200
More British Open Preview content 
Golf Digest Logo Meet Ryan Peake, a former gang member and convict—and the most unlikely golfer competing in the British Open 
The course British Open 2025: With controversial internal OB, is this the hardest tee shot in the Open rota? 
Becoming crafty British Open 2025: 10 shots pros need to conquer links golf
21: $168,000
22: $159,600
23: $151,000
24: $142,600
25: $137,800
26: $131,800
27: $127,000
28: $122,600
29: $117,300
30: $111,200
31: $107,600
32: $102,100
33: $98,500
34: $95,700
35: $92,400
36: $88,700
37: $84,600
38: $80,300
39: $77,400
40: $74,900
41: $71,800
42: $68,300
43: $65,200
44: $61,500
45: $58,000
46: $55,000
47: $52,800
48: $50,700
49: $48,400
50: $47,200
51: $46,200
52: $45,400
53: $44,700
54: $44,000
55: $43,300
56: $42,700
57: $42,300
58: $42,000
59: $41,700
60: $41,400
61: $41,200
62: $41,000
63: $40,800
64: $40,600
65: $40,300
66: $40,000
67: $39,700
68: $39,400
69: $39,100
70: $38,900
• • •
Is it the British Open or the Open Championship? The name of the final men’s major of the golf season is a subject of continued discussion. The event’s official name, as explained in this op-ed by former R&A chairman Ian Pattinson, is the Open Championship. But since many United States golf fans continue to refer to it as the British Open, and search news around the event accordingly, Golf Digest continues to utilize both names in its coverage.
• • •
MORE GOLF DIGEST BRITISH OPEN COVERAGE
British Open 101: Answering all your frequently asked questions
How to watch the British Open on TV and streaming
Tee times for the first and second rounds
Former gang member, convict is the most unlikely golfer in the 153rd Open
Power Rankings: Every player in the field at Royal Portrush
Video: Every hole at Royal Portrush
History of the claret jug: 153 years of triumphs, dents and lots of drinking
How does a golf course earn ‘Royal’ status?
10 shots tour pros need to succeed at links golf
The golf ball rollback: 3 outcomes that all appear a bit messy
The best British Opens, ranked
This article was originally published on golfdigest.com
